As a handful of pastors across the nation continue to defy public health orders by holding Sunday services week after week as coronavirus ravages the nation, the CDC has just issued a report detailing how one rural Arkansas pastor and his wife may have spread the virus to nearly three dozen church members, which ballooned into a cluster of over 60 cases, which resulted in at least four people dying.
According to the report, shortly before developing symptoms of COVID-19 two months ago, the unnamed 57-year-old pastor hosted a children’s event from March 6 to March 9 that included indoor sessions, singing, buffet-style meals, and church services that included hand-to-hand contact during offerings. Then on March 11, he hosted a Bible study group.
Related: Antigay pastor refuses to cancel church, invites hundreds of people to watch his son be crucified
The very next day, he learned that some members from his congregation had developed symptoms of coronavirus, so he did the right thing and closed his church.
But by then it was too late.
A few days later, he also developed symptoms and, on March 16, both he and his wife tested positive for the virus.
Health officials have now concluded that those church events resulted in at least 35 cases, with the pastor and his wife being the index cases. Of those 35 cases, seven required hospitalization, and three of the people died. An additional 26 cases and one death were also reported in the community.
Related: Crazed pastor says coronavirus is God’s revenge for gays
While the CDC has not said specifically what rural Arkansas church the cluster is linked to, the Daily Beast reports that the details of the report line up almost exactly with details of an outbreak reported at a church in Greers Ferry, Arkansas in late March.
Donald Shipp, a deacon at First Assemblies of God Church in Greers Ferry, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on March 23 that 34 people who attended a recent children’s event at the church had tested positive for coronavirus and more were awaiting test results.
Around that same time, Mark Palenske, the pastor at the church, wrote a lengthy Facebook post announcing he and his wife, Dena, had both tested positive.
When something like this Covid-19 virus touches the other side of the world, your first inclination is to assume that…
Posted by Mark Palenske on Thursday, March 19, 2020
In his post, Palenske said that when a deadly virus spreads on the other side of the world, “your first inclination is to assume that time and distance are on your side,” but “that false assumption” had quickly caught up with him and his wife.
Sadly, their “false assumption” also appears to have also caught up to many others.
According to the church’s website, all services and other activities at the church have been postponed until further notice, which is a good thing. Whether or not the CDC’s report will have any influence on those pastors who continue to hold large church events remains to be seen.
Related: Preachers gone wild: 5 religious leaders who refused to cancel church services (and one who died)
jayceecook
On the one hand I say let those people attend their places of worship. It would be a great way to cull the masses of people who honestly are a large part of why this world is so phucked.
But on the other hand, they would end up being possible carriers of the virus and potentially infect innocent people. Some of which would die. And nobody should have to die for another person’s right to believe in fairytales and mythology.
FRE0
It’s not only about dying. The virus can damage any organ in the body. That often occurs. Even people who neither die nor become obviously seriously ill can experience organ damage which will reduce their quality of life for as long as they live. The virus, by causing blood clots, has make it necessary for some victims to have limbs amputated. Some have required lung transplants. Some have suffered brain damage.
If more people realized just how serious covid-19 infection often is, probably they’s be more careful to protect themselves and others.
Cato
This pastor and his church seem pretty blameless. As of the first week of March almost nowhere was shut down. California didn’t impose its shutdown until March 19, more than a week after folks at this rural Arkansas church were exposed. The church closed as soon as the pastor and his wife were diagnosed.
I’m not a fan of churches, but they seem to be doing the right thing.
jayceecook
That’s not entirely accurate. By March the world was very much aware of COVID-19 and it being on US soil (In fact it already had been for months) and it not being just a China thing. Some states, including mine, began discussions to lock down in early March. By the time they were showing symptoms most places where I’m at were shut. In fact the first day of schools, bars, clubs, restaurants, etc being closed happened on my birthday. Which really sucked. Unfortunately every state has taken its own route.
However this story, even months old, is important now because it demonstrates how risky allowing places of worship to congregate is for not just religious folks but everybody. Large crowds breed large number of infections. Those people then become carriers and can potentially infect people outside of their church and community. It highlights a very important point about why the fight over lock downs or stay at home orders isn’t about restricting people’s right to religion but about public safety.
MaineBuilt
Thank you for your reasoned comment Cato! I still do not understand why this article was written; it seems to imply that because of arrogance this congregation is now suffering. They did not act with malice and this is an unforgiving virus that caught them as they were going about business as usual as it did many others.
MaineBuilt
I have two things to say, the first is to the author of this report. To conflate what happened in early March at a church when groups and organizations of all kinds were still operating normally with churches arrogantly refusing to follow lock down edicts in MAY is totally misleading.
The second is directed to you Jayceecook. To say the whole world knew what was going on and so to imply that this church in early March should not have been meeting is a total revision of the way things were. Even the NHL and NBA held games through March 11 with arenas packed. Don’t let your distaste or (is it hatred?) of people of faith to lead you to conclusions that are not justified.
My church had morning worship on March 8 and by March 13 we made the decision to close our building until further notice. That was even before the governor of MA issued his guidelines against mass meetings on the evening of MARCH 15. Very few places in the entire USA had ceased meeting or carrying on business as usual when this Arkansas church held its activities as the majority of other groups were still doing.
Dunnedin
I was part of the Peace Corps evacuations in mid-March. As were waiting to evacuate in country, although we were advised to wear masks and socially distance, only 5 of the 200+ Volunteers were doing so. When we were finally evacuated on 20 March, I was quite surprised to see NO ONE wearing masks in Dulles Airport (including airport personnel) or the hotel we overnighted in. The next day it was the same in Atlanta and then Houston. So to say that everyone knew about COVID-19 and were practicing social distancing and using facemasks at the time this church held its event is not only ludicous but a lie. How quickly we forget reality when it doesn’t fit our agenda.
Cam
Could you right wing troll accounts please do a little better? If you’re going to lie, at least TRY not to lie about something that can be easily checked. Here is an article from MARCH FIRST, about how people at Dullus were wearing masks. I’m putting spaces in the link because Queerty screens out links.
But seriously, you trolls are ridiculous in your attempts to defend Trump, Evangellicals, Bigots, etc…
https : //wjla. com /news/health/travelers-fly-with-precautions-at-dulles-during-coronavirus-threat
justgeo
Yes every now and then GOD shows the plan!