Compton Pastor Ron C. Hill says he’ll be guided by the Holy Spirit on when to reopen his church, not by California’s governor, who ordered churches to close in March as part of the state’s stay-at-home COVID-19 restrictions.
In an interview with us, Hill said he is anxious to welcome congregants back to his Love and Unity Christian Fellowship church because they need spiritual nourishment during these difficult times.
“People are suffering financially and emotionally and they need the support of the church to feed them the word of faith, the word of love, and to be that support system,” stated Hill, who is pictured in the image above.
Related Story: Al Sharpton Rips Churches for Holding Services Amid Coronavirus Crisis
The pastor was one of more than 1,200 spiritual leaders across the Golden State who signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying they plan to resume in-person services on May 31, with or without the governor’s approval.
Hill said he’s not sure when he’ll reopen, but it will ultimately be up to God.
“I can’t say that I’ll open up on the 31st or not,” Hill explained during an interview at his church. “The same God that told me to shut down, can be the same God that tells me to open up. But I think that pastors ought to have the freedom to open up the way they feel that the Holy Spirit is directing them.”
Attorney Robert Tyler wrote the letter to Newsom, which he called a “Declaration of Essentiality for Churches.”
Last week, President Donald Trump joined the debate by declaring churches across the nation “essential,” and demanding they be allowed to open their doors immediately.
On Monday, May 25, Newsom responded to the controversy by issuing new guidelines for churches to safely hold in-person services. The rules posted on the governor’s website say churches must:
-Put a social distancing plan in place
-Limit attendance to 25 percent of building capacity or 100 people, whichever is lower
-Employees and volunteers must use face coverings
-Churches should prop or hold doors open during peak periods when people are entering and exiting facilities
-Houses of worship should close children’s play areas
Newsom’s new guidelines also say houses of worship should get approval from their county health departments before they resume services.
.@CAPublicHealth announced the statewide reopening of places of worship for religious services and in-store retail shopping.
Modifications are required to keep Californians safe and limit the spread of #COVID19. #YourActionsSaveLives
Learn more: https://t.co/48ZAhw2Iwl
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) May 25, 2020
Newsom skipped his daily coronavirus briefing on Memorial Day, but he addressed the church issue on Friday.
“We take the issue very, very seriously and to heart, and we have been very aggressive in trying to put together guidelines that will do justice to people’s health and will meet their fundamental need and desire to practice their faith,” he said.
This back-and-forth comes after a church in Northern California was linked to a coronavirus outbreak following in-person services on Mother’s Day. In a news release, Mendocino County health officials said at least nine people contracted COVID-19 in connection with the service at the Assembly of God Church in Redwood Valley.
Meanwhile in Butte County, also in Northern California, health officials said 180 people were exposed after an infected person attended a Mother’s Day service at an unidentified church.
“The infected person received their positive COVID-19 diagnosis the day after the service and is now in home isolation,” officials said.
As for Love and Unity Christian Fellowship in Compton, the pastor insists he has a plan ready to keep church members safe.
“We will make sure that we practice social distancing,” said Hill. “We’re going to have someone out in the foyer to take their temperatures, and if anyone has a temperature, they can’t come in … We’re going to have hand sanitizer and do anything that they would do at any other public place, like the restaurants that are opening up.”
But with 3,000 members at his church, it remains to be seen if Hill will adhere to Newsom’s recommendation that no more than 100 people be allowed in a church.
A version of this story aired on the Black News Channel.
Dude survived Viet Nam. I’ll take his word over any virus “expert”.
I’ve been a Christian since 1957. This man is far from God.
That’s what virtually every Christian says about virtually every other Christian denomination.
Christianity is nothing more than inkblot test. You fold over piece of paper, you open it up and say, and “I see what the holy spirit is telling me”
In a group of 100 people, you can convince some of them that they see the same thing you do. Boom! A new denomination can be invented on the spot.
And anyone who doesn’t see what you see, you get to call them blind.
What an effing racket!!
