Dedham Issues Cease And Desist Order Against Church Reopening

DEDHAM, MA — Dedham's Board of Health took formal action this week to stop the Victory Baptist Church from reopening. The Board filed a cease and desist order against the church after Victory Baptist advertised a “safe reopening” for Mother's Day weekend.

Victory Baptist Church published an announcement on Facebook on May 3, claiming it was reopening church services starting on Sunday. The announcement said the church would offer “social distanced services” with separate service blocks that would allow only ten people at a time, technically in line with Governor Charlie Baker's order limiting gatherings to ten people or fewer.

Victory Baptist Pastor Nick White has since released several videos discussing the plan for the services. He told Patch the church is not trying to protest the government or make a statement, “We just want to have church,” White said.

The Dedham BOH issued the cease and desist order on Thursday which said “Victory Baptist Church is not a business providing essential services pursuant to Exhibit A of COVID-19 Order No. 13,” and ordered the gathering be canceled.

White said he was told on a phone call with the BOH that the gathering was prohibited but asked for the order in writing. “We thought it might just be something to scare us,” he said.

With the official order in place, White said the church will not hold a physical gathering this weekend and instead, make the services virtual, but maintained that the church will “respectfully challenge” the order and try to have it removed.

In a Facebook video posted to the Victory Baptist Church Facebook page on Wednesday, White mentioned support for Adams Square Baptist Church Rev. Kristopher Casey — a Worcester pastor facing a criminal complaint and fine for holding three worship services, one of which had 20 attendees.

White told Patch that Casey is a close friend of his. “Our church supports him 100 percent because he has a constitutional right to gather,” White said. He added that Victory Baptist is choosing to handle things differently, rather than outwardly defy the order they face. The church has seven days to request a hearing before the board of health.

White argues that churches should be viewed as essential services and given the same protocol to follow as grocery and liquor stores. “We're willing to do it under all of the requirements,” White said, “We want the town to know we're not the enemy.”

Health officials across the country worry that church gatherings will prolong the presence of the coronavirus, but several congregations across the country have defied the regulations. In Kansas City, at least two COVID-19 deaths in April were linked to a church conference in the city.

In Dedham, there are 290 confirmed cases of the virus, as of Wednesday. The town has closed all parks and fields, including the Dedham High School field, to limit the potential for large gatherings.