CNN highlights Chapel of the Hills service plans

It is not every day that the notices on the local church bulletin board get announced on national television. But, in these times of Covid restrictions, one Wimberley church has been lauded nationally for their efforts to be more open for the congregation.

It started when local resident and national political commentator Matt Dowd mentioned his church, Chapel in the Hills, plans on reopening church while on a MSNBC show last week.

“He mentioned us on MSNBC… Our church is doing it right, because we have a high number of people with (vaccine) shots. Because of that high number we were going to open back up,” Chapel of the Hills Pastor Jim Denham said.

A CNN staff member of the Erin Burnett Show called and asked if Pastor Jim Denham was interested in doing a segment on the show. After two phone calls, “we talked about the church, how big it is, for about 30 to 40 minutes and he gave the information to Erin,” he said.

He was broadcast from a studio in Wimberley live on CNN’s “Erin Burnett and Outfront.” Denham was surprised by the process.

“You don’t see anything, Erin, no TV. I had a lapel mic and an IFB (earpiece to communicate to the unseen host and producer)… The biggest thing for me was, we’re doing something different?”

“A Covid Committee/ care team was set up about a year ago, and I told them, ‘I need advice.’ The team consists of two doctors that are members of the church and five others, leaders. Let them figure out what to do.” Politics were to be kept out of the discussions.

“There were no politics involved. You’re not to talk about it. That’s not why we are here. I don’t know the political affiliation of members… The committee met a couple times a month and emails about articles to read… Dr. David Morales came up with a survey for members. Whether they had one shot, two shots, no shots, can’t get. What’s our status?”

The survey results showed that 60% of church members received a shot. Which led to the reopening of the church and this announcement on their website.

“Our Chapel Board President Mike Morgan and I as well as our Covid-19 committee have all agreed it is now time to open the Chapel to provide Sunday Service worship both at 9 a.m. and at 11 a.m. starting this Sunday March 21, 2021… and ask all who attend Chapel service to please wear a mask the entire time you are in the building.”

Reverend Denham said, “This is a managed reopening. This is not forever; this gets us worshiping inside the building. There’s no choir, but it’s a start.”

Dangers of the Covid virus are still there, and safeguards must remain in force. “I don’t want to do a Covid funeral. I’ll do it if it happens of course. But it hasn’t happened yet… The pandemic is not over. It’s not over. But here is a managed re-opening, with caution and safety.” He continued.

“The Covid Committee and supporters of this church and this church board, I know, it’s not the way we used to do it. But, it is partially managed… as more people get shots, the shots are the key.” The situation will be carefully monitored to make changes if necessary.