From SMBC’s Pastor Relations Committee
Dear SMBC family,
On Wednesday of this week, Governor Beshear held a phone call with the Kentucky Council of Churches about COVID-19. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Kentucky (CBF-KY) was included in this call, and St. Matthews Baptist Church has been affiliated with CBF-KY for almost 30 years.
During the call, the Governor requested that the churches represented on the call abstain from holding in-person worship services during the weeks of July 26 and August 2 in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Governor Beshear emphasized that this was a request and not a directive or mandate. The Governor further advised that he hoped his appeal to the churches could be withdrawn after the two weeks, assuming the number of cases begins to recede.
CBF-KY informed SMBC’s ministers about the Governor’s request yesterday. The ministers recommended to our committee that we honor the Governor’s request. Our committee concurs that we should do as the Governor has asked—just as we would try to honor any governor’s appeal on a matter of health and safety.
Therefore, under our authority in the Bylaws to act in place of the Pastor, we have cancelled in-person worship for the weeks of July 26 and August 2. We will hold virtual worship services on both of those Sundays, and we hope that we can resume in-person worship soon.
We ask for your continued prayers for our Church as we worship the Lord together—wherever we may be.
Mike Norman, Chair
July 23, 2020