Perhaps these days when they’re needed the most, there will be no church services at least in person until further notice in the area .
Due to the governor’s declaration of no more than 10 people allowed to gather together for any event, many churches have had to cancel regular services and seek out other options to look for spiritual guidance and pray. It’s usually in times of crisis and upheaval that people come together to worship and pray that things will get better in our state, country and world, but the COVID-19 virus has put up a roadblock in the natural way of dealing with this type of situation.
Locally, pastors and church leaders have turned to technology and old-fashioned phone trees as ways of reaching out to communicate with parishioners when they can’t be there in person.
One such church is St. John’s United Church of Christ in Freeport where church leaders are highly emphasizing staying in touch with church members through various avenues.
“The most important message we’re trying to convey is for our church community to feel connected,” said Pastor Hank Fairman at St. John’s. “Our ministry team is making sure someone calls people to check in with them and tell them that our church is going to be OK.”
He said it’s very easy for people that have been told by government leaders to stay in their homes and only go out when necessary to feel isolated, especially those older folks who’ve been told they are at higher risk and stay inside as much as possible.
“Connection is a big thing with us. We want them to know God is with us now and we’re never alone,” Fairman said.
But Fairman will be alone, perhaps for the first time in a church service this weekend, as he will be preaching to an empty church at St. John’s and instead of a congregation of smiling faces, he will be facing a camera and that’s it. St. John’s is using modern technology and broadcasting the service on Facebook Live.
“We’ve got some things online already and we did a test last week and that went well,” Fairman said. “So we’ll have a mix of recorded and live content for a service on Sunday.”
He said anyone can tune into the service, not just St. John’s members. No password is needed and no one has to join a group to watch. Just simply find the church’s Facebook page and click on the service link in the live feed. Asked how he was preparing to give a sermon to an empty room, Fairman said he’s going to have to rely on some old school experience but doesn’t plan to spend much time in the hair and makeup room like a TV star.
“I guess I’m gonna have to channel my inner (popular televangelist) Robert Schuller here,” he laughed. “And I don’t have any hair, so that part’s taken care of.”
It’s been a trying week with many challenges, Fairman admitted, but he’s thankful for a great leadership team and a church community that’s pulled together to all help in some way.
“We’ve closed our building which is different because normally we have something going on here seven days a week,” he said. “But we’ve got some good information for a good foundation here on how to do things.”
Another church group that is turning to technology for its services is the Rockford Catholic Diocese which includes three Catholic churches in Freeport in St. Joseph, St. Mary and St. Thomas. Bishop David Malloy will celebrate Mass at 9 a.m. on Sundays and Catholics in the area can view it on the Rockford diocese web page at www.rockforddiocese.org or on the diocese’s Facebook page. Bishop Malloy also will offer a prayer devotion at noon on Wednesdays on the same sites until further notice.
Grace Episcopal Church in Freeport also will turn to Facebook for church services for members as Bishop Jeffrey Lee has closed all Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Chicago for the time being. Facebook live has previously been used for some programs to be shown in church but now Lee said members are encouraged to stay home following the governor’s recommendation and watch from there at 9 a.m. on Sundays until further notice.