Albany Coalition of Pastors holding off on re-opening churches

ALBANY, Ga. — Across Southwest Georgia, local churches are remaining closed for the time being.

As more than two dozen local religious leaders created the coalition of pastors to discuss re-opening safely, as well as helping fellow pastors who are facing hardship.

“We have been collecting funds from those who have them available to donate so that we can resources to help pastors who may be struggling during this time either personally or with their churches,” says Rhema International Industries Pastor, Scott Sanders

As hair salons, restaurants, and movie theaters have opted to open services back up for the general public, the coalition is waiting until they see general improvement in the area.

Something they’ll feel more comfortable with as the number of reported cases decreases.

Pastor Sanders tells us, “So we’re not quite there, but i think many of us are eyeing June as a re-opening time frame, but not a specific date in June. We’re going to evaluate and get the numbers.”

With local pastors agreeing to keep their sermons and bible study online, keeping up with their congregants has been difficult, but keeping faith is still a priority now more than ever

“We were created for fellowship, and the church is one of the greatest examples of fellowship and connection. It does something for us, it’s a part of our growth, a part of our spirituality, it’s just a part of our mental, spiritual, and physical well being for us,” says Sanders.

The Coalition of Pastors are choosing to follow the same schedule for re-opening as a sign of solidarity.