Two weeks ago, a prevailing quandary for the Rev. Randy Sellers was whether or not to use the traditional one communion cup for all worshipers during the Holy Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in West Point. Given the heightening awareness of COVID-19, it had become an issue of discussion among the larger church. Now, those almost seem like simpler times.
“We had made plans on Friday, going into Sunday the 15th, to not offer wine during communion, and some other things to maintain some safety — and then almost immediately we received word from the bishop to stop all face-to-face services,” Sellers said.
On Saturday, March 14, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves asked churches to suspend in-person services and gatherings in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. In short order, clergy and congregations across the country were faced with the unprecedented: No coming together for Sunday worship, Bible studies, choir practices or potluck suppers. In-person fellowship, a cornerstone of the church, is on hold. Church staffs are rapidly adjusting.
“There’s something very, very special and intimate obviously about private prayer, private Bible study, private devotional reading,” said Sellers. “But there’s something just as special and powerful that you receive from worshiping as a gathering, as a group, and suddenly that has been taken away from everybody.”
The new guideline has pivoted attention to “internet church.” Churches that already had a digital presence increased it; churches that had little to none have to look seriously at it. Through live streaming, social media, websites, emails, e-bulletins and texts, cyberspace has become the primary means of staying linked until congregations can safely convene again. Church of the Incarnation is now streaming services on Facebook Live, as numerous ministers are. In many churches, the pandemic has ramped up their embrace of technology.
“We’re forced to adapt to really the culture of today,” said Jimmy Criddle, lead pastor at First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Columbus. “There are some churches that have been offering online worship for 15 years.” Others have had to learn how to do it, “how to engage people outside the walls,” the pastor observed.
FUMC live streams its Sunday service on Facebook at 11 a.m., concurrent with a regular broadcast on the CW television network. What the camera now captures at FUMC is replicated in almost every other church streaming their worship time. Empty choir lofts, no more orchestra members, only a pastor and perhaps another clergy member, maybe an instrumentalist and singer — never more than 10 in the sanctuary, and all keeping distance from each other. Two weeks into the governor’s request, churches are adapting.
“We’re looking to expand some worship times, realizing everyone isn’t always available to get online at 11 a.m., so we want to offer maybe an earlier time and maybe an evening time,” Criddle said. “And also making those services available on demand through our website. It’s continuing to expand; it’s evolving.”
At Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus, Senior Pastor Breck Ladd has issued an invitation to churches that may not yet have the technological capability to record services to contact Fairview, which has a small television studio operated by volunteers.
“We are partners in the Kingdom work, and we would love to be of assistance in any way we could,” said Ladd. “We want to be a good partner in our community. We believe fervently that what people need to hear now is a message of hope, and anything we can do to partner with other churches, help them take advantage of the technology that’s there, we’re happy to do it.”
Being creative
At Peter’s Rock Temple in Starkville, Michael Jones is concerned about members who may not have access to the church’s online services.
“We were already streaming on YouTube; the big adjustment is that now people aren’t able to come to the actual service,” said the church administrator who also pastors at Peter’s Rock Macon. “Everybody doesn’t have access to be able to even watch. I’ve explained to a few people how they might be able to see it on their phones.”
The church updates members through group texts and tries to make sure seniors and those most vulnerable have what they need. The baptism Jones was planning for at Peter’s Rock Macon will have to be postponed, one of many day-by-day adaptations. But planning is already turning to how to mark Easter Sunday in a special way, even if online.
“I think we’re going to see a lot of creativity, because everybody’s going live streaming, because it’s going to be Easter at home,” Jones told The Dispatch Wednesday. “We’ve got to be creative.”
Inside most churches, as at First Baptist Church (FBC) in Columbus, the mechanism of administration has had to readjust, too.
“We’ve changed office hours a little bit, and we’re rotating support staff,” remarked Marcus Cochran, associate minister of missions and education. Services are online, and mission outreach has incorporated efforts like prayer walks through neighborhoods, to leave prayer cards at doors or in mailboxes.
“If they see their neighbor out, ask if they have a prayer need,” said Cochran. FBC has also been distributing care packages of bottled water and snacks, or dinner, to emergency room workers and first responders including fire fighters and police officers.
“We’re just trying to find ways we can minister to the people who are working so much, some are skipping meals,” Cochran explained.
Emphasis at FBC, as elsewhere, is on congregational care, maintaining communication through all means available to be sure needs are met.
“We’re also beginning to anticipate what needs might be once we’re beyond this crisis,” said Cochran. “We anticipate there are going to be needs for food, so we’re working with Helping Hands to make sure we can resource them. We’re going to work with community partners, too, like Loaves & Fishes, the Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition and Housing Authority.”
Giving
Without pews full on Sunday morning, offerings plates are not being passed, yet church work, expenses and benevolences continue.
Some churches, such as First Baptist, began employing online giving some time ago. Others have very recently implemented it. There are several platforms and apps for the purpose.
“We’ve been coming into it slowly over the last two years; now we’re forced to use it,” Cochran said. “People that haven’t, we’re helping them learn how.”
Drive in
In addition to services online, several area churches, including East End Baptist Church, The Assembly and Murrah’s Chapel, have begun “drive in worship.” Members and guests are invited to drive to the church parking lot, stay in their cars, and listen to the sermon on a designated radio channel.
“We began doing this March 22, and the response has been great,” said Andy Setiawan, student pastor at The Assembly in Columbus. “We had more than 40 cars and approximately 175 people attended our last Sunday’s drive-in church. It’s unique and refreshing, a creative way (to worship) during this quarantine time.”
Keeping faith
Some have worried a halt in personal interaction at church will make it difficult to sustain spiritual fulfillment. To that, the Rev. Dr. Lynn K. Barker of Starkville posted online, “I have been medically disabled for 10 1/2 years. I have lived isolated from the life of the church, from community, family, friends — from life as you know it. I have been an occasional supply priest, otherwise cut off from the corporate worship and life of the church. … Has it been hard? Yes … But it has not made me one iota less the priest I am and am called to be.
“This will not make any one of you any bit less a member of the body of Christ. What you have is indelible. … Rulers and regimes have tried to destroy the church. A few weeks on the internet cannot do that.”
For now, churches are reaching out by all means at their disposal and eagerly looking to the day church life returns to normal. Many will retain some of the innovations they have recently implemented.
“But we will have church again,” said Sellers. “And when we do, in a sense, I think people will appreciate it even more. … I think we’ll come out of this in many ways strengthened. The first time we gather it’s going to be a specially designed service of thanksgiving and celebration. I don’t know when that will be — but we’re going to have it.”
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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