Jesus’ Birthday is one of the most celebrated and highly attended worship Sundays of the year.
But with COVID-19 making its presence known this year, churches have already been forced to improvise, adapt and overcome. Many, by Easter, had turned to technology such as IBM phone conferences while others chose video routes through Facebook and Zoom and other platforms.
Others performed drive-by encounters to stay in touch with their flocks. Each congregation adapted and overcame the issues at Easter, the largest attended Sunday worship service other than Christmas.
This Christmas, local church traditions are being upheld but with a few modifications. In Moorhead, the First United Methodist Church, along with the Sunflower United Methodist Church will hold its annual candlelight communion service at 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve but for the first time ever, the event will take place outside.
“We will be gathering in downtown Moorhead at the gazebo,” Pastor Veronica Pritchard said. “Most of our church members will stay in their vehicles but some will bring chairs and sit outside.”
The new tradition will have a twist as the Christmas lights from Gayle Oswalt and Jimmy Lloyd’s yard in the background will accentuate the candlelight service.
“That will be directly behind us so it will be all adorned for us already,” she said. “This will be for Moorhead and Sunflower United Methodist Churches but anyone is welcome to bring a chair and join us.”
Their regular worship services are held via YouTube and they are deciding week to week as to meeting in person.
In Inverness, the First United Methodist Church will still have their traditional Christmas Eve service.
“We are having come-and-go communion from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” Reverend King said. “And we will have communion available outside for those who don’t feel comfortable coming inside.”
On Sunday, “We are having church at 11 a.m. but we are not having Sunday School until Jan. 3,” he said.
At Mount Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Adoris Turner will be using technology to bring his flock together.
“We will virtually host our traditional and annual Early Christmas morning service at 8 a.m. Friday morning,” Reverend Turner said. “Our weekly virtual service will be held Sunday at 11 a.m. Both services are broadcast via Facebook Live and are uploaded weekly to our YouTube channel.”
Mount Beulah will also have their Community Youth event with cookies and presents on Christmas Eve at noon. There will not be a service, just the joyful gathering.
Dr. Guy Burke at First Baptist Church in Indianola is using technology and the pews.
After the Thanksgiving spike in coronavirus cases, Sunday School went to a full- time Zoom platform. But regular services are being held with masks and social distancing. The church also held their Sunday night Advent services on Facebook with a final one on Christmas Eve.
“We are still having our regular Sunday morning service at 10:45 a.m. and also a Christmas Eve service at 5:30 p.m.,” Dr. Burke said. “It will be a candlelight service with carols and scripture reading.”
Duncan Hoopes at Indianola First Presbyterian Church noted they previously held their Lessons and Carols service and do not hold a Christmas Eve service.
“We do Sunday morning and Sunday evening. On Dec. 30, we’ll have a New Year’s Eve-Eve Game Night. Basically, a family game night at 6:30 p.m. Our regular services are Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and Worship Service at 10:45 a.m. Our Sunday night service is at 5:00 p.m.”
Indianola First United Methodist’s Reverend Trey Skaggs will have a busy Christmas Eve.
“We will have three services on Christmas Eve,” Skaggs said. “We will have 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. services with limited, social distancing occupancy at each, as well as in our overflow areas. Our 5 p.m. service will be live streamed.”
He noted worship service for Dec. 27 will be online only and will be highlighting children.
