Church suspends worship services

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has suspended worship and public gathering at wards, stakes and tabernacles across the world “until further notice,” according to a church statement.

In addition, the church said this spring’s General Conference, scheduled for April 4-5, will be closed to the general public.

“We plan to conduct all five sessions of that conference at the Conference Center. General authorities, general officers and their spouses, musicians, choirs, technicians, and others will participate as assigned,” the church said in a statement. “But, proceedings of the conference will be distributed throughout the world via technology only.”

According to Ryan Tolley, president of the church’s Moses Lake Stake, the roughly 4,300 church members in the Moses Lake area “are following the recommendations of the local health district and the government” to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus by meeting and worshiping at home for the duration.

“We’re doing our best to lay low,” he said.

— Charles H. Featherstone