church! that's god's parameters. so i'm tearing up this cease and desist order right here, and i'm telling you right now, we are going to do it god's way! >> harris: pastor jeffress? >> yeah, look, harris. i mean, their traditional teaching of christianity, romans 13, as we ought to obey governing authorities. the government has been established by god for good to keep order. but the one exception to that in the bible is never man's laws conflict with god's laws. in that case, the bible says we ought to obey god rather than man. this is the whole issue of civil disobedience, and i would say churches have a right to disobey if they are being treated differently than other organizations. now, they may have to pay a price for disobeying. there is no guarantee that god will protect you from the consequences of disobedience. but i think the general rule is we obey government unless it conflicts with the laws of god. >> harris: so glad you're with me. pastor robert jeffress, first baptist church of

so when a church, a catholic church says we only hire men as priests, the answer would be that is illegal. you have to hire women as priests. if the church says no, either you fork over all your money to the plaintiffs, or you leave the country. so, the courts have long recognized that there has to be toexception antidiscrimination law, and past other kinds of employment laws, employeesn kinds of of a religious institution. certainly ministers were probably other things. i imagine there is institution staffed by nuns. you say ok, it is ok for you to and not monks or something like that. so there has to be a zone of these kinds of exceptions. it is not limited to people who are labeled ministers. a lot of those groups just do not have a label, or they don't have the sharp division of labor that other institutions too. question here is what happens to school teachers at religious schools, especially teachers of religion. i think what we saw his chief justice roberts and others resisting the notion that any employee that somehow personified the church is exempted from antidiscrimination. tha

and watch the service on live stream instead of going to church, actually going to church the way churchupposed to be. the word church in greek is an assembly of people together. the word church means coming together, you can't have church the way god intended through live stream, those are things that we have for people who can't come. that's not something we have four people instead of coming. it's time to push back and it's unfair, it's unjust, it's unconstitutional and we are tired of. >> laura: the new normal as they say is being rejected by a lot of folks who didn't mind the old normal all that much. we wish you the best of luck. >> i want to get our country back to normal, i want to normalize. one t of the other things i want to do is get the churches open, the churches are not being treated with respect by a lot of the democrat governors, i want to get our churches open and we are going to take a very strong position on that very soon. >> laura: as you recall, i interviewed attorney general bill barr in early april and i saw this coming a mile away. the president obviously sees t

church. and most churches stream their services, and you can pay your dues online. listening to the president to say, call me, he is demanding they open. this is for the evangelistic vote. host: let's talk to keith, howing from hopton's cu -- chickens park, illinois. park, illinois. [no audio] caller: so just right now, i do not know what to do. i think i would want to sit it out, but to think somebody like donald trump who is concerned about religion i find a laugh. this guy speaks about his daughter in such filthy terms. he does not care about religion or believe in god at all. and the only people who will listen to him are his supporters. i don't care if they go by what he says so they will not be around in november to vote for him. host: let's talk to tiny, calling from winston-salem, north carolina. good morning. caller: good morning. no, i'm not ready to go back to church because it is not fixed and ready to go back. so many people important to church, and they -- so many andle pour int

and create their own church. the first such church to be created here in appomattox county was galilee baptist church. one of the founding members of that church was john robinson. he was the first treasurer, a trustee of the church. initially, our understanding in the months that followed the surrender, the congregation was formed in what was known as an arbor church, simply meeting outside under the trees. congregation had been able to form enough money and resources to actually build a log church that exists about a mile to the west of the courthouse. in 1916,years later, the new church would be built on the same grounds and that's the church that is still there today, more than 100 years later. the story of john robinson, he is not only a homeowner and cofounder of a church but he is also a businessman. he is a shoe cobbler. apparently, pretty good one because he ran a business here for more than 50 years. john robinson did not pass away until 1933 but after raising a very large family, a successful business

