When the initial order came to shelter in doors came, we as a faith community honored that request because of what the Apostles Paul and Peter wrote in God’s Word in Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2: 13-17. We obeyed and “honored the king” because we wanted to shepherd the flock of God among us, as elders (1 Peter 5:1-4). These passages provided a tension with Hebrews 10:24-25, the command not to forsake the assembling together for worship.

Santa Clara County took the lead in enacting protective measures, seemingly getting the spread of COVID-19 under control. Of course, some wondered if it was more the tech giants who accomplished this because they sent their employees home and encouraged their safety. Regardless, churches are filled with vulnerable populations and all the modeling and ‘science’ suggested that this was best for our people. To that end we improvised online services, shopping for groceries for seniors, et al. As elders, we are grateful for how all of you stepped up.

However, as time passed it became increasingly clearer that the modeling and science were… well… not so scientific after all. Countries like Denmark are open for business… one might say… the state of Florida has been opened but cautious for about 3 weeks, Georgia and South Carolina have followed. The “Central Valley Counties” slower than Santa Clara to close have begun reopening. Santa Clara County lags well behind. Something like 1200 churches in Southern California opened on May 31st, some right here in San Jose. Entrepreneur Elon Musk reopened his Tesla factory in defiance of government policy. Still, we sought to stick to the text of Scripture.

Sadly, George Floyd was brutally and unjustly killed (some would say murdered) during his arrest. Protests and riots followed. City, county, state, and other local governments around the country accommodated the desire to protest. Protesters did not observe social distancing and neither did the criminals who robbed, looted, and assaulted people. We have been asked to limit outside worship services to 25 people. It has been suggested we may reopen for worship with 25% of building capacity or 100 persons, which ever is less. Our building is rated for 1,000 people. Twenty five percent of that figure is 250 but we are limited to 100… based on what? It has becoming increasingly clearer over time that well-intended government officials are creating policy that seems more and more subjective. Meanwhile, “essential” businesses and services are opening…

Consequently, seeing as the government is selectively enforcing its own laws while allowing some to break them, we find ourselves (biblically) in a position where “the king” no longer honors the rule of law. Our desire to honor God via Hebrews 10:24-25 gains ascendence in the tension with the other passages. Blindly clinging to Romans 13 is not a tenable position. Therefore, yesterday, this letter was sent to the governor, the mayor, the Santa Clara Health Officer, and various councilmen and state senators. We ask that you prayerfully consider in adding to this letter by responsibly writing and communicating as individual citizens. The letter is an open letter sent to media and politicians alike. I will provide email addresses at the bottom of this page, after a copy of the letter.

June 8, 2020

Delivered via FedEx and Email

Governor Gavin Newsom Mayor Sam Liccardo Dr. Sara Cody, County Public Health

1303 10th Street, Ste 1173 200 E. Santa Clara Street 976 Lenzen Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95814 San Jose, CA 95113 San Jose, CA 95126

Your Honors,

It grieves me to be writing concerning events surrounding the unjust killing (some would say murder) of George Floyd in the Twin Cities. Atrocities of this nature tend to have a global effect beyond their localities. Events such as these have collateral effects. This is one such case.

I am writing to you on behalf of houses of worship, including my own, to do the right, wise, and logical thing in the face of recent developments. What do I mean? Due to circumstances beyond your control, the protest gatherings and riots in California, San Jose, and across the nation have nullified the efficacy of the various COVID-19 countermeasures presently in force. I suppose it is not your fault. It is the result of the situation on the ground. One has to admit that due to circumstances beyond your control, your policies are rendered ineffective and ineffectual. They are irretrievably compromised.

Neither the legitimate protesters nor the rioters are observing social distancing, nor are they taking countermeasures to assure their safety and the safety of others from infection. The communities to which they will return will be effectively compromised. Regardless of the goodwill and best intentions of governments, the reality is that the proverbial horse is out of the barn (or the birds have left the nest), and you cannot return or recover them. Since it would have been impossible to enforce these restrictions on the protesters and rioters it is no one's fault. It is merely the situation on the ground (call it prevailing environmental circumstances). Even before the protests and riots, boredom and societal fatigue have progressively worked against the strict observance of public health policies. Things will only get worse as the summer progresses. I think you have to acknowledge this reality.

