CHEMUNG COUNTY, N.Y. (WENY) -- Days before Easter Sunday, Chemung County Executive Chris Moss released a statement, reminding churches that parking lot services are prohibited under the state's social distancing mandate. However after some discussion, the county and churches were able to come up with an agreement. 

Chemung County Executive Chris Moss says after meeting with church leaders throughout the county, and reviewing social distancing guidelines issued by New York State, he believes parking lot church services can safely be conducted. This comes a day after First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based non-profit legal organization, representing three local churches, sent County Executive Moss a letter explaining the previous stay-at-home policy was not consistent with the Constitution, federal law, and CDC guidelines. Moss tells WENY News, the parking lot church services will now be allowed, as long as they comply with social distancing directives ordered by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"The majority of our religious organizations and churches throughout the community have been OK with it. They understand the sacrifice, as a matter of fact, this morning I was able to have a zoom conference call with many of them. They came up with ideas for me to say what do I think of, could they have the parking lot services if they employed the following. I thought they were great ideas and we hope to get them back to their parking lots by Sunday," says Chris Moss, Chemung County Executive. 

"These types of services allow a level of normalcy while still allowing protection for our families and for our community as well. So their very important eye-to-eye, even though you can't touch, even though you're not going to be able to hug, it gives that isolation a break," says Michael Spencer, Pastor for His Tabernacle Family Church in Horseheads.