COVID-19 forcing some Fort Worth churches to close building, worship online
Some Fort Worth churches are taking measures to limit the exposure their members have with each other in the wake of the COIVD-19 virus.
This follows Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley declaring a local public health emergency disaster on Friday because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
All gatherings of more than 250 people are strongly encouraged to cancel events and services, including those at churches and places of worship.
Vinny Tenaja, Tarrant County Public Health Director, said if those gatherings cannot be canceled or streamed online, that church leaders should consider implementing multiple services with smaller groups.
“We want people to be able to worship,” he said. “But we also want to make sure they’re healthy and safe.”
Broadway Baptist Church, at 305 W. Broadway Ave., has canceled upcoming events and has shifted its Sunday service to online only.
“While communal gathering is an important part of our faith and the suspension of public worship is an extraordinarily rare and undesirable choice, we feel it is a necessary and prudent step to help promote social distancing, protect the elderly and otherwise vulnerable, and hopefully mitigate stress on our public health system,” Senior Pastor Ryon Price said.
Bishop Michael Olson, of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, said Sunday Mass will continue but has asked that anyone who feels sick stay home.
“If you are sick, you are not bound by the obligation to attend Mass, including on Sunday,” he said.
However, Olson has asked that parishioners not hold hands during the Our Father and fold hands in reverence instead. During the sign of the peace, members are asked to do a slight bow or smile. The Holy Communion by the chalice will be suspended and any blessing given will be given without touch.
Members of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, at 800 W. Fifth St., will also have to watch their services through a live-stream until March 25. All meetings and activities are also canceled.
“This is a particularly hard call to make because, as a church, it feels wrong to not meet in the middle of a crisis. However, after learning more about this pandemic in the last 24 hours, it makes sense for the protection of our congregation’s most vulnerable members as well as our responsibility to our local community,” church leaders said in a statement.
In Haltom City, the Christian Center of Fort Worth will go ahead with services and keep its food pantry open.
Gaye Vanzant, whose husband Steve is pastor, said she purchased plenty of hand sanitizer and toilet paper before the hoarding and panic started.
Vanzant, who is also a Haltom City council member, said she enlisted volunteers to “monitor” the bottles of sanitizer that are strategically placed throughout the church. The volunteer monitors will dispense the sanitizer to everyone who comes to worship, making sure that they don’t use too much. The church also has pre-packaged communion supplies available for worshippers.
“It is very important for us to be here for the people in our community right now to lift them up,” she said.
Trinity Episcopal Church has canceled its Sunday service and closed its building after a priest tested presumptive positive for a case of COVID-19.
The Rev. Robert Pace is the first known case of coronavirus in Tarrant County. Pace attended the The Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes annual conference from Feb. 19 to Feb. 22 in Louisville, Kentucky.
At least two other rectors who attended the conference have tested positive for the virus.
Pace’s wife, who is the early childhood and lower school chaplain for All Saints’ Episcopal School of Fort Worth, has tested negative but will remain in self-quarantine at home for 14 days. Pace is hospitalized in isolation.
The school will extend its spring break by one week.
Other cancellations:
▪ The Catholic Diocese of Dallas is suspending public Masses through March 30.
▪ Antioch Community Church, at 5023 Trail Lake Dr., will suspend all corporate gatherings on the church’s campus at least through March 22. Sunday morning services will be posted to the church’s YouTube page.
▪ University Christian Church of Fort Worth, at 2720 S. University Dr., will move Sunday worships for March 15 and March 22 online. The services can be viewed on the church’s website during 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