and lots of governors are opening up churches. there are some governors with high amounts of covid left more skeptical about it. this isn't about faith, this isn't about the first amendment. it is about public health and it is about trying to keep people sa safe, and the issues are clear. i just think you can't confuse them. >> this is about politics. this is not about public health to be clear. elizabeth cohen, what did you think about this guidance and what did you think about dr. birx, someone who is not a politician, giving credence to this reopening when i have not heard a single public health expert say this is a good idea and that this will not result in people getting sick and dying. >> brianna, you can't help but admire dr. birx when you look at her career and what she's done, that's why i was as stunned as you were when i heard her say, oh, you don't go to church if you don't feel well. she had just gotten through saying how many people are asymptomatic when they have this disease and they can spread it even when they're

self-insured church plans. the church itself has enjoyed traditionally an exception, from the very first case, the mcclurg case, the church itself is different from these organizations that employ a lot of people who do not share the employer's faith. and i thought that congress had delegated to hrsa for its expertise in what contraceptive coverage women would need. >> reflexology francisco? exemptionfully, the for self-insured church plans is much more broadly. it encompasses not just churches in the auxiliary but luminary schools, high school, colleges, universities, terrible organizations, hospitals, and other health care organizations. i don't think they are authorized by the so-called ministerial exception, rather 13a4 and rfration . get in youras you last answer, suggest hcra has honest unlimited authority to both create guidelines and exceptions from those guidelines. first, if you would give us just an idea of what standards are to and theeir discretion services that are provided as well as the exemptio

flames tour to the first pentecostal church wednesday morning a month earlier the church filed suit against the town challenges restrictions on public gatherings, the pastor wonders who would do this? >> who knows. the investigation is going on and we are waiting to see. >> in the destroyed structure misspelled graffiti reads that you stay home now you hypocrites. >> unlock these doors. >> in california 1200 pastors found to defy that state's resurgence on houses abortion. in minnesota catholic and lutheran churches announced they will defied that state's lockdown order by opening up services on tuesday and in chicago three churches have been fined $500 for reopening their doors to gather his of more than ten. an impossibly small number says one pastor. >> we are willing to work with a number that is reasonable. when you have 10 as the number that is the worship team in many cases. >> the opposite approach and maryland where mary hogan has included churches in his phase i reopening to the consternation of some pastors. >> a lot of people here that and go church is reopening. >> he fears the

but nothing stops congregants at churches themselves from undertaking the own church-based political activism as long as it is all about the culture. several years ago a pastor i interviewed called it a god-given loophole. he said it threads the church and state separation loophole. it's not me telling the congregants how to vote and who to vote for, it's the congregants telling other congregants. he found this as a loophole that it was him directing the action from the top. let me tell you something about the political messaging of the leaders. when they're talking to congregants or talking to pass about talking to the congregants to help them figure how to get out the vote, it's all abortion all the time. abortion at the beginning and the end. in fact, i heard one leader tell a group of pastors at another pastoral gathering or network gathering, if someone asks you about the minimum wage, you ask them, what's more important, dollars or life? extra dollars or life? that's the message they're giving to the congregants. but when you look at the political messages it greater detail, es

people do not want to hurt the people in their churches. the church i went to was about 50% full. pretty much all jewish groups remain closed. they said they were going to wait until after they see the numbers go down before we consider opening. and you had several of the president's top religious still big mega churches closed. you have a lot of diversity, and there are a lot of places where churches are really hurting from being closed, financially hurting, places that serve food and all kinds of things on the weekend. there is a big diversity of desires here. you do have people who are tapping into -- one, this question of freedom and respect for religion, and there is sort thing, i haveal heard a lot of pastors tell me, this is the minority, but saying that if you are close, you feel you are telling your congregation that the virus is stronger than god. that is a controversial kind of thing to say but it is a reality that people are confused or feel that they're are putting forward something confusing about what they are telling their congregation. i think it has been a hard t

