Places of worship in Ventura County ready to resume indoor services

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. -- Places of worship are now allowed to reopen indoors in Ventura County since the county moved into the less restrictive red tier of the state's reopening plan this week.

The state has allowed Ventura County to reopen indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Tom Elewaut from San Buenaventura Mission said Sunday mass will still be held outdoors.

"We are limited to 75 people in the church for social distancing, but outside we can accommodate easily in the garden 100 to 120 people. I wouldn't want to turn 25 to 45 people away on Sunday mass," Elewaut said.

The mission will save indoor services for morning mass held on weekdays when fewer people typically attend. Masks and physical distancing will be mandatory.

In Oxnard at Gold Coast Christian Church, administrators are busy rearranging furniture to welcome people inside this Sunday.

The church plans to spread people out using all available rooms and will stream the service on television. Masks are required and water fountains will be turned off.

"If there is too many people we will set up a TV outside and stream outside," Gold Coast Christian Church Administrator Maggie Taylor said.