ABERDEEN, Wash — Pastor Sean Jamieson has never given a Sunday service outdoors, but he can’t wait for his first.
“I think it’s what we need,” Jamieson said. “We’ve been waking up and staying in our pajamas for too long.”
Jamieson’s church, Grays Harbor Foursquare, is holding drive-in services Sunday.
Gov. Jay Inslee partially lifted his restrictions on church services Wednesday, as part of the state's phased-in approach to reopening the state from its stay-home order.
The order has been in place since March, when the state shut down large gatherings, including religious gatherings, in response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The state will now allow drive-in services under certain guidelines. Those include:
- Having members of the same family stay in their cars during the outdoor services.
- No food or beverages provided by the church.
- Any collections must be made in drop-boxes.
Those limits are not a problem, Jamieson said.
He plans on giving his sermon from a truck bed either in the church's front parking lot or in the grassy field behind the church.
Figuring out the logistics of making sure everyone can hear him as well as creating enough space between cars in the lot are well worth it.
“In following through with the governor’s orders we want to offer that opportunity for people that come and really regain some of that hope,” said Jamieson.