His Excellency Charlie Baker
Massachusetts State House
Office of the Governor
Boston, MA 02133



Dear Governor Baker,

We, the undersigned Massachusetts faith leaders want you to know that we have been praying for you and all those in authority with increased fervor over the past two months.

We care deeply for the health and welfare of our congregations and our communities.
We recognize the risks and uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, and the extraordinary measures we are all having to take, and we have continued to serve, especially in feeding the hungry and comforting the many who are suffering now.

While we have been praying and serving, we have also been watching. We have seen how marijuana dispensaries, liquor stores and abortion clinics have all been deemed “essential,” but churches and other places of worship have not. We are grieved by this, but we have been patient, and peaceful.

However, church IS essential for us. Your order of March 23rd would forbid us from gathering together to worship God, but the word of God commands us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We have done our best to temporarily adapt to extraordinary circumstances, but this must not continue.

It is also clear that church is essential under both our state and federal Constitutions. The free exercise of religion and the freedom of assembly are prominently enshrined in the first amendment to the US Constitution and the words of the Massachusetts Constitution still declare that “It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society, publicly and at stated seasons, to worship the Supreme Being.”

As we look at the date of May 18th, when your order banning gatherings of more than ten people is set to expire, we understand there is a “Reopening Advisory Board.” We note with disappointment that, despite the 8,000 churches in the Bay State and the millions who worship in and are served by them, they have no representation on that board. We therefore hope that you will hear directly from us now.

When the phased reopening of our Commonwealth begins, the reopening of our churches must be in the first phase. It is upsetting that, unlike roughly half the states across our nation, churches in Massachusetts were not deemed ‘essential’ at the outset, but this must come to an end. This is consistent with the federal guidelines for a phased reopening, where in phase one, “places of worship can operate under strict physical distancing protocols.”

The U.S. Department of Justice said last week, “For many people of faith, exercising religion is essential, especially during a crisis.” They went on to specifically question the Governor of Virginia’s treatment of churches as his Commonwealth “has offered no good reason for refusing to trust congregants who promise to use care in worship in the same way it trusts accountants, lawyers, and other workers to do the same.” We are asking you to trust us now, so we can better minister to our flocks and in turn assist you in our own small way in your efforts to serve the most vulnerable of the Commonwealth.

We are fully prepared to exercise extraordinary care and precaution to protect the health of our members and our broader communities. Loving our neighbors is part of who we are as a church. We are capable of following the guidelines for social distancing recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, just as other businesses Massachusetts has deemed essential.  We are able to take the same precautions that their staff and customers have taken.

Please do not underestimate or dismiss the abilities of the church. Many of us have members who are doctors and nurses. We will listen to their expert advice as well, and they will help us be models of safety.

We ask you to swiftly and publicly recognize churches as essential and ensure that they are included in the first phase of reopening on May 18th.