Churches offer worship alternatives

By Angie Landsverk

Area churches are holding services online, offering time for personal worship and using various methods to stay connected to their members.

“It’s a fascinating time to be a pastor,” said Andy Behrendt, the lead pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Waupaca.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a “complete rethinking of what a church is meant to be,” he said.

The social distancing guidelines to help prevent the spread of the virus took effect during Lent.

In the Christian church, Lent is the 40-day season of prayer and fasting before Easter.

Last Friday, state Assembly Republicans asked Gov. Tony Evers to allow in-person services for Easter and Passover.

The governor declined their request.

His spokesperson said the Safer in Home order remains in place to protect the health and safety of Wisconsin residents.

Behrendt provided his perspective on the topic.

“Not gathering in person for Easter is painful, but I think it’s our calling to do things differently and distantly this year for the good of our neighbors as well as ourselves,” he said. “Whenever we’re physically able to come together for worship again, it’s going to be wonderful, and the Easter promise of new life is going to mean more than ever.”

Adapting

St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Waupaca has been livestreaming its Masses through Facebook for several weeks.

The Diocese of Green Bay announced the suspension of public attendance at all Masses on March 17.

It was effective March 20.

Rev. Xavier Santiago and St. Mary Magdalene’s staff discussed how to handle the guidelines.

As a team, they came up with plans for the parish.

Initially, the parish’s office hours were extended, allowing for personal worship in the sanctuary.

When the governor’s Safer at Home Order began on March 25, the church reduced its office hours to allow the staff to stay healthy, Santiago said.

He hears confessions by appointment and said Mass is uploaded to the parish’s website and Facebook page.

For Holy Week, worship services are being livestreamed Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

On Easter Sunday, those who do not have access to Facebook may watch Mass with the bishop, broadcast at 10:30 a.m. on WFRV Local 5.

Santiago says people may call or email him for their spiritual needs.

Quarantine challenge

Victory Church is also livestreaming services.

Rev. Philip Thompson said people may access the services through the church’s website or Facebook page.

“We started a 21-Day Quarantine Challenge,” he said.

Rev. Casey Carey started it on March 23, encouraging people to read a chapter from the Book of John each of the 21 days.

In addition, Carey does a Facebook Live devotional from 9-10 a.m. on Monday through Saturday.

Victory Church was also offering a time for prayer and devotions from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, limited to 10 people at a time in the sanctuary.

For those who cannot livestream services or are homebound, the church was distributing devotional packets upon request, Thompson said.

“Lastly, we are offering to visit shut-ins and distribute communion,” he said.

Thompson welcomes phone calls from those who want to talk.

At Trinity, the focus is on what can be done for the community, Behrendt said.

He said while what they are going through is unfortunate, they can learn new ways to be a church.

For example, Behrendt had done short video segments before, but not a service.

“People responded to it extraordinarily well,” he said of their first prerecorded service.

He said the tricky part is finding ways to stay connected with people in different demographics.

“A bunch of people are getting a list of households with older members,” Behrendt said.

They planned to check in with them every week.

“The creativity we’re seeing is translating into things we can do as a church community,” he said.

Trinity posts its Wednesday and Sunday services on its Facebook page.

Everyone has adapted to living in a different way, he said.

Behrendt said Lent is about people realizing what they have and putting that into perspective.

“This is one day at a time now, which is really how we are supposed to live,” he said.

He said this is unfamiliar territory for him, and also for those who have been pastors for 40 years.

“I think this is a calling,” Behrendt said. “As a pastor, I’ve been called to do this at this time.”

This Lent is giving people time to pause and prioritize their families and helping others, he said.

“I can’t wait to see the virus gone, but then to see how the world is after it,” Behrendt said.