CORONAVIRUS: Spilt Sunday services-churches told

18 Mar, 2020 - 14:03 0 Views
CORONAVIRUS: Spilt Sunday services-churches told

The Sunday News

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter

CHURCHES that attract huge gatherings must consider splitting services in the wake of Government announcement that public gathering of more than 100 people including for religions purposes must be banned as measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Zimbabwe has not recorded any case of the coronavirus but President Mnangagwa on Tuesday said the country has declared a National Disaster in the wake of the coronavirus which has affected a number of countries in the world.

Zimbabwe Christian Alliance executive director Reverend Useni Sibanda said churches welcomed the move by Government and will abide by the directive

He said churches however, can consider splitting services to avoid the gathering of many people at one time.

“We welcome this move that was announced. We need to act as responsible churches and church leaders by following the law. This is a serious matter because there is no cure for the Coronavirus and the best thing that can be done is prevention.

“One of the things that can be done is to reduce numbers, I think big churches with large volumes of congregants can break up to small groups and have several church services throughout the day so that we are in line with the directive,” he said.

He said congregants can also make use of their cell groups which are smaller.

“Most churches do have cell groups, those can be converted in to Sunday worship services as they have fewer people. The danger however, is that even if we have 100 people in a church service, if one person is infected there is a risk of infecting the whole group. So, the smaller the groupings the better,” he said.

Rev Sibanda said churches must also cancel things like baptisms and confirmations and find a way in which Holy Communion could be done differently.

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