Signs of hope
Easter means slow return to normal as some churches reopen to celebrate biblical story
In December, back when the nation was vaccinating its first health care workers against COVID-19 and uncertainty remained about when others would get the same opportunity, the Rev. Tony Liuzzo and his church were making what seemed like an impossible decision. What would things look like for Easter, and should they begin work on what was – before 2020 – a long-running, annual holiday production, “Unstoppable
Love”? It all seemed such a risk. But Liuzzo knew people needed hope. “We have to take this leap of faith now,” Liuzzo, pastor at Fellowship Baptist
So he and about 60 actors from the congregation began rehearsing for a dramatic retelling of the Easter story.
They took safety precautions during rehearsals such as physical distancing, mask-wearing and screening actors for illness. And they took cues from how Hollywood filmed movies during the pandemic by practicing in stages at first. No one got sick, Liuzzo said.
“It paid off,” Liuzzo said, noting that the first showing of the drama was on March 28. Three other performances were scheduled, including one on Easter Sunday.
Churches reopening to celebrate Easter with in-person services
Other churches are taking similar strides toward normalcy this Easter as they open for in-person services Sunday to celebrate the biblical story of the resurrection of Jesus.
A national Pew Research Center study released March 22 found that American religious life is showing signs of slowly returning to “normal.” About 75% of adults who typically attend services are “very” or “somewhat” confident that they can do it safely, without getting the virus, according to the study.
While the study shows more people are attending in person – or are at least willing to – the numbers still aren’t completely back to what they were before COVID-19, according to Pew. About 40% of Christians plan to go to Easter services in person this year, compared to the 62% who typically go to church on the holiday.
About 17% of U.S. service attendees say their congregation is currently closed, two-thirds say their congregation is open with pandemic safety precautions and 12% say it’s business as usual, according to Pew.
Most, if not all, of the churches in central Ohio were doing virtual services for Easter in 2020. Many that came back in person in 2020 didn’t do so until Memorial Day.
That was the case with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, which began reopening churches in May and has been televising major events for those who aren’t comfortable attending services in-person. This year, Easter Sunday Mass from St. Joseph Cathedral Downtown will be broadcast at 10:30
a.m. on WCMH-TV (Channel 4).
“So many parishes throughout the diocese have introduced live-streaming Masses to meet the challenge that arose because of the need for physical distance over these past months,” the Rev. Michael Hartge, diocesan vice chancellor, said in a statement. “Still, there is no virtual experience that can replace worshipping Jesus Christ together and in person, and this is especially true for Mass on Easter Sunday.”
Some remain closed for Easter holiday
Not all churches are reopening for the holiday, however. First Congregational Church’s large, historic building Downtown will be empty for the second year in a row on Easter Sunday.
The church has a task force meeting regularly to decide when it will gather in-person again, and the group continues to watch the ever-changing news, said the Rev. Tim Ahrens, senior pastor.
This holiday, the church is planning special music and live pieces it hasn’t had in the past year, Ahrens said, but services still will be virtual.
“That thought of when to return is not simple,” he said.
Foremost in his mind are the deaths
he’s witnessed as a result of COVID-19 and how to keep his congregants safe.
“We need to trust that God will look after us and take care of us and that we’ll figure this out together,” Ahrens said. “It’s a lot of faith. It’s not just about analysis, right? It’s about faith, and we’ve got to figure that piece out.”
Churches aiming for normalcy
At St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Granville, worshipers will gather in person in their building on Sunday for the first time since March 15, 2020.
With the exception of some summermonth outdoor gatherings at Granville’s Bryn Du Mansion, the church has convened in various virtual formats since early last year according to Rev. Michael J. Ralph.
“We’ve done all kinds of different things,” over the past year, Ralph said. “We have done Zoom services. We have had livestreams. For a while, we were taping services on Thursday, and then having those released on Sunday on our Youtube channel.”
As to the resumption of in-person services on Easter Sunday, which require reservations and will have other concessions to COVID-19 safety?
“There were several factors,” Ralph said. “More and more churches in my
diocese are beginning to open. … More and more people are becoming vaccinated, myself included. The numbers of (infections) have dropped precipitously over the course of the last couple of months.”
There is the symbolic element, too: “Also, the resurrection theme of Easter Sunday seemed to be a very appropriate time,” Ralph said.
Crossroads Columbus, a nondenominational church that began in Cincinnati, also is hosting its first in-person services since March 2020 on Easter Sunday. There will be two services at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center.
“Easter is a beautiful celebration, full of hope and power. And who doesn’t need more of those things right now?” said the Rev. Vicki Diller, Crossroads Columbus community pastor, in a statement. “I am so excited for our church community to get to gather, worship together, and be reminded of just how much strength and hope we really have.”
Fellowship Baptist Church, where Liuzzo is pastor, hosted the first performance of its Easter drama – for friends and family and those at high risk for the virus – on March 28.
“We felt like it was just extremely needed because people are coming out of a year of just being home,” Liuzzo said.
“We thought the Easter story was one of good news and hope and life change and newness . ... We thought this was time to start 2021 off with some good news and hope and a soft way to start bringing people together and doing it in a safe way.”
The church began congregating for services in person this past summer, with several safety measures in place, and people were grateful, Liuzzo said. Each Sunday during two services – which allow for social distancing – a fraction of the congregation spreads out far in the sanctuary, which seats 1,200 people.
Its Easter drama – in which Liuzzo narrates the Easter story as it is acted out on stage – will have its 11 a.m. Sunday event streamed online.
“There’s just been so much depression and anxiety,” Liuzzo said. “People, they needed something. People need this. People need people and people need good news.”
Craig Mcdonald, editor of the Granville Sentinel and Pataskala Standard, contributed to this story. dking@dispatch.com @Danaeking