Churches Take Different Approaches to Keeping the Faith as COVID-19 Rules Change
While some houses of worship in Santa Barbara County resume indoor services, others are waiting for still-high virus numbers to go down
The Rev. Randall Day, pastor at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos, talks during the Ash Wednesday service outdoors, where ashes were handed out in tiny biodegradable cups on a tray and administered by individual members instead of church leaders under COVID-19 modifications. (Janene Scully / Noozhawk photo) By Janene Scully, Noozhawk North County Editor | @JaneneScully
February 17, 2021
| 10:10 p.m.
Some churches in Santa Barbara County quickly returned to indoor services, but others have kept status quo amid still-high COVID-19 cases and uncertainty that numbers will reach and stay low.
Local churches prepare to re-open for indoor services
KSBY
and last updated 2021-02-13 02:03:20-05
Places of worship are now allowed to operate indoors at 25% capacity after holding services outdoors for months.
Since the news, many local church pastors said they are extremely happy that people who come to their masses and services are now able to be inside. We are really excited. We got this news, 25% capacity, and that means we can open our indoor services,â said Pastor Jim Larrabee at
California revised its guidelines for indoor church services after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the stateâs ban on indoor worship last week.