For many churches and religions, the Easter season is the most important time on their church calendar. Many faiths observe Lent and hold Holy Week services which culminate with the celebration of Easter, when Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Consequently, it is a rather inconvenient time for church congregations to be unable to gather. Yet, the various churches in Clarion are taking many tech-savvy and creative steps to overcome this problem and stay connected with each other.
It has been over three weeks since Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a state of emergency proclamation that banned gatherings of 10 or more people due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This consequently meant that churches were going to have a difficult time holding anything resembling normal services.
Some churches had individually made decisions to cancel even before the proclamation. The Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque, of which the Clarion’s St. John’s Catholic Church is a part of, had already decided to cancel public masses the day before the gathering ban was announced. Archbishop Michael Jackels had said, “After consultation and considerable prayer, it has been decided — out of an abundance of caution and with devotion to the common good — to take steps aimed at slowing down the spread of the coronavirus.”
In the weeks since the proclamation, Clarion churches may be mostly empty, but the faithful and the area ministers certainly are not sitting idle. Many of the area churches have taken steps to reach their members using technology. This may mean referring their congregations to online services or in some cases recording or livestreaming their own. The First United Methodist Church in Clarion is offering full Sunday services that they record themselves. Reverend Mike Gudka explained that they pre-record the service so people can watch at their convenience. “We strive to offer a positive message to lift people up since these are difficult times, “ Gudka added. Pastor Bill Kem who presides over both the United Presbyterian Church and the United Church of Christ, Congregational has also been recording services and offering them on Facebook.
While watching online services can be handy, the technology is not without some headaches. Pastor Chris Whitehead who ministers at The Dwelling Place explains that he was 17-year IT professional, “but I still feel like I’m stumbling my way through Sunday mornings to make the technology work.” St. John’s Catholic also streamed mass online this past weekend in both English and Spanish, though they faced some difficulties with the sound in their recording.
Besides full services, the churches are embracing technology in other ways as well. Various ministers have reported holding Bible studies and prayer groups using the Zoom meeting app. Grant Woodley who along with his wife Nicole are the pastors at First Lutheran Church take time to record pray intentions each weekday night that they call “Prayers for the People.” In the last weeks, they prayed for hospital and medical staff, local and national leaders, and those with affected businesses, among many others. Pastor Grant said he hopes the prayer times offer “solace and comfort to people,” in addition to the spirit of gathering that people might be craving during this difficult time.
Beyond technology, churches are still encouraging their congregations to worship in other ways. Father Jerry Blake, pastor at St. John’s Catholic, explained that he is still able to offer confessions, which are particularly important during Lenten season. He adds that the parishes have worked with parishioners who are nurses to alter the set up of their confessional spaces to maintain social distancing.
Perhaps the most unique way that one church is reaching the faithful is through a practice the Church of Christ is offering. Every Sunday morning for the last three weeks, Pastor Warren Curry and a few aldermen of the church have been offering drive-thru communion. People quite literally drive their vehicles through the parking lot, receive communion without getting out of the car, and are offered a prayer. Curry said that they are happy to offer “a snip-it of fellowship. We pray with them, give communion and remind people of God’s love and sacrifice.”
Above all, all the ministers said the most important thing they and the faithful can do is look after each other. Many of the pastors are encouraging people to call, text, and mail their neighbors just to offer a hello and a word of encouragement. Pastor Dana Wendel from the Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene says that he has been encouraging his people by just praying with them and telling them to look to Jesus. Pastor Kem emphasized, “This pandemic has reminded us all that we’re responsible for each other. Though we can’t see other in person, we can still connect.” He adds, “This is the perfect time to remind us that the church is not the church building. I love our churches, but that’s only a small piece of it. The church is the people out there.”
The ministers also agreed that Lent and the Easter season is almost a fitting time for these events to be happening. Father Blake compared these difficult times to when Jesus spent forty days in the desert. “This is a sacrifice, but like Christ, we will come out of it better and appreciate it more in the end.” Pastor Whitehead concurred, saying, “In Lent we often give things up. That’s what we’re forced to do now. But we can use the opportunity to slow down and take some time to connect to God and other people.”
In the end, all the clergymen emphasized that the rules undertaken by the state are a crucial step. “It is very important to abide by the social distancing and protect each other,” said Father Blake. Pastor Woodley added, “Right now, loving our neighbor means staying at home.”
And even though Easter may be very different this year, the pastors also expressed optimism about what is to come for their churches and communities. “Things might be harder before they are better, but there is life and hope at the end.” said Woodley. He also had a wish. “Whenever conditions allow us to gather together again, even if it isn’t for months, we will celebrate because everyday can be like Easter.”
