Going to church this Christmas? You might need to RSVP
Fewer songs. Open windows. RSVPs required.
While some Connecticut churches will only offer virtual celebrations this Christmas, others are taking a variety of measures to hold in-person services that offer the gathering experience while still minimizing the risk of COVID-19 exposure and adhering to state guidelines — which still could change in the next two weeks.
The state Department of Economic & Community Development guidelines, available online, most recently were updated via a Nov. 4 executive order returning the state to Phase 2 and limiting houses of worship to 50 percent capacity or 100 occupants, whichever number is lower.
As of Friday, the DECD had not decided whether it would recommend a change in restrictions one way or the other before Christmas.
“It depends on how much of a surge we see and whether people are listening to the public health guidance and largely stay within their households and limit gatherings and unnecessary trips, etc.,” agency spokesman Jim Watson said in an email.
The guidelines available online represented the most current information, Watson said.
State protocols recommend congregations refrain from singing during services, set up pre-registration for attendees, post greeters to enforce capacity limits and hold drive-in and online services as safer alternatives to meeting in person, among other measures.
The Connecticut Department of Health reported having investigated 69 COVID clusters statewide as of Nov. 9.
Six clusters were linked to houses of worship, and the worst of those involved 15 cases.
Max Reiss, spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont, did not return a request for comment about churches and COVID protocols during Christmas.
‘A very, very hard decision’
Clergy across the state are taking health concerns into
A 2019 Christmas Eve service at the Southport Congregational Church in Southport. Due to COVID-19, the church had to weigh whether it would hold any in-person services for Christmas 2020, which would have been limited in capacity.
account as they plan services.
Southport Congregational Church, for instance, had planned to hold four Christmas Eve services instead of its usual two, so as to accommodate more people while maintaining capacity limits, but was uncertain Thursday whether those would go forward.
Hundreds of people already had made reservations, according to the Rev. Paul Whitmore, the church’s senior minister.
But as COVID-19 numbers surged in recent weeks, the church canceled its Dec. 6 and 13 in-person services, and leaders opted to reassess whether they could proceed with live Christmas activities, he said.
“This Sunday we’re going to make the decision about Christmas Eve with our board of deacons,” Whitmore said. “Honestly, I do have discomfort about going forward with meeting in person. … The fact is that there a lot of cases around, and we’re responsible for the safety of a lot of people.”
It’s “a very, very hard decision” for the minister, he said.
Without in-person worship on Christmas Eve, “you lose the sense of community,” Whitmore said. “You don’t get the in-person … sense of spirit. … You don’t get to sing.”
In lieu of in-person services, the church would hold one “fabulous” livestreamed service on Christmas Eve, featuring recorded performances from a brass quartet and several choirs, according to Whitmore.
Across the state, church
es’ plans for the holiday vary. Hearst Connecticut Media spoke with representatives from 12 congregations, as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport.
All parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport also planned on inperson Masses, according to a spokesman.
Of the 12 churches, seven planned only virtual Christmas events and services.
One — Whitmore’s — was undecided, while four intended to proceed with some version of in-person events.
Multiple Masses
Steven Marcus, a deacon at St. Maron’s Church in Torrington, worried state regulations will change, affecting the in-person Masses planned for the congregation.
“Please God the governor’s gonna allow us to have Christmas liturgy,” he said.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, St. Maron’s staff cleans the facility between services, requires attendees to wear masks and forgoes its tradition of having clergy stand at the door to see parishioners off, according to Marcus.
“I just feel that whenever there is a crisis … the best place to turn is God,” he said. “I just think our churches need to be open.”
The parish is ready to add extra Masses if the state further limits capacity.
“If they tell us we can have 10 people at Mass and we normally have 100 people at Mass, we’re going to have multiple Masses,” Marcus said.
In the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Bridgeport, which includes 82 Fairfield County parishes, most will add extra Masses to accommodate worshippers while allowing social distancing, according to Director of Communications Brian Wallace.
He said Bishop Frank Caggiano granted a one-time exemption allowing parishes to celebrate Christmas vigil Masses beginning as early as 2 p.m. Christmas Eve.
“We know that it’s a day when many Catholics return to church, even if they have not been at Mass during the year,” Wallace said. “By enabling vigil Masses to be celebrated an hour earlier, the bishop hopes to safely accommodate those who come forward.”
