Church congregations find ways to connect during stay-at-home order
Since churches are unable to meet in person because of coronavirus concerns, as well as the stay-at-home order and social distancing regulations, they have been finding other ways to meet via online communication, video streaming, letters and more.
“We were considering an open-air Easter morning service in the parking lot, but due to the statewide stay-at-home directive, we will not be attempting that service,” said the Rev. David Earnest of Bethlehem Baptist Church of Ruff Creek.
Earnest said there are no activities happening at the church building, however, on Sunday mornings, an audio and a video recording of his sermon and a couple of hymns is posted to the church website, bbcruffcreek.org. He also mails out CD’s to those without internet access.
Pastor Brendan Byham of Jefferson Baptist Church said he stepped into the role of pastor at his church just last summer.
“Let me say, it has been anything but normal,” he said. “We are not the most high-tech church. Inevitably, a rapid change to operating our services virtually has been a tricky transition.”
As they don’t currently have the capability to livestream services, Byham said he has been recording his sermons. Allen Fox, a member of the church, edits the recording, uploads it to YouTube and makes it available Saturday night, allowing it to be seen Sunday morning. The videos are accessible through their website.
“We also plan to resume our midweek Bible study through Zoom this week,” he said. “These measures are not ideal, but it is what we are working with until we can update our capabilities in the future.”
Byham said that through the recent circumstances, he has become more aware of how interconnected and loving his congregation is.
“Members have delivered groceries, prepared meals and cared for each other in a variety of ways,” he said. “It is an inspiration and encouragement for me as the new pastor, because it shows that I am not alone in the ministry of this church. My deacon board and many others in the church are playing a huge part in continuing to show the love of Christ during this extraordinary season.”
The Rev. Al McGinnis of St. Matthias Parish said they have put videos of Mass online. For the weekend Mass, they livestream, so the congregation can watch in real time. The livestream is posted on their Facebook page, on YouTube and on their website. In addition, they publish a bulletin on their website and Facebook page to let people know what is going on in their church.
McGinnis said the church hasn’t stopped, even with all that’s going on and not being able to meet in person. The prayers continue, and they are reaching out to others.
“We’ve set up some phone calls from our two women’s groups to call around to the sick and the elderly in the parish to make sure that if they have any needs, that we can help them with it, whether it’s shopping, or needing prescription pills picked up or anything like that,” he said. “We’re trying to help them as much as we can.”
McGinnis said they have sent out letters and phone calls letting people know that the parish is praying for them.
“My staff is really a good staff, and they’re willing to volunteer and to help and to pitch in, and they’re doing marvelous work from their homes,” he said.
For the time being, McGinnis is having weekly online meetings with the bishop on what the churches can do right now.
“For Father Francis and I, it’s really something neither of us have every experienced in our priesthood,” he said. “There is a real sadness in our hearts that we can’t share [Mass], so the online stuff became even more important.”
Through their website, McGinnis said there are videos of “Bible Studies, instructional videos about weddings, confirmation, baptism and more.” He said he is guiding people there to help form their faith and stay close to the Lord during this time.
Pastor Larry Douglas of Waynesburg Bible Chapel said they decided not to meet in person for the health and safety concerns about the coronavirus, however, they have been doing everything they can do to bring church to the congregation through other means.
“On Sunday mornings, we are doing a live-feed broadcast,” he said. “Last week, there were around 400 views on our Waynesburg Bible Chapel live feed. People can watch that later on YouTube.”
Douglas said he is also creating live-feed videos on Facebook from his office and other locations to teach on the Bible and bring hope. In addition, he and others in the church are writing to and calling people to ask how they are doing.
Thomas Schlosser, a deacon of the church and a licensed professional counselor, is using Facebook to create 5-10 minute videos on stress, anxiety, fear, deep breathing exercises and more to help people at home.
A few others from the church are doing live-feed praise songs on social media as encouragement, Douglas said.
For Nineveh United Methodist Church, online Sunday worship can be accessed through their Facebook page. Pastor Scott Lawrence said he has been posting video worship and semi-daily videos to “ground people and connect people in this very isolated time.”
Lawrence said he realizes that not all people in this area have good internet access, so he has been mailing out sermons to people who don’t have good access online, so they can read through the message he would have given that week. In addition, he is sending the bulletin to give people updated information.
Lawrence said the church’s small groups have been meeting on Zoom calls.
“Not everybody can have video access, but with programs like Zoom, they can just call in through a phone number,” he said. “It’s not ideal – obviously we want to be there in person – but in the interim, it’s provided a real way to pray together, to hear scripture together and just hear one another’s voices.”
Lawrence said he believes communication in a church is critical, as a congregation is a family.
“One of the things the church offers in a powerful way is the community,” he said. “The Bible talks a lot about the church being the family of God, using terms like ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters,’ so meeting together, supporting one another, caring for one another, seeing one another and singing with one another is super important to who we are.”
Although it is a huge loss, Lawrence said in these times of no physical contact, the church is learning how to really trust God and lean on him.
“When we do gather again, it will be a really big celebration,” he said.