Most of the nation’s religious bodies have suspended in-person services due to #Covid19.

But in some states, churches are exempt from stay-at-home orders. And many plan to stay open for one of the most lucrative holidays of the year: Easter. http://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N ">https://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N&q...

States that have made churches exempt from their stay at home orders include:

Louisiana
Ohio
Florida
Delaware
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
West Virginia http://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N ">https://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N&q...

Many churches have their highest annual attendance on Easter—and it’s also the biggest donation day of the year. These donations keep facilities running and build the cache of their pastors. http://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N ">https://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N&q...

Theologist @CandiceBenbow notes that, in lieu of on-site donations, many pastors are asking people to “continue financially investing in their congregations because they know that now more than ever, people are going to be pulling” on them. http://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N ">https://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N&q...

But financial survival shouldn’t hinge on Easter Sunday, it’s about what happens after Easter, because whether they’re rich, poor, mega- or community-sized, churches are being reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.

Full story: http://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N ">https://read.medium.com/YFx9b1N&q...