Coronavirus shaking up Sunday traditions

In addition to the government directives prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people, many denominational authorities have told their member churches to suspend in-person worship services as well.

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston suspended public celebration of all weekday and Sunday Masses for Houston-area Catholic churches. 

Beaumont Bishop Curtis 

Guillory, whose diocese includes Chambers County, did the same.

Both recommended that the faithful observe Sunday as the Lord’s day with private or family readings and prayers. Also, the websites for both areas have lists of churches providing live-streaming worship services online.

Many of the area’s Protestant churches are also switching to an online worship presence today.

Faith Family Church of Baytown, which just opened its new facility on North Main Street, is streaming services at its normal Sunday worship times; some other churches are providing streaming worship services at reduced or modified hours. Others are cancelling services altogether.

Churches that offer streaming generally already have a strong online presence; you can check their websites or social media pages for details as to when services are and which platform they will be available on.

“Church is more than just a worship service,” said Rev. Dr. Kenn Munn of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, echoing the sentiments of many church leaders.

While St. Mark’s is replacing its three Sunday morning services with a single streaming worship service, it continued with its scheduled food distribution event Saturday morning. Already established as a drive-through distribution, it was able to continue while maintaining social distancing.

“We are doing extra measures to make sure we are not spreading the virus if we encounter it,” Munn said. To involve the church’s children without putting them in harm’s way, he said children made handmade cards at home that were distributed with the boxes.

He said the church is keeping in contact with shut-ins by telephone and, while the office is closed, the church answering machine forwards calls to him.

Across the street, Faith Presbyterian Church has completely suspended worship, but the building continues to function in its normal daily role of being the home base for Baytown Meals on Wheels.

Pastor Tim Marquez said the church’s leadership made the decision to suspend worship, but is continuing to keep communication by telephone and Facebook. He said the potential confusion of streaming platforms could add confusion and stress.

The response is also to, he said, “make sure the leadership of the church, the ruling elders, are also connecting with their … flock members. We have divided our membership into different flocks, and each lay minister is assigned to a number of people.”

Marquez said, “We always value connection at the church. That’s one of the beautiful things about being a part of a faith community.”