Gautier church prepares for large outdoor parking lot worship service

GAUTIER, Miss. (WLOX) - First Baptist Church Gautier is bringing its praise and worship service to the parking lot this Sunday.

Pastor David Aultman said his members are ready to get as close to the sanctuary as possible while staying safe.

“The time is right, bottom line. The time is right,” he said.

Up to 200 chairs have been sanitized for First Baptist Church Gautier’s upcoming outdoor service.

People will gather on both sides of the church on Sunday while the sanctuary is still closed due to the pandemic.

“I believe if our church does proper mitigation, that I believe if we can do something in our parking lot and I believe that we will be safe,” Aultman explained in a 24-minute video.

Aultman based his decision on information provided by Singing River Health System. He feels confident the latest numbers allow for a calculated reopening.

“We have made efforts to go a little bit deeper, to dig a little bit deeper into the numbers and into the specific statistics to know what is going on," he said.

Safety measures for Sunday’s service include spacing seats six feet apart with six feet between each row, hand sanitizer stations and contactless offering collection. Aultman said a survey of church members showed 71% want to return as soon as possible. He stresses that there is no pressure on those who prefer to wait.

“Maybe you’re some of those that you just think you need to wait a few weeks. I agree with you, then you need to wait a few weeks. No problems there. No issues there. I want you to feel safe and to feel comfortable with the choices you’ve made," Aultman said.

First Baptist Church Gautier will hold its outdoor service this Sunday at 9 a.m.

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