A Mississippi mayor is permitting drive-in church services one day after facing pressure from the Justice Department.
Greenville, Mississippi, Mayor Errick Simmons announced on Wednesday his intention to permit drive-in church services shortly after the Justice Department intervened in a lawsuit involving the ban of such services.
“Today, given the definitive guidance from the governor, in the city of Greenville, we will allow drive-in and parking lot services in the city — so long as families stay in their cars with windows up,” Simmons said on a Facebook Live video.
However, Simmons maintained his opinion that churches should strongly consider holding virtual services. “Churches are still strongly encouraged to hold services via Facebook Live, Zoom, Free Conference Call, and any and all other electronic, social media, streaming telephonic platforms available for the safety and protection of life,” Simmons said.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest supporting a local church over ordinances limiting worship gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
“There is no pandemic exception, however, to the fundamental liberties the Constitution safeguards. Indeed, individual rights secured by the Constitution do not disappear during a public health crisis,” the statement reads. “These individual rights, including the protections in the Bill of Rights made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, are always in force and restrain government action.”
Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves applauded the Trump administration and Attorney General William Barr for a “strong stand in support of religious liberty.”
“The government cannot shut down churches. Mississippi is not China. This is still America. We will help support this any way we can.”
Thank you to the Trump administration and Attorney General Bill Barr for this strong stand in support of religious liberty. The government cannot shut down churches. Mississippi is not China. This is still America. We will help support this any way we can. https://t.co/a2cc5s3oXe
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) April 14, 2020