Church in the time of COVID

Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
In lieu of a more suitable place for this topic, I have chosen General Discussions. Moderators please move to a better section if desirable.

Our church has been off limits for most of last year including Easter and Christmas services. Playgroups and the knitting group have also been unavailable.

How do we keep going?

It hasn't been easy but a few creative people have explored ways to reach out online. I only just got around to watching this Christmas Eve offering. Christmas Eve has long been a non traditional service and is always popular with people who don't come any other day of the year.

This video presentation was put together by my friends and neighbours of many years. It is only about 12 minutes long and I would be interested in any comments members of SF would like to offer but please remember that General Discussions are supposed to be light hearted.

Facebook
 
Most churches in our area are being done online and quite successfully. They also have been keeping up with charity work and special social groups.

There are some churches that are open but only through reservation only since there can only be so many people there at once.

There are some really good services out there despite the Covid virus. Incredible music, just like ‘Silent Night’ in your video. Just beautiful.

Maybe it will make people appreciate people and such services more than before.

My husband and I went to a Buddhist temple but there weren’t many people there. Most were online.

Hopefully over time this virus will weaken and you will be able to enjoy the services you are used to.
 
Warrigal said:
At least I don't have to hide in the catacombs practise my religion.
This too shall pass.
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I think the message of wait and hope was awesome. The entire world is waiting and most of us are hopeful. Thanks for sharing this, and it seemed very professionally done.
 
Church is open but they take your temperature now before you can enter and demand contact information as well. I see no cars parked out front there anymore. :cry:
 
chic said:
Church is open but they take your temperature now before you can enter and demand contact information as well. I see no cars parked out front there anymore. :cry:
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When we were briefly open for a bit over a month last year our stewards did the same. Temperatures were taken, as were contact details of those present. We don't have pews so it was easy to remove chairs and arrange the remainder in a formation that allowed spacing of one chair per 4 sq metres on the floor.

We did not have the usual sumptuous morning tea - just coffee or tea in a disposable cup and wrapped caterers' biscuits.

There was no physical touching other than foot or elbow bumps instead of the sign of peace. We all wore masks and there was no singing of the hymns, at least not out loud. As hymns were played by the pianist, the words were displayed on a screen for us to follow.

After the service all surfaces were scrupulously cleaned ready for the next service, which sadly hasn't occurred since well before Christmas.
 
My church is doing services for 36 at a time. I enjoy the podcasts each Sunday and will do the Lent ones also. Its not the same but between those and my Daily Word devotionals I feel like I have been to services. Its really daily thing for me. Also the Methodist Church has a great service on television each Sunday along with a Catholic mass. By lunch time on Sundays I am ready for a good meal and a nap after being in Church all morning. I am thankful I can worship via the media. There is a variety of services online and on television and I can take my pick.
 
My church has been closed since mid March,the staff comes in a couple days/wk to tape the Sun services.We can watch them every week via Youtube or Facebook
Those of us who have signed up,get weekly church news via email on Thurs
Every other Sun,we have a 'meet&mingle' zoom meeting where other church members get together talk what's happening in their lives etc. Its one way of keeping 'church family' together
I hope by May our church will reopen because our long time minister,Tom is retiring after 23 yrs, in June
 
Warrigal said:
When we were briefly open for a bit over a month last year our stewards did the same. Temperatures were taken, as were contact details of those present. We don't have pews so it was easy to remove chairs and arrange the remainder in a formation that allowed spacing of one chair per 4 sq metres on the floor.

We did not have the usual sumptuous morning tea - just coffee or tea in a disposable cup and wrapped caterers' biscuits.

There was no physical touching other than foot or elbow bumps instead of the sign of peace. We all wore masks and there was no singing of the hymns, at least not out loud. As hymns were played by the pianist, the words were displayed on a screen for us to follow.

After the service all surfaces were scrupulously cleaned ready for the next service, which sadly hasn't occurred since well before Christmas.
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This is a change for us and the first time they have taken temperatures and required contact info. Sad. At a time when so many may seek the peace of churchgoing.
 
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