you do not need church to have god, but some people do need church to have god.hat is their right. the church ease could have stayed open just like a golf course as long as you practice social distancing. they're not going to get no vaccine for a long time. it looks like that. i think we could have opened as somespots in a way people just do not want to learn and some do. that is all i have to say. have a good day. host: some other voices out there, this is from rabe mark on the pandemic -- the pandemic. virtuality is making anyone into a can be near. this is a radical comment. dan -- ordained rabbi. sociologistice of a at duke university. there is this thing people say, a can be good. people want to come back to religion. it is just the opposite. recessions are hard on churches because of the financial impact. in new york.ichard good morning. what is going on? host: tell us your thoughts. caller: i think church buildings should not be open, but i think people have the right to worship. i agree with the previous caller who mentioned setting up a church in parking

in them, it clearly is disfavoring churches. it is interesting that by the 16 states that still have the lockdowns or stay at orders, many of them restricting churches, all but one of them are democratic states. it is the democratic leaders that have this -- you know, whether it is blatant or latent, it is animus towards religion and is being exposed by the coronavirus. i hosted a virtual town hall roundtable meeting with about 1500 pastors this morning along with several cabinet members including the attorney general of the united states and the president. in the president himself made very clear that he is making it a priority to open the churches of america again. again, according to proper guidance and the safety regulations. and i would not be surprised at all to see in the next few days or something, some guidelines for churches reopening for all across america putting pressure on these democratic governors to open up the churches and let them eat. it's been on "the wall street journal" editorial board writes it's hard to

was a church from the abbey. so this ground is kept and maintained by the abmc. they take care about the semitarks tsem cemetery, monument, ground around including the ruin of the church. entering into the church we see the remains from the battle. heavy holes. big impacts from the shells. shells everywhere. we have some impacts coming from bullets, also direindirect firi into the columns. and the church, it finally collapsed. the architect who designed the memorial is the american architect john russell pope. and this memorial was built in the early '30s, in fact. it's concrete made. 60 meters high. the highest american memorial in europe, this one. >> and john russell pope, of course, designed a number of buildings in washington, d.c., including the national archives where, ironically, records documenting this battle are now kept. and mafu khan was an important strategic landmark in the battle. it was taken in the second day even though general pershing's objectives wanted his troops to take it on the first day

women if the church says no then you support the really the country. >> courts have long recognized to antidiscrimination. for certain kinds of employees andeligious institutions then they may say okay but it's okay to hire nuns and not otmonks or something there has to be those types of exceptions and that ministerial exception but even those ministers don't have a label with that sharpest vision of labor so what happens to schoolteachers at religious schools? and i think what we sow with chief justice roberts is to have thew notion any employee to personify the church is exempted and i can cover a lot of things. so if somebody teaches religion then they don't just personify the church and then to convey religious doctrine. that is a lot closer that's a lot to the priest or the rabbi. >> what about the line the court is trying to draw? but where the line will be and how that will deal with school teachers and religiousgi school. >> thank you very much for that. several justices said this would represent a radical exception to antidiscrimination law because it expands that ministeri

to all churches. it gives us a way to determine how we begin to either open or gradually reopen, i know in new york, they have not really allowed gatherings beyond ten persons, which really impacts most congregations in the city. that means the guidelines have been issued, how do we protect our communities, our congregants, how do we protect the people that could be drastically impacted by this, at the end of the day, i think many of us who have been paying attention to the president know that this is based on political exceed yancey, it's not out of deep concern for people's spiritual well being, when the president sees the decline in his numbers among white evangelicals, he had to do something. i'm not moved that the president is spiritually or religiously moved, i know he's doing what is politically expedient. >> suppose president trump did try to use the law in reopening all houses of worship, what does the first amendment actually say about that? my understanding of the first amendment is that an

>> briefly. >> the church exemption the effective extent exemption to five not just church churches in the auxiliary but elementary schools, high school, colleg school, college, universities, s , healthcare organizations and charitable organizations they are not authorized by the ministerial deduction but section 13 oh 41 - - 1304 and rifa. >> you seem to suggest it has almost unlimited authority to create guidelines and then with those standards and as well as those exemptions. >> and there are three limitations i would point to because it has the discretion not to require any contraceptive coverage as was acknowledged in hobby lobby , that encompasses the discretion not the conscientious objections. second and by the apa requirement for recent decision-making with those arbitrary exemptions and third preventivein services to potentially provide another limitation to encompass the things that governments traditionally take intoo account including the impact of the regulations would have on religious believers and with that where the government goes into detail the history of conscient