As of early November, the diocese had considered appealing to Gov. Ned Lamont to temporarily – and safely – increase occupancy at houses of worship for 24 hours at Christmas.
But, Wallace said, “We didn’t go forward with that request because of the need to safeguard life in the face of the surge in the virus and concern with the growing number of hospitalizations in the state.”
Wallace emphasized that Caggiano “believes protecting people from the virus is a life issue and a priority … he’s profoundly aware of the suffering so many people are facing from physical illness, job loss and the constant anxiety and isolation.”
“At the same time,” Wallace continued, “public worship is essential for Catholics, particularly at Christmas, and the diocese is doing everything possible to ensure it’s safe, welcoming and compliant with public health recommendations.”
Open windows and reservations
Faithful heading to the First Congregational Church in Guilford this Christmas will want to bundle up.
All the sanctuary windows – two floors’ worth – will be opened to increase ventilation in hopes of curbing the spread of COVID-19.
It’s a measure the church has been taking since resuming in-person services in mid-September, according to the Rev. Ginger Brasher-Cunningham, who serves as lead minister.
“If it were a different church space, and we didn’t have the windows like we have, I wouldn’t meet,” she said, adding that many churches’ decisions about whether to resume in-person services came down to how much space they have.
The Guilford church also has a “COVID response team,” about approximately eight people who stand by the door to track arriving congregants for contact tracing purposes and show them to their seats, BrasherCunningham said, adding that attendees are seated by household.
Everyone is asked to preregister, she said, which has led to concern that staff might have to turn people away on Christmas.
Jonathan Gouthier, an associate pastor at the First Congregational Church of Torrington, also worried about worshippers who might not have a place to go to begin their holiday.
His congregation is asking people to RSVP and is creating a seating chart that allows families to be together but otherwise keeps attendees socially distanced, he said.
“If people are planning to go to church, now’s the time to let us know,” he said.
And while the congregation will sing carols, there will be far fewer this year – maybe only two, according to Gouthier, who added that everyone will be masked.
Staying virtual
Even during Advent — the four Sundays preceding Christmas — some churches are staying completely virtual.
First & Wesley United Methodist Church in West Haven will not be holding in-person services through the end of the year, according to the congregation’s pastor, the Rev. Sungmu Lee, who said the decision was based on the recommendation of the UMC’s New York Annual Conference.
“We want to see each other but this is the reality,” he said. “[The pandemic’s] getting more serious, it’s not a joke.”
The same recommendation affected UMC of Danbury, which resumed in
person services in October but stopped them about six weeks later, according to the Rev. Kimberly Bosley.
“That’s really, really hard, because people, you know, look to this time of year to be together,” she said. “We’re working really hard to make a meaningful online service.”
Some, like East End Baptist Tabernacle Church in Bridgeport, still had not resumed in-person services.
The church stopped inperson masses in March and never went back, according to the Rev. Charlie Stallworth, who said that will continue through the Christmas holiday, even though many members miss the experience.
“The demand is there. The people are really missing the worship experience, especially in an AfricanAmerican church. We’re a very community-oriented church,” he said. “But our population is … an elderly population. We definitely don’t want to put those people at risk.”
Church of Christ in Middletown and First Presbyterian Church of Stamford also have stayed entirely virtual, according to representatives.
“Our primary concern is the safety of our people,” said the Rev. David Van Dyke, pastor for the Stamford Church. “It’s kind of the short-term sacrifice for the long-term good.”
The church will livestream its brass and organ Christmas concert, now in its 30th year.
New Haven’s Varick Memorial AME Zion Church also is taking its annual concert virtual, according to the Rev. Kelcy Steele.
“I’m one that believes that faith is not reckless, and if people are able to receive their discipleship through virtual means, why jeopardize their lives?” he said, noting his services have remained remote.
Many are dealing with an especially difficult holiday season as they grieve loved ones lost to COVID, according to Steele.
Other clergy echoed the view that Christmas is particularly needed this year.
“The message of Advent and Emmanuel is God will be with us. God is with us through this dark season that we face,” said Rev. Bosley of the UMC of Danbury. “I think that really holds people up.”