Faith over fear: Churches find a way to carry on in light of coronavirus scare
At Haven Free Will Baptist Church there were no ushers or greeters, the offering plate wasn’t passed around and, hardest of all, there were no handshakes or hugs.
Just 16 people sat in the wooden pews at the southwest Raleigh church Sunday morning, a day after NC Gov. Roy Cooper banned mass gatherings of over 100 to try to stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
More than 30 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in North Carolina, more than a dozen of them in Wake County. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, the bishops of both N.C. conferences of the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina asked their churches to cancel services and other public gatherings.
Several large churches choose to stream their sermons online. At Point Church Cary, people were encouraged to have crackers or bread on hand to have communion at home.
“The building might be closed, but the church isn’t,” they wrote on Facebook. “Join us live as we worship God together and look at how we are called to respond in the midst of what is going on in the world.”
South Hills Baptist Church doesn’t have the capacity to stream its worship sermons online, said the Rev. Brian Lowman. His church leaders planned to meet after service on Sunday to decide whether to keep church services open moving forward.
“We try to be wise,” he said. “We don’t live in fear but we want people to be wise and look at the situation they are in.”
Colleen Leonard and her 15-year-old daughter, Sarah, both attended Sunday’s service at South Hills. They’ve taken extra precautions to wash their hands and not touch their face.
“It’s not as big of an issue for smaller churches like this,” Colleen Leonard said. “We know the people and we know everybody. You all know the families and are keeping each other safe and healthy. Big churches I can understand it. You don’t really know.”
Still, she kept her youngest children at home on Sunday because they didn’t fully understand the importance of washing their hands and not touching their face.
Susie Daughtry, a long-time member of Faith Missionary Baptist, was preparing for Sunday school and said she had her doubts the pews would be filled.
“I am anxious,” she said. “I love my church. I love seeing people. I love being around people. ... As for the virus, it’s God’s way of showing us what he can do and will do. So I am not really worried.”
Back at Haven Free Will, the Rev. Cliff Donoho encouraged everyone to stay home and watch the sermon live on Facebook. The sermon outline, church bulletin and scriptures were sent by email or hand delivered to those who don’t use the internet.
“People are afraid to touch money,” he said before the service. “Afraid to touch doors or light switches. And our congregation, I’d say about 30% are over the age of 65. And so we have encouraged everyone to stay home except for a few who live just right here.”
Sunday’s sermon will be the last people can physically attend, with plans to move future sermons online until it’s safe to meet again.
In his sermon, he highlighted the power of doctors, prayer and God.
“Listen here, we are going to do everything they tell us to,” Donoho said. “But our trust is in God. And he saves us.”