Proselytizing religions like Christianity and Islam are threats every other group on the planet because their holy books tell them they’re the only ones who got it right!
sooner or later proselytizing religions start to exile, persecute and murder those they deem heathens and demonic children of Satan. History proves that’s true. Just a matter of time till the next crusade or jihad is launched.
Buy your own condemnation, you have deemed these to be bad. By what standard do you decide what is good and what is evil? Who made you Judge, Jury? Are you throwing God’s son in with this? It was the religious leaders calling for His death.
I didn’t judge anybody. Everything I said was factually correct.
And my revulsion of it is the natural outcome of observing it all.
You are clearly blinded by your own bias and hatred of all things sacred.
Gary, prove anything I said wrong.
Hi Robert, I think you are overstating things a bit.
In “Encyclopedia of Wars,” they document the history of recorded warfare, They count 1763 wars and only 123 have been classified to involve a religious cause, That is less than 7 percent of all wars. They also account 2 percent of all people killed in warfare to these wars.
Outside of warfare, I think the issue is power and not a certain religion or lack their of. I encourage you to look deeper at this issue and I think you would be surprised that you are wrong on your thoughts in this area.
Why do you try to remove the splinter out of someone else’s eye
when you have a log in yours.
But you have a lot of personal issues, Bob, and you are venting on yet another topic. Deal with that angst of yours first. Take care.
Well now who is judging people.
You say I hate all things sacred.
You don’t know me. How can you say that?
I have a strong belief in God. I just reject the New testament and the lunacy that it produces. “I’m going to let the holy ghost tell me when to open the doors.”
Ink blots. pressing ink together; open it up and read the tea leaves; that’s all that is.
And then you cover the lie by saying I had an experience you can’t refute that I know what happened to me whether you believe it or not oh ye of little faith.
What an effing scam?
Okay then so let’s get all those pastors who claim they hear from the holy ghost in separate rooms and see if they all come up with the same day an hour that the church is supposed to open.
There’s only one God, right?
there’s only one spirit, right?
and you all hear from the same holy ghost, right?
so if we put you in different hotel rooms you should all get the message at the same time.
God wouldn’t tell one church to open on a Tuesday and another church to open on a Wednesday, would he?
Let’s put your seance to the test!!
Man are you lost. You have a “strong belief in God you just reject the new testament and all the lunacy”????
Im walking away…..
Mar… It is amazing to me that you do not realize that there are dozens of false gods out there and false holy books.
A person can reject the New testament and still believe in God.
You should not walk away; you should RUN away as you have done from reality.
Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute
Gary, why are you calling me out about what I’ve said. The post I responded to was written by a Christian claiming this other Christian is far from God. Why are you asking about my speck in my eye why aren’t you asking that guy about the speck in his eye
UC. You people are such hypocrites. you want to criticize a non-Christian but look what the Christians are doing?
“He’s far from God”
What are you got to say about that?
That’s a man of God. The famine of the end times is the lack of the Word of God being taught. Get back to it, brother, as soon as the spirit of the Lord leads you to.
Compton Pastor Vows to die When Holy Spirit Directs Him
Unfortunately history and the evening news has proven that the message fanatics hear most often is that God has instructed them to kill those who don’t believe as they do.
Is that a flying toddler? ?
It is
If he really is guided by the Holy Spirit, he would become Catholic.
Yep. Thanks. You proved my point. No one who carries a new testament believes anybody else who carries a New testament has got it right, unless they go to their Church or their sect or their denomination. You people all want us to come to believe what you believe but you don’t even believe what each other believes.
Proselytizing religions are a blight on humanity.
His decision. Who cares, long as nobody is being forced to attend. Free choice to attend. Free choice not to. What’s wrong with that?
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Can’t wait for natural selection to work.
That’s my pastor stop talking about him he is a good pastor. He’s a good man of God he loves his members at the church. So if you live in California . Come by and enjoyed the service. Haters need to stop hating on my Pastor. Thank you and have a blessed year .