ST. LOUIS — Changes in Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and St. Louis city and county mask mandates mean area churches are revisiting the topic.
At Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, Pastor Ed Zumwinkel told church members that despite the change in mask mandate in St. Louis city and county, he is asking that, at least for this Sunday, church-goers keep their masks on.
“In our church, we’re a deliberative body and there’s a committee that needs to review that," Zumwinkel said. "Since we haven’t had time yet to review that, I asked everybody to keep the masks on because as Christians, thinking about other people is foremost.”
In a statement released Friday, St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese officials say current COVID mitigation strategies in schools will remain, in part because schools are completing a successful year of in-school education.
In Catholic churches — like Cathedral Basilica — people who haven't been vaccinated yet are asked to continue wearing their masks.
“I am hopeful that any changes in mask requirements and such don’t lead to more people getting sick,” Church-goer Mike Bogdan said.
“Personally, I think if I am fully vaccinated, I don’t need the mask, but I respect the individual organizations,” Xianyu Liu said.
Joyce and Robert Smith are vacationing from Ohio.
“We have both had COVID,” said Joyce. “It was no different than a sinus infection, for either of us. We were blest.”
A reporter pointed out that Joyce was wearing a mask.
“I am,” she said, “because that’s what they require. We have not been vaccinated.”
“When we were in Branson, they were a little more relaxed about it," Robert added. "But we haven’t been in church here. Whatever the church requires, we will do. We don’t have to agree with anything.”
But they will honor it?
“Yeah,” said Robert.
“Absolutely,” added Joyce.
Pastor Zumwinkel said a Webster Groves Presbyterian Church committee will meet Tuesday to discuss any changes to mask policy. Catholic Archdiocese officials say capacity restrictions at the church level will be left up to individual pastors.