the church was used as a paris church for the government.it was taken by the front and then the americans. finally this is the final result after five years of war. it was such a big church comparing to the size of the village. it's from a benedict in perspective. so this crown is kept and maintained by cough -- they take care of the cemetery, the monument and the church. cut through the church we see the remains from the battle. heavy holes. big impacts from the shelves. we have some impact coming from bullets firing into the columns. and of the church finally collapsed. the architect who designed the memorial is john russell pope. this memorial was built in the early thirties. it is concrete made, 60 meters high. the highest american memorial in europe. >> john russell pope of course designed a number of buildings in washington d.c., including the national archives where ironically, record stacked of this battle are not kept. it was an important strategic landmark in the battle. it was taken and the second day, even though general persians

i go to church. i'm dying to go back to church. the question we are trying to ask you and of trying to ask the president and dr. birx, is, is it safe? and is it not safe, is the president try to encourage that, or the president agree with dr. birx that people should wait? >> yes it is safe to reopen your churches, if you do so in accordance with the guidelines, which are laid out very stringent detail here, about rebutting hygiene practices and there are five bullet points. -- promoting hygiene practices. and cloth face coverings if social distancing is not possible. it is recommended intensifying cleanings and promoting social distancing. we lay them out meticulously. i am happy -- i'm thank for we have a president who celebrates the first amendment, the same that gives you the ability to ask me questions is there to have the freedom of worship. so moms and pastors can go to their churches and places of worship to celebrate what is a first amendment right in this country which is to pray to your god and to practice your faith. >>

, to go to church.steal something but to break into their church. i said you better put it out, they are doing it. today or tomorrow, we have to get our churches open. i love audible because it's a lot of stress relief, it's a great escape. so many great stories from amazing people... it makes me want to be better. it changes your perspective. it makes you a different person. see what listening to audible can do for you. and my side super soft? yes, with the sleep number 360 smart bed, on sale now, you can both adjust your comfort with your sleep number setting. can it help me fall asleep faster? yes, by gently warming your feet. but can it help keep me asleep? absolutely, it intelligently senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. so you can really promise better sleep? not promise. prove. save $1,000 on the sleep number 360® special edition smart bed. plus 0% interest for 36 months & free premium delivery when you add a base. ends monday. ♪ >> the churches are not be

we are working with both churches, individually and association of churches, and northwell. northwell will provide the testing in churches in lower income communities and communities of color. the churches will help us outreach to the community to get people to come in and explain why it's important that people come in and get tested. and northwell will do the testing. we have 24 sites in the new york city area. some will be opening the week of may 12. some will be opening the second week of may 19. but, you see the coverage when we add the network of churches is very broad. again, focus on these communities that we want to reach out to. sites will be working with the current network of sites, and we have already located many testing sites in minority communities and low income communities. but, when you put the church-based sites together with the drive-through sites together with a walk in testing sites, and the sites of public housing, the public will be extensive. so, the sites will be there. we now need new yorkers to go get the tests. i do this with people all day long

rights away. >> i'm going to church to church and you cannot stop me. i can stop you and void you out of office. >> the pastor considers this essential especially now. >> people who are fearful can come take temperatures and we believe it is printed here. in god we trust. when do we trust god? >> christina gonzalez, fox news. >>> later today in san francisco a group of religious leaders will assemble to call for a delay in reopening churches. a group of pastors and members of an interfaith council want to continue with virtual services to promote social distancing and they will be at san francisco city hall today is noontime. with schools closed in so many people out of work a lot of people are worried about how to provide for their families. as doug mckelway reports many americans have to make some very tough choices. >> reporter: for too many life has suddenly gotten hard. 330million individual stories of life disrupted. >> we are in need of help. >> they don't want to send them to the parents and some may have health conditions. >>reporter: to the sa

