Pastor Resumes Services at Oregon Church Linked to 74 COVID Cases
On 5/10/21 at 6:24 AM EDT
An Oregon church has refused to close even after it was linked to an outbreak of COVID-19 which affected 74 people, including the pastor and his wife.
Pastor Scott Erickson, of the Peoples Church in Salem, continued with his usual Mother s Day sermon on Sunday despite the house of worship being listed as the source of a coronavirus outbreak by the Oregon Health Authority s weekly report on May 5.
Addressing his audience during the service, which was also live-streamed online, Erickson described how he was determined to keep the church open amid continuing pressure to close it.
Oregon church won t close after COVID-19 outbreak infected 74 members, pastor says
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Returning to the pulpit after a COVID-19 outbreak infected him, his wife and 72 members of their congregation, the senior pastor of an Oregon church said Sunday that he will not kowtow to pressure to close the doors to the house of worship.
Pastor Scott Erickson of the Peoples Church in Salem, Oregon, began his Mother s Day sermon by addressing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in his church and throughout the state.
Oregon s People Church tied to covid-19 outbreak of at least 74 people, authorities say washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
74 sickened in COVID-19 outbreak at Salem church
SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregon health officials say at least 74 people linked to a church in Salem have contracted COVID-19.
The Statesman Journal reports the Oregon Health Authority started investigating the outbreak at the People s Church on April 6. The state did not release information about the outbreak until Wednesday.
According to the church’s Facebook page, Lead Pastor Scott Erickson and his wife, Bonnie, both were hospitalized with COVID-19 last month.
The church s website and Facebook page indicate in-person services and events continue to be held there.
Officials at People’s Church declined to immediately respond to questions from the newspaper.