The majority of IBSA pastors surveyed in May plan to reopen their church’s building for public worship this summer. The survey of 115 pastors found 55% plan to resume worship gatherings in June or July, while 10% said their churches started meeting in May. A smaller share—8%—said it may be fall or even next year […]
Corona Virus
Gov. pulls new emergency rule, legislature will take up effort
Springfield, IL | Governor JB Pritzker pulled the May 15 emergency rule he issued via executive order from review by the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR) prior to the committee’s going into session May 20. The emergency rule would have made it a level 1 misdemeanor for a business to reopen early and violate […]
Most churches plan for slow reopening
Six pastors shared their congregations’ plans to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging the road back to church will be a long one for most churchgoers. The Illinois Baptist State Association assembled the pastors for a virtual town hall meeting May 14 on how churches are preparing to return amid Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” […]
State reopening plans a concern for religious liberty, churches
Editor’s note: Updated May 13 with court ruling. Illinois Baptist pastors are expressing concern that governmental restrictions on reopening the economy might unduly impact churches. In Illinois and in other states, some churches have launched legal challenges to shelter-in-place orders they say are unfair to places of worship. IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams said many […]
Disaster Relief adapts ministry amid pandemic
Springfield | Disaster Relief volunteers are used to running toward danger or its direct aftermath. “With this COVID-19 response, it’s very difficult to find ways that we can run to that danger,” said Butch Porter, state director for Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR). This season traditionally finds volunteers on the road, traveling throughout the state […]
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