the church. >> reporter: vanessa and her husband have been attending church via zoom. she admits it's not the same. >> i miss the hugging and the physical touch and the connecting and the smiles. >> reporter: a lot of churchgoers are seniors and people with pre-existing conditions and that's why the governor will not allow church gatherings anytime soon, but pastors say the risk of attending church is no greater than going to the grocery store. >> if the hospitals are essential for the body of the people, the church is essential for the spirit of the people. >> reporter: these pastors and organizations represent hundreds of churches across the state and they are united to define health order. >> governor new some, unlock the stores. open up our churches. >> reporter: vanessa understands the importance of importance of reopening churches and she thinks people who feel safe should be allowed to attend but given her husband's health, it will be a while before they go back >> i wish i could open up this can the faith and poor throughout my neighborhood and throughout the n

i go to church and i'm dying to go back to church. the question we are asking you and would like to ask the question of the president and dr. birx, is it safe and if it is not safe, the president trying to encourage that were does the president agree with dr. birx that we should wait? >> press secretary mcenany: yes, it is safe to reopen your church as if in accordance with the guidelines laid out. very stringent detail about promoting hygiene practices and five bullet points, and coverings, social distancing is not possible, it is recommended intensifying cleanings, promoting social distance and meticulously i am thankful that we have a president that celebrates the first amendment, the same amendment to give you walt who asked me questions. the freedom of worship so pastors can go to their churches or places of worship and celebrate first amendment right infix country to pray to your god and practice your faith. it's being >> reporter: we celebrate that too. we are not asking you if the president and the people are allowing people t

this from the white house on going to church from earlier today. >> the churches are not being treatedespect by a lot of the democratic governors. i want to get our churches open, and we are going to take a very strong position. >> bill: the question coming about the debate over churches, some religious leaders saying they will open their doors despite the restrictions and we will talk about the legal ramifications in various states on that. lori laughlin likely to spend some time in prison for her role in the college admission scandal. there were developments on this today and you will hear about them coming up next. these are extraordinary times, and we want to thank the extraordinary people in the healthcare community, working to care for all of us. at novartis, we promise to do our part. as always, we're doing everything we can to help keep cosentyx accessible and affordable. if you have any questions at all, call us, email us, visit us online. we're here to help support you when you need us. take care, and be well. to learn more, call one eight four four cosentyx or visit cosentyx

i go to church. i'm dying to go back to church. the question we are trying to ask you and of trying to ask the president and dr. birx, is, is it safe? and is it not safe, is the president try to encourage that, or the president agree with dr. birx that people should wait? >> yes it is safe to reopen your churches, if you do so in accordance with the guidelines, which are laid out very stringent detail here, about rebutting hygiene practices and there are five bullet points. -- promoting hygiene practices. and cloth face coverings if social distancing is not possible. it is recommended intensifying cleanings and promoting social distancing. we lay them out meticulously. i am happy -- i'm thank for we have a president who celebrates the first amendment, the same that gives you the ability to ask me questions is there to have the freedom of worship. so moms and pastors can go to their churches and places of worship to celebrate what is a first amendment right in this country which is to pray to your god and to practice your faith. >>

my pleasure before we get to the church i think that the touch we're just talking about that's a huge issue i just want you to weigh in i know you're from minneapolis and what's going on there with of course that the tragic death of george floyd and i want you to watch this video of the c.n.n. crew being arrested today while live on the air here it is. why why am i under arrest. charged. over time can go on what's your take on that in particular you know it's it's ridiculous i mean no matter what news crews it is what if they're not in the way if they're doing their job let them do their job for crying out loud so you know my home state i tell you it's getting worse and worse and become more want to choke or new all it's time to get the craziness that states the craziness of the mayor they have the right now but governor i mean it's just sad to see that state so far left and so crazed with the way they're treating people in the way that this mayor is now reacting anything to what the riots going on and you know god bless them sammy i mean that man those police i'm sorry those guys hav

