Faithful followers still gathering, at a distance
Churches prepare for Good Friday and Easter services
It has been almost a year since the Rev. Mark Wilkens of First United Methodist Church in Crown Point delivered his Easter Sunday sermon from a stage in the church’s parking lot.
It was early on in the pandemic when churches were shut down by Gov. Eric
Holcomb and the faithful were trying to find ways to mark what is for many the holiest day of the year.
“It’s probably an overstatement, but I feel like Dorothy walking out of the house into a Technicolor Oz,” Wilkens said. In-person in chapel services resumed about a month ago and Easter Sunday the church
will be going back to three live services each Sunday starting with Easter. While things are beginning to open up across the state, Wilkens said he is aware many people still are not comfortable returning to in-person services.
“What we are doing is trying to give people the most number of options as possible while respecting what comfort level they may have,” Wilkens said. The church will continue its livestream broadcast for those who want to remain home. The church’s Fellowship Hall will be set up as an overflow site, where the service will be livestreamed and people who want to be there in person, but not around the crowds, can experience Easter Sunday.
Masks are still required and social distancing inside the church is encouraged, Wilkens said. Between each service, the church and bathrooms are sprayed down with disinfectant.
Regardless the precautions necessary to get back in the church, Wilkens said it is an exciting time.
“What better time to have this. Spring represents new life. Easter is always about new beginnings. That’s the whole point. What better year to be able to celebrate that than this year,” Wilkens said.
“It’s sort of like exhaling after holding your breath for a whole year,” he said.
The church can seat about 350 people and membership pre-COVID was a little over 400. Wilkens said he does not know what to expect but attendance will be spread over three services.
The Rev. Thomas Mischler with Holy Spirit Catholic Church said the Diocese of Gary studied the CDC regulations for holding Mass during COVID and came up with a set of suggestions for parishes to follow, including establishing a capacity for the church. Mischler said Holy Spirit has been following those guidelines. Reservations have been required to attend Mass in person to ensure social distancing.
That requirement remains in place for Easter Week and there currently is a waiting list for Easter Sunday service.
“A lot of those on the list are our regulars who are eager to get back in the church,” Mischler said.
Mischler said it is a little easier for the church to establish socially distanced seating because it has chairs and not stationary pews like so many others. Extra chairs can be brought in and groups of four and five family members can be seated together. At Christmas the church opened the hall next door for overflow and streamed the service live. The overflow room received mixed reviews, so it may not be used Sunday.
“Most people wanted to be in the church” he said.
Mischler said the church will still keep the mask requirement in place and social distance as much as possible.
“It makes no sense to leave it wide-open. Some people won’t be considerate enough to wear one for the sake of their neighbor. For the safety and well-being of everybody it make common sense to still wear masks for a while,” Mischler said. Wearing a mask should be a no-brainer for those attending church.
“It’s something you do not so much for you, although it is a benefit, you do this for the sake of another. Jesus gave up his life on the cross and was nailed to it. The least we could do is wear a mask. It’s self-sacrifice. He sacrificed for us,” he said.
Some traditional activities, such as the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday, will not take place. Instead Mischler said the church will conduct a service-oriented Mass that focuses on collections for service to the poor. Monetary donations and canned goods or food will be brought up by parishioners. The Good Friday service will replace venerating Christ’s feet on the cross by reverent bowing, he said.
At Beyond 4 Walls Christian Center in Gary, the Rev. Maurice White Jr. said services for Easter Sunday will take place outside complete with stages and a sound system for attendees. White said people may watch from their cars or use lawn chairs. The service will take place in the church’s parking lot and vehicles will have eight feet of distance from side to side and front to back. Face masks are still required and attendees must social distance.
The service will culminate with a balloon release commemorating the lives lost and sacrifices made due to the pandemic. White said as more people are vaccinated and restrictions are eased by late May or June services should be back to normal. Parishioners are eager to get back to regular worship.
“They really are excited about physically seeing each other,” White said.