Church in the Time of Covid-19
Bringing the Church Family Back Together
By Kelly Kandra Hughes
Norfolk is home to three different churches within the town limits: The Church of the Transfiguration (Episcopalian church), Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Norfolk Church of Christ Congregational (UCC). As the town slowly opens up and returns to a new kind of normal, the question remains: what to do about worship experiences for these churches during the time of Covid-19?
Churches across the country offer increased risk of Covid-19 spread by the simple nature of what they are and what happens inside the church space. Multiple people congregate in close spaces, speak and sing in unison, and often participate in religious rituals that involve touching other congregants through handshakes, hand holding and hugs, or the sharing of communal bread and wine. In the month of June, several states, including Alabama, Kansas, Oregon, and West Virginia, have seen outbreaks of Covid-19 that can be traced to in-person church services.
Both Norfolk Church of Christ and Immaculate Conception suspended their in-person weekend worship services back in March. According to the Immaculate Conception website, https://stmartinoftoursct.org/, “There is a dispensation from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass until September, this means if you feel it unwise to attend due to health or age it is not sinful in this difficult time. The individual must make the call if their health/age permits.”
As of June 4, the St. Martin of Tours parish, of which Immaculate Conception is a member, resumed a weekday Mass at Immaculate Conception on Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. However, they are still in need of volunteers each week to ensure this worship experience remains possible. At this time, the parish is unable to schedule weekend Masses for the public.
Norfolk Church of Christ has maintained their Sunday worship experiences by offering a weekly online service, which includes multiple aspects of their traditional in-person service, such as call to worship, scripture reading, abbreviated homily, music, and Light of Service offering, which is focusing on local ministries during the pandemic, including the Norfolk Food Pantry and Meadowbrook Senior Living. Virtual communion services are also included in the online worship service on the first Sunday of every month. These online service videos are available via the church’s website, http://norfolkctucc.org/ucc/, Facebook page, and through the weekly church newsletter. The church plans to continue with their online worship services for the foreseeable future.
As for resuming in-person worship, Norfolk Church of Christ is currently considering multiple options, including outdoor worship services with participants wearing personal protective equipment and maintaining social distancing. A sub-committee of Church Council members is currently meeting to discuss the benefits and risks of safely resuming in-person services. “We have never been closed,” says Pastor Erick Olsen. “Without ceasing, we have been praying, praising, serving and studying Scripture, helping each other through this difficult time, and we plan to continue on Sundays and beyond. Due in large part to the high risks of singing and speaking aloud in a closed space, we will not gather again for worship in the white church building until we have a comprehensive plan in place that will help us ensure the safety of our congregation and community.”
The Church of the Transfiguration, also known as “The Bishop’s Chapel,” because it has no presiding clergy, as well as “The Church of Ease,” because it is devoted exclusively to summer worship, normally offers services every Sunday during the summer months from May through September. The pandemic has delayed the start of the church’s 126th year of summer services, but they are planning for Morning Prayer services on the lawn starting on July 5 and ending on September 6. Bea Tirrell, who is the co-chair of the Bishop’s Committee with her brother Rowland Denny, is finalizing the schedule for the minsters, deacons and bishops who will be leading the service. Currently, the Rev. Salin Miller Low, the Rev. Nik Combs, the Rev. Ellen Tillotson and Dylan Mello, the church’s Northwest Region Missionary are scheduled to lead. “We look forward to seeing everyone in person,” Tirrell says, “and we are going to ask people to bring their own chairs and wear masks.” The Sunday services on the lawn will be following the Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s guidelines. Tirrell recommends checking out the church’s website churchofthetransfiguration.net for updates.
