Local churches, Dr. Willie Wilson mount new challenge to Governor Pritzker

CHICAGO - We have told you about individual churches going against Governor JB Pritzker's stay-at-home order. But now, a group of 100 local pastors are joining forces saying it is time to open back up.

Some of the pastors are planning to hold services this weekend, going against the governor's orders, while following the lead of Dr. Willie Wilson.

“I lost 10 friends in the last two months from this particular situation,” Wilson said a few days ago.

On Thursday, he plans to support 100 pastors slated to open their doors for services this weekend.

“It’s a ridiculous call on the part of Willie Wilson,” said Governor Pritzker.

Pritzker caught wind of what Wilson is up to and it was clear Wednesday that he is upset about it.

“The idea of encouraging pastors to bring what amounts to a large population of elderly African Americans to church, not only defying the stay-at-home order but putting them at significant risk,” Pritzker said.

A judge is agreeing with the governor.

The senior pastor of Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Cristian Ionescu, just held services Sunday. He filed a lawsuit with a church in Niles, but a judge ruled Wednesday the services would risk the lives of congregants.

Mount Zion Church on Lavergne Avenue in Chicago closed in March, but now Pastor Jose Acevedo says he plans to hold services this weekend.

“We have a team that will clean when we come in and when we leave. I have given them the option to come or not,” he said.

Doctor Alexander Stemer is a board certified infectious disease specialist. He says all it takes is one person to start singing.

“You saw the case in Chicago [where] 60 people went to a choir practice and 30 got ill. You don't think of singing as an aerosol-generating activity, but it is. So when we open the churches…can we say we open the churches, but don't sing?” the doctor said.

The governor would not say what actions, if any, he will take but instead offered some advice to Wilson.

“Putting those groups of people together is an enormous mistake. I would suggest Willie Wilson do his homework and look at what the science and data says about people I care deeply about,” Pritzker said.

The pastors and Wilson will gather Thursday at the Thompson Center at 11:30 a.m.

In addition, late Wednesday night, the Chicago Archdiocese announced that churches may be able to reopen in 10 days.

Under a new plan -- made with the governor’s office -- churches would be allowed to reopen after undergoing training and getting certification that they have completed it.

Once that is done, churches can hold baptisms, weddings and funerals with 10 people or less.

The next phase allows churches to reopen for private prayer. That could happen before the end of the month.

The archdiocese says phase two -- which includes weekday and weekend masses with larger groups -- will only be allowed if it follows state guidelines and depending how big the church is.