Attempting to ratchet these policies back up would be unwise and maybe even impossible. To continue to impose these measures on gatherings of law-abiding worshippers in light of the protests would appear (and would be) selective, discriminatory, and unethical. I realize it’s difficult to hold those crowds to the standard, but now—by default—you will find yourself in the unenviable position of singling out churches like mine (and other houses of worship) when (by default) other mass gatherings are tolerated. That is bad policy indeed, not to mention terrible optics.

California is facing a long hot summer and will need all the help it can get. Communities around the country, the state, Santa Clara County, and San Jose need the ‘services’ of houses of worship and similar aid groups. We provide essential emotional, psychological, and spiritual grounding to people, many of whom are pent up, or in distress. Last Sunday (May 31st), many churches ignored the ban. We did not. Now there seems no longer any credible reason to wait.

Do yourself and your constituents a service. Remove the restrictions on houses of worship and trust us to do what other essential groups have done—govern ourselves responsibly. Don’t make a difficult situation worse—lift the ban by July 1, 2020. Again, circumstances have rendered these restrictions unenforceable, and these crowds have irretrievably compromised and crippled the efficacy of your efforts. We hope to reopen on July 12, 2020. We hope to do so with your support and blessing.

Respectfully,

Keith Crosby

Lead Pastor

cc: Senator Jim Beall

Vice Mayor Chappie Jones

City Manager Dave Sykes

Councilmember Dev Davis

Councilmember Maya Esparza

County Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez

State Assembly Member Ash Kalra

State Assembly Member Candidate Alex Lee

Mercury News Editor Neil Chase

Mercury News Opinion Editor Ed Clendaniel

Mercury News Managing Editor Bert Robinson

Mercury News Managing Editor Randall Keith

San Jose Insider News Editor Jennifer Wadsworth

Here is a community activist group in opposition to endlessly sheltering in place: https://savesantaclaracounty.com/

Here are emails of various politicians—please be courteous:

City CouncilsCity Council Cupertinocitycouncil@cupertino.org
city council palo altocity.council@cityofpaloalto.org
CC los altoscouncil@losaltosca.gov
CC san jose
+ personally to Liccardo and Dev Davis
mayoremail@sanjoseca.gov, District1@sanjoseca.gov, District2@sanjoseca.gov ,District3@sanjoseca.gov, District4@sanjoseca.gov, District5@sanjoseca.gov, District6@sanjoseca.gov, District7@sanjoseca.gov, District8@sanjoseca.gov, District9@sanjoseca.gov, District10@sanjoseca.gov
CC los gatos
council@losgatosca.gov
CCmilpitas
rtran@ci.milpitas.ca.gov, kdominguez@ci.milpitas.ca.gov, cmontano@ci.milpitas.ca.gov, aphan@ci.milpitas.ca.gov, bnunez@ci.milpitas.ca.gov
CC mountain viewcitycouncil@mountainview.gov
CCcampbell
susanl@campbellca.gov, lizg@campbellca.gov, paulr@cityofcampbell.com, anneb@cityofcampbell.com, richw@campbellca.gov
CC GilroyAllCouncilMembers@ci.gilroy.ca.us
CCSunnyvale
kleincouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov, smithcouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov, larssoncouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov, hendrickscouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov, meltoncouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov, goldmancouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov
CC Santa Clara
mayorandcouncil@santaclaraca.gov
CC Morgan Hill
rich.constantine@morganhill.ca.gov, larry.carr@morganhill.ca.gov, yvonne.martinezbeltran@morganhill.ca.gov, rene.spring@morganhill.ca.gov, john.mckay@morganhill.ca.gov
CC Saratoga
hmiller@saratoga.ca.us, mlbernald@saratoga.ca.us, rkumar@saratoga.ca.us, mcappello@saratoga.ca.us, yzhao@saratoga.ca.us