Churchgoers countrywide have celebrated the government’s decision to allow congregants to congregate in groups of 50 ever since the lockdown started on 30 March 2020, The Chronicle reports.
Churches who had resorted to virtual services are happy to go back to worship at their congregation points as witnessed in this interview apostolic sect leader Madzibaba Mutumwa’s had with the publication. Mutumwa said:
We are grateful for the move by the President to allow churches to reopen. As the apostolic sector, to make sure that we comply with the regulations, we will do away with our previous way of congregating.
In terms of praying, we will not be laying hands on the heads of those who are being prayed for and as a leader who was getting congregants from as far as Botswana, South Africa and Mutare, that will not be the case as we will not receive any intercity congregants or people from outside the country
Another Bulawayo Church leader, Pastor Bruce Edwards of Kingdom Empowerment Centre also spoke to the publication and said:
We appreciate our President, Government and leadership and are more than blessed to have a Government that fears the Lord. The church is ready to go back and we’ll continue to abide by the requirements of the policies by the government to ensure safety of the saints and that of the citizens
Prophet Simbarashe Emmanuel of Magwegwe’s Shalom Believers Fellowship also said:
We are in the process of buying sanitisers and any other needed material in the fight against Covid-19. Thus we expect to start our services next Sunday
Prophet Tatenda Makasi of Destiny Life Ministries in Gwanda also shared the other leader’s sentiments and said:
New things will be incorporated within the church and we are working on engaging health personnel to come and teach people more about Covid-19 at our churches. We will hold our sermons almost daily so as to ensure all our congregants attend
Congregants also expressed their joy in knowing they will fellowship with fellow believers soon. The president urged churches to adhere to COVID-19 safety measures while in church.
More: The Chronicle