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Congregation continues in-person services despite recommendation to stop due to COVID-19

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Posted at 7:06 PM, Nov 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-22 19:16:23-05

WINCHESTER, Ky. (LEX 18) — In response to the surge in COVID-19 cases, Governor Andy Beshear issued restrictions and recommendations to slow the spread.

Included among the recommendations was for houses of worship to suspend in-person services.

Currently, it is only a recommendation and not a mandate. So Wendell Phelps, the pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Winchester, is continuing in-person services.

He says he believes his congregation can attend church and do it safely.

"One of the reasons we do have church in-person is during the first lockdown, we did cancel like all of the churches did, and did online services," said Phelps. "There was an element missing we believe the Bible calls us as Christians to come together and meet. And certainly, we don't take that lightly, so we really don't want to cancel Sunday morning worship unless we absolutely have to."

Phelps says they are practicing socially distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing spaces and pews.