have deemed the liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worship snow right and in oppressive briefing highly mcinerney was defending the president against a room of reporters attacking the announcements of the president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen and boy it's interesting to be in a room that desperately wants to seem to see these churches and houses of worship stay close to the sea and it's not safe for the president calling to purge that the president your doctor remarks to people should wait jeff it is safe to reopen your churches in. if you do so in accordance with the guidelines which were laid out and miss in b.c. highlighting a doctor who not only insults the president but faith as a whole the correspondent even snickering take a listen constitutional law specialist sent scrambling in figuring out how exactly he can override individual state governors the fire is not religious it will respond to prayer and actually. hear c.n.n. of course also jumping on the bandwagon immediately

her sister was the reverend at the church and celebrating her anniversary as the leader of that church. that gathering at that one church in west virginia, that one day, is estimated to have infected 30% of the people who were in attendance. five people who attended that church celebration that one day were hospitalized by the end of the first week after that service. ms. horton was dead within two weeks of that service, and she was the first person in west virginia who is known to have died from coronavirus. last month in kentucky, health officials traced more than 30 coronavirus cases and three deaths, and community spread of the disease across multiple counties, including into a kentucky meat packing plant, they traced all of those cases back to a single church revival meeting, in hopkins county, kentucky. in california, right now, a single church service on mother's day is being blamed for new clusters of the virus in lake county and mendocino county, california. in butte county, california, right now, they are trying to track down 180 people who attended a congregate church servic

the pastor from that church joins us next. >>> a new jersey church held services this past sunday in defiance of the governor's closure orders. parishioners were required to wear masks and to socially distance. was that enough? joining us now is pastor charles clarke iii, the co-pastor of the solid rock baptist church in berlin, new jersey. pastor, thanks so much for being here. so tell us why you decided to hold service on sunday against the governor's order. >> yes, we decided that it was time for our church to reopen. and we feel that we have our first amendment right to open up our church at this time. >> well, let's take a video. let's take a look at the video of what it looked like in your church. it looks to me, from my vantage point, i wasn't there, from this video that your parishioners are really trying to be responsible. they're all wearing masks, it looks like they're socially distancing, at least between families. so family members are altogether, but i see a lot of distance between families. did you wear a mask? >> when i was on the platform, i did not wear a mask, but

i go to church. i'm dying to go back to church. the question we're asking you and would like to ask the president and dr. birx is is it safe? and if it's not safe, is the president trying to encourage that or does the president agree with dr. birx that people should wait? >> jeff, it is safe to reopen your churches if you do so in accordance with the guidelines. >> that's what every governor's doing, but how did the cheap shot play? >> not really well. i think that was the question there, as you saw kayleigh mcenany and dr. birx have been backing off the president being pretty strong when he said, you know, they can call if they want to, but it doesn't make a difference what these governors say because we want these clutches and these other places of worship to be reopened. if you feel like you've got a certain outbreak of covid cases maybe wait another week. then you saw the press secretary there saying if they feel they can do it in accordance with the guidance, if they feel that they can. she was saying it was a hypothetical if

>> every church and church leader has to be led. i do understand one of the sermons today listening with pastor john wesley, you have to take scientific data and your faith into one as you move forward. my church is virtually connected. other churches may be different. a serming they deal with. again, we are promoting virtual online as well as parking lot services. always remember you have to protect your flock first. that's what we want to do. you do not have to be in a building to remain in church. the church is within yourself. >> the fda issued a memorial day warning telling americans that the coronavirus is not yet contained. what's the message that you want to send to little rock? >> well, to little rock and, listening to me right now, i'm asking, pleading to you, wear your masks, remain socially distance and always protect yourself, your family and your community. if we do this together we will get through this and i know for a fact we will because we are a resilient and resourceful st ff. we'll find new ways for a new presen

some people say, well, churches are closed. no, churches are open.never close, and they're doing their work and they're performing their mission. congressman, big week for you. what you're doing in washington is so important to all of us. this legislation that may be passed by washington getting this country the aid they need, getting their state the aid we need, pass legislation, did great for small businesses, but i know your priority now is to bring funding for working new yorkers, working americans, the police, the firefighters, the health care that have gotten us through this making sure the state governments can function so we can do the reopening. and we could not have a better voice. we couldn't have a stronger voice, more capable voice than yours and our delegation fighting for us. and for the nation. you make the case for new york. you are making the case for america. because we are just a microcosm, new york. we did get hardest hit in the number of cases, but you addressed the need here. you addressed the need in america and we know you ca

