Aurora Church Temporarily Halts Dinner Service Due To COVID-19

AURORA, IL — Flowing Forth United Methodist Church congregants usually meet for a dinner service at Pal Joey's Restaurant in Batavia at 5 p.m. on Sunday. But increased concern for churchgoers' health has forced the service to relocate to Aurora Christian School.

This is the second week the dinner service has been canceled due to rising COVID-19 cases. The decision was also made since open-table services don't allow 100 percent of congregants to wear face masks, according to a Friday news release.

Replacing the open-table meeting is a 10 a.m. service at ACS, located at 2255 Sullivan Road. Flowing Forth Church began services at the restaurant in October after worshipping at ACS since 2018.

An in-person study, titled "Learning to Pray," will start at 9 a.m. Sunday, led by Pastor Derek Rogers. Along with the Sunday study, six others will take place Tuesday evenings — from Jan. 11 to Feb. 15 — starting at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

Masks are required during in-person services, but for people who can't make it to church, services are also live-streamed.

Changes will be made as church leaders monitor health guidelines, according to the release.