Church that defied stay-at-home order hosts weeklong event in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A church that reportedly held packed services in Charlotte during Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order earlier this year is under scrutiny again for hosting a weeklong convocation amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

Kingdom City Church is holding its 3rd Holy Convocation from Nov. 9 through Nov. 15 at its location on Brookshire Boulevard.

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The advertisement for the event says, “The Giants Are Coming,” referring to its lineup of preachers, but neighbor Edward Craig fears they are bringing more than the word of God.

“I want to see it shut down," Craig told Channel 9.

He worries that with so many people the church is becoming the right environment for the wrong thing.

In April, Eyewitness News reported that police had to step in to get the church to stop holding services after its Pastor, Brian Carn, shared a message with churchgoers suggesting he had been sick with the virus. Despite those symptoms he described, neighbors close to the church told us they saw big crowds gathering on Sundays, which at the time was a violation of the state’s stay-at-home order.

Police said Carn agreed to refrain from holding services until the order was lifted.

The church’s most recent activities are taking place as health officials are warning against large gatherings. Cooper announced Tuesday that the state’s indoor gathering limit has been reduced from 25 to 10 ahead of Thanksgiving.

Though the limit does not apply to religious services, which are exempt from the governor’s executive order, the state recommends limiting indoor in-person worship to 100 people per room, or 30% of the building’s stated fire capacity.

Neighbors told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon that crowds at the church easily exceed that number and there are still four more days of worship -- with multiple events for the next three days.

Reporter Ken Lemon visited the church Wednesday and saw dozens of worshippers headed inside for the events. The church’s parking lot was filled with cars with license plates from Virginia, Georgia and other states -- many with three or four people inside. The event’s advertisement said attendees are required to wear masks, and everyone Channel 9 saw there had a face covering.

Michael Bennett was also driving by and saw the crowd. He does not approve.

“I’m a churchgoing man,” Bennett said. “That right there is what causes all of this. People gathering like that. I mean, that don’t make no sense.”

Charlotte church banned from holding in-person events after COVID-19 outbreak

KCC’s convocation comes one month after a Charlotte church’s weeklong events caused Mecklenburg County’s largest COVID-19 outbreak.

208 attendees or close contacts of the United House of Prayer on Beatties Ford Road have tested positive for the virus. At least nine of them have died, with another death under investigation.

The county ordered them to shut down, but two weeks ago they reached an agreement to safely reopen.

State health officials released a report Monday noting that 100 COVID-19 clusters have been linked to religious gatherings, leading to 1,393 cases and 21 deaths. However, the report added that cases associated with religious gatherings decreased last week to the lowest level since August.

Those attending them are still asked to stay socially distant and wear a face covering at all times.

CDC releases Thanksgiving coronavirus guidelines (NCD)

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