it's not limited to ministers in the church exemption applies to churches that don't even objected contraception. regardless of how you resolve the issue, the rules bring eight decade-long dispute to a durable end and should be upheld. >> >> the national constitution center held a review of the supreme court case which challenges the trump administration's new rules and expands the number of organizations that can file for religious or moral exemptions. here is that now. >> c-span friends, welcome to the next installment of the national constitution center and c-span's supreme court review live. i'm jeffrey rosen, the president and ceo of the national constitution center, the only institution in america chartered ly institution in america chartered by congress to increase awareness and understanding of the constitution among the american people on a nonpartisan basis. it's been so exciting to partner with c-span during these historic weeks, when, for the first time in american history, the supreme court is broadcasting its oral arguments live. we have been listening closely to these two importan

. >>> churches pushing to reopen by the end of the month? they admit some things have to change. what they are doing to lower the risk of attending sunday service? >>> california may not allow concerts till next year , refunds may be hard to come by. what you should know if you want to get your mo >>> now to a story that shows that we are better together. today food and masks were distributed to people in need in san francisco. the event was organized by nonprofit groups and held it glide memorial. hundreds of people impacted by the pandemic were able to get a free meal and a mask. >> they are serving the food to the needy regardless of race or religion. we have a mission to feed them and no one to go hungry. pastors and members from 14 area churches came together to distribute 2 million surgical masks they were given to nursing homes and homeless shelters, food banks and hospitals. the event called christian love in action was organized by pops foundation. >>> a governor saying th2021 we and that means many ticketholders are scrambling for refunds and saying that they are being

you know, when a church, the psyche of a church, the church when you think about it, the hope by the world. when the doors of the church are closed, who do people begin to look for for help? the government? maybe that's what they want, but i still believe that pastors now have to take a stance. you have to count the cost. it may cost you something, but you have to open. >> laura: think about the great sacrifices of religious leaders around the world and parishioners around the world of all faiths. in syria and other parts getting killed on the way to church, and they still make it to church and mass and temple. pastor, this is what governor murphy said about churches defying his lockdown orders. watch. >> there will be repercussions in any case who willfully violates our executive orders. and there are a willing amount of folks who lead institutions of faith. they understand this. they are chomping at the bit, we get that, but they understand the risks associated with it. we have to make sure we are all in this together and do this the right way. >> laura: pastor, will you reopen des

to welcome back congregants church is essential. >>this church in new jersey defined the state's stay at home order restricting indoor gatherings to 10 people i would hope would get 2 houses of worship sort of the later but we want to make sure we do it right responsibly in the we don't kill anybody by doing it too fast. that was rosa flores reporting all of this comes as more than a dozen states are seeing a 10% increase or even more. >>and the number of new covid-19 cases. check in with meteorologist mabrisa rodriguez for more on the heat wave that is gripping the area right now the recent you are saying that you're welcoming mean to the team. number one happy to be here. number 2 i'm from southeast texas. so this is really nothing for me at least. >>oh so you're used to the lawn used to this okay, this is nothing for you, but for the bay area, especially those of us who don't have ac even if you live on the coast. >>oh it's brutal out there right now very warm temperatures as you step outside widespread 80's and 90's daytime high

, zion hill baptist church, piney grove missionary baptist church, and greater good hope baptist church. love jesus no matter what one roadside sign reads. and another, only jesus saves. outside of preston, georgia still another sign implores, take jesus for your savior. and the preston baptist church has posted each of the 10 commandments on a chain link fence for the edification of travelers passing through town. just before crossing from webster into sumter county, georgia, signs on georgia highway 27 point toward archery, the boyhood home of jimmy carter. and then the road eases into plains where it becomes church street. the business district not much more than a block long lies just beyond the railroad tracks across the street from the former seaboard coast line railroad depot that served as campaign headquarters for carter's improbable run for the presidency in 1976 and now as a museum commemorating that campaign. plains, georgia is no longer the hub of excitement it was in the summer of 1976 when legions of journalists and thousands of tourists descended to learn more about the

