April 23, 2020: Reopening churches May 3, response to immigration halt, pizzas for Md. families
Thursday, April 23, 2020:
Here are the latest headlines, brought to you by The Christian Post.
— Group calls on churches to reopen on May 3
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Liberal Counsel is calling on churches nationwide to reopen and resume in-person worship services on May 3, while following appropriate safety protocols such as reduced seating.
May 3 marks the Sunday before the National Day of Prayer and comes just after phase one of President Donald Trump’s proposal to ease the lockdown in America.
Mat Staver, who heads Liberty Counsel, told The Christian Post that “it’s time to recognize the essential functions that churches provide to their communities and allow them to reach out and begin that process of healing people in their congregation and community that they serve.”
— Some Christians condemn Trump’s halt to immigration
Some Christian groups expressed concern over President Donald Trump’s announcement to temporarily halt immigration for 60 days.
Trump said it would be “unjust” for Americans who are laid off to be replaced by new immigrant labor.
In response to the halt, Jenny Yang of World Relief said shutting down legal immigration does “nothing to improve the public health situation.”
Church World Service President John McCullough argued that the economy is made stronger by immigration.
— UK council drops x-rated sex-ed program for kids
A controversial sex-ed curriculum that included lessons on masturbation, pornography and gender spectrum was dropped by a county council in England after parents and Christian activists protested.
The Warwickshire County Council had initially backed the curriculum, called The All About Me. But following a petition, it decided to replace the material.
— Catholic Charities, Domino’s giving out 250 pizzas to Md. families
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and Domino’s franchisee owner Ed Treacy have partnered to hand out 250 pizzas to families in Maryland.
The distribution of 50 pizzas a day began Wednesday.
Tara Arras, chief development officer at Catholic Charities DC, told The Christian Post that they hope “people will feel cared for and nourished with this gift.”
— Iran sentences Christian woman to prison, 10 lashes
Iranian Christian convert and human rights activist Mary Mohammadi has been sentenced to three months in prison and 10 lashes for protesting the government’s downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January.
Mohammadi was arrested in January during an anti-government protest over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ downing of Ukrainian Airline Flight 752 in which 176 people were killed.
She said her sentence was suspended for one year depending on her conduct. But she said she already suffered “many types of torture” and over a month in jail before her release on bail in February.
— Huckabee denounces restrictions on church services
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has denounced the idea that state and local governments can continue to force churches not to hold in-person services, especially when a church agrees to engage in social distancing practices.
During an online townhall Tuesday, Huckabee said Americans should never “get used to this idea that the government can tell us when we can gather, what we can say, and how we can get around it.”
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