Baringo clerics have decried low offerings due to low turn out as worshippers remain in their homes due to fear of coronavirus.
Full Gospel Churches of Kenya (FGCK)-Kabarnet town Bishop Daniel Chemon said the number of faithful dropped drastically on Sunday.
“Our church used to overflow with worshipers but today, you can see people are scattered and seats spread about two metres apart due to fear of Covid-19,” Chemon said, adding that they also had to rush the church progamme.
As a result, he said, there was a "drastic reduction" in the offering that was collected across all the churches in the county.
“This is a disaster that should not be taken for granted by anybody whatsoever because it is headed to terrorise both individual and the country’s economy,” Chemon said.
He said they used to hold three services —Sunday school, morning service and general fellowship, which extends up to 2pm — but yesterday's service lasted only an hour.
"It started at 10am and ended by 11pm” he said.
“Our biblical message was in the book of Exodus 15:26 saying if my people who are called by my name turn to me and pray, I will hear them in heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land” he said.
A spot check by the Star showed similar situations at the African Inland Church (AIC) town fellowship, Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG), St Mary’s Mother of God Catholic Church and Kabarnet Muslim Mosque.
“We sprayed the entire church sanctuary and availed handwashing sanitisers at the entrance before spacing the seats two-metres apart,” St Mary’s Parish priest Father James Kagunya said.
He said the church normally covers at least two hours “but this Sunday, we rushed our programmes and closed the service in record 40 minutes".
He lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for recently convening national prayers on the coronavirus.
"It is only true prayers that we can save our country from such complicated disasters,” Chemon said.
He said after the prayers, they are now appealing to the government to bring on board members of the clergy to offer their knowledge and views to fight the pandemic.