churches in georgia and texas had to close the doors again after members and church leaders tested positivehe same day, thursday, the cdc issued a report detailing how 35 people who attended services in the rural action church in early march became infected and spread it to another 26 people in the community. four of whom died. at the same time, some churches say orders restricting large gatherings violate the first amendment rights. that seems like an odd claim. nothing in the stay-at-home order restrictions curtails one's freedom to worship or claim to faith. it prevents all gatherings and doesn't target religious gatherings. it targets gatherings of all faiths. church leaders have filed lawsuits challenging restrictions with support from the trump administration. authorities in mississippi are investigating whether a church that filed a lawsuit was the victim of arson. in california, hundreds of pastors say they plan to hold in-person services on may 31st. pentecost sunday. here with me is al sharpton. president of the action network and host of political nation. and jack jenkins. he is

all the churches around me have nose —— that isa churches around me have nose —— that is a saying theyher day said finally church for introverts you can get on youtube now, which is quite good. we will look to our last paper now, the times, has a paperfeatured in many other newspapers. the queen at the age of 94 on her horse, essentially beating all the other races out of lot down. she is there in windsor park. tom, have you sent her a copy of your first edition? we are going to courier one tomorrow morning just in case the ones in windsor are all sold out. she is a huge lifelong racing fan. if you see closely, you can see her headscarf has jockeys felt solid. perhaps a little nod to racing, the queen giving her support to the resumption of the sport tomorrow. she owns a number of authors. are any of her horses running in the next few weeks? —— a number of horses. there is one running on tuesday, i could be mistaken. she has a lot of runners through the summer. i am sure she will be disappointed not to be able to attend particularly royal ascot where she goes every day every year. of c

so in our church, we can have 150 people in the church very easily.p in mind that people come as families. so those families have been living together. when they are in church, they are in their own pew, distant from other families. receive communion in an orderly fashion. this is not the first time the church has confronted a pandemic. we have dealt with this over the ages. and i agree that it is important that we observe social distancing and all the sanitary procedures that need to be in place, but to marginalize the church as though it's not an essential institution -- let's remember that religious organizations are the first of the first responders. when people needed food, they came to our church. we provided money for people and things like that. so the emotional support as we well. solidarity, the sense of hope. why do people need in our country and our world right now more than anything else? a sense of hope you have to do it in a rational way, way that respects the reality of this disease and its potential, but we have to do it. >> neil: you

we are not proposing a mad dash to the church. want to stand for liberty. >> harris: real quickly, in kentucky, the order to just have half the people in person was going to go away in two days on may 20th. some of the critics of asked, why not just wait? why wage this battle when it would have gone away in a few days anyway? last quick thought? >> sure. it was three days. i'm a christian, i believe three days have made all the difference in the world. three days between the death and the resurrection of the 19. plus, we were sending a message to the governor of kentucky that said we were nonessential. we are not going to obey his orders anymore. come the next voting cycle, i believe he's going to become nonessential in the state of kentucky, and i've got churches from california, illinois, you name it, thousands are coming online. come sunday, i believe there will tens of thousands of churches defined governor's orders in a safe, smart way. if you're out there and you want to be part of it, go to peaceablygather.com . if you're s

, i'm dying to go back to church. question we're squing you and would have liked to ask president and dr. birx, is it safe? >> she went into backup mode. see the game they're playing. don't want to focus on what they need to do but distract you with ugliest things. accusing people who ask about safety to be anti-god, want churches closed? is that where we are now? here are the facts? trump can't order churches open. he shouldn't be naranyway, that making it about religion. true faith is in one another to keep ourselves and others safe. he didn't put the rules to keep people safe and he can't lift them period. no matter how many times he'll say i'll override this, lift that. >> i can override the governors. i have ultimate authority. >> he says it, he's never been right. government's ability to enforce applicable prohibitions of harmful social conduct like ability to carry out other public policy can't depend on measuring the effects of a governmental action on religious -- what does that mean? can't prevent houses of