Dear Supervisor Parlin and El Dorado County Board of Supervisors,
My name is Cliff Peppers and I am one of the pastors at Gold Country Baptist Church. I would like to add my voice to my fellow El Dorado County pastors, asking that you consider the immediate, safe opening of the churches in our county.
Please know how grateful I am for the leadership that the entire Board of Supervisors and staff have shown during these unpreceded times. Prior to my entering ministry, I served 35 years in law enforcement with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and later with the State Department of Justice as a senior law enforcement consultant. As a high level manager, I have some sense of the difficult decisions you are facing. Again, thank you for your leadership.
1 Timothy 2:2 calls of on all believers in Jesus Christ to pray for – “All who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” In that, my wife Sue and I, my fellow pastors and our congregation pray for you, your families and the El Dorado County, daily. Also, Romans 13:1 calls on the church to – “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities” - and that we gladly continue to do.
Our concern is that, in reopening the county (or State), that the churches 1st Amendment right to gather to worship God may, however inadvertently, be violated. Case in point:
El Dorado County has kept our parks open, for which I am very grateful. I hold an annual pass to Henningsen Park where my wife and I often walk our dogs and take our grandchildren.
During this last weekend there were an estimated 200 people at the park, which is wonderful. However, we must take note that meeting openly in a park, in relation to COVID-19, is an uncontrolled environment. At the same time, the church, although willing to follow proper COVID precautions, is not permitted to gather - which is, at best, incongruent and at worse, denies our liberty to meet as a church.
It would seem logical, ethical and appropriate then, to allow churches to meet in some number, in a controlled and therefore, safe environment.
Please understand, I am not of the opinion that we are being intentionally denied the right of assembly, but simply asking that the church be granted the equivalent, legal right to meet, with proper safety requirements, including social distancing.
The church meets to worship God, care for one another and care for the surrounding community. And, we can best accomplish all three, when we meet together.
So, with that, we ask you to grant us the opportunity to begin reopening our churches in a safe and controlled manner. It is, of course, our desire to meet in our sanctuary buildings, but if that is not to be the case for the near future, we specifically ask that we be allowed to meet and worship in open venues, such as our parking lots or in smaller numbers in private homes, with proper safety precautions, as already mentioned.
If you chose to limit the number of folks who may meet at any given time, we ask that you give clarity as to exactly what that number is, what safety precautions we are to follow and a specific date when we can begin meeting together again.
Thank you for hearing and considering my/our concerns. You are in our thoughts and prayers as you make these difficult decisions.
In the Love of Christ,
Pastor Cliff Peppers
Clifton (Cliff) Peppers
Pastor/Elder
Gold Country Baptist Church
(530) 677-4122
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