Taking some social distancing precautions on the stage, the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio, conducted an Easter Sunday service during Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's stay-at-home order.

One of the speakers on stage acknowledged the stay-at-home order but noted there was a person who came from Hudson, Ohio, near Cleveland because it was the only church holding an Easter service that the person could find. Pastor Lawrence Bishop II mentioned a trucker from Florida was in attendance after driving overnight.

During Wednesday's press conference, DeWine encouraged individuals to practice their faiths in a way that kept everyone healthy.

“We’re not going to interfere with your First Amendment rights to practice your religions but I don’t know any religion that teaches that you should do things that seriously endanger other people,” DeWine said. "We just ask everyone to love your neighbor."

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Bishop thanked DeWine for allowing the church to continue holding in-person service and said he recently spoke to Lt. Gov. Jon Husted about social distancing practices. Bishop said the church encouraged people who are concerned about their health to virtually participate in services.

"Why don't you just have church online?" Bishop said during Sunday's service. "If they can stop you from having a drive-up service, you don't think they can stop your little live stream? You know all they have to do is push a button, honey, and you're done. What do you have then?

“It’s going to be a short step – a little bitty step – because they see how it easy the church laid right down at the first hint of social pressure.”

Monroe Mayor Jason Frentzel sent a letter to Solid Rock Church earlier this month pleading with them to stop in-person services.

"While I understand that you have the right to assemble, I also understand the community's concerns with having such a large gathering coming together in this current environment," Frentzel wrote.

A statement on the Solid Rock Church's website says the church is taking the necessary precautions.

"We have scaled back our normal services and there are not large numbers of worshipers in the facility, but we are open and continuing to practice and sustain our faith," the statement reads on the website. "Fortunately, our facility is large enough that we are able to easily ensure that everyone who is physically in the facility is practicing the physical distancing."

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