Pastors offer encouragement, online sermons during pandemic
This past weekend and for at least several weeks to come, local churches and congregations across the country have been forced to cancel their traditional worship gatherings, and have moved their services online and via social media live stream to limit contact during the coronavirus pandemic.
Area pastors said this challenge and adjustment has been trying for them, as they are used to being able to provide in person comfort and guidance during times of crisis. However, they are working to develop new ways to connect with their church members and reach out to the community.
“Just as it’s not in God’s nature to be apart from us, it’s not in our nature as pastors to be separated from the congregation,” Pastor Bryan Meadows of Huntsville United Methodist Church said. “On a real personal level, not being able to worship, fellowship, and serve with folks in-person feels like part of my life has gone missing in action.
“It’s difficult when we’re all wired up to take care of each other and look to the needs of others, only to be reminded that we can’t make it out of the starting blocks because of the COVID-19 virus.”
“I have been a pastor for over 15 years in the United Methodist Church, but I never imagined myself leading a church during these unprecedented times,” Bellefontaine First United Methodist Church Pastor Ben Shaeffer said, who related that his congregation will not be meeting at least through Easter Sunday, April 12, according to guidance from the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.
“One very difficult aspect of this situation is that I am unable to do the nursing home visits and services, or the hospital visits to provide pastoral care. Now more than ever, I am placing my trust in God to see our way through this global pandemic.”
During this stressful time for the community and the nation, the local ministers urged area residents to tune into weekend services online for encouragement and to glean insights into their faith. Pastor Brandon Storm of Common Ground Church in Bellefontaine said his church, which typically meets at Union Station, started a new series Sunday entitled, “Jesus, pandemics, and panic,” with his messages to be streamed online through the church’s Facebook page.
“Thankfully, we had been doing this since our launch a couple of years ago, so we do not have to change very much to get this into people’s homes,” Pastor Storm said.
“We will have music and teaching, much like a ‘normal’ Sunday, while at the same time being aware that since people will be watching on phones, computers and televisions, engagement will feel different. So rather than encouraging people to applaud and give praise to God at the end of a worship song, we might encourage them to type ‘amen’ or ‘hallelujah’ into the chat feature of the live stream.”
The Common Ground children’s ministry also will have a live stream teaching available once a week, along with the opportunity to pick up kids’ activity packets at Union Station. The church’s small groups and student ministries are in process of moving online as well.
Similarly for Huntsville United Methodist Church, the church has been live-streaming messages for the past several years and the church also has a YouTube channel, Pastor Meadows noted.
“Our current strategy is to be present every day of the week with our congregation via some sort of social media, sharing devotionals, prayers, Bible studies, updates and Facebook live videos,” he said. “This will include programming for both our adults and our youth ministries.
“Because we don’t exactly how long this will last, we understand that the more we engage in this ‘virtual’ ministry, the better we’ll get at it. It’s going to take some time to refine the process. In the meantime we’ll give this our best efforts, keeping what works, and learning from what doesn’t work. But the whole goal is to keep the local church together, even while we’re apart.”
Pastor Shaeffer also invites area residents to listen in to Bellefontaine First United Methodist Church’s services on the church’s Facebook page live at 9 a.m. Sundays, and also broadcast on the radio at 11 a.m. on WPKO 98.3.
“We have been utilizing video conferencing and other social media for my weekly Bible Study and the small groups that meet in the church. The youth group is also experiencing new ways to be in community with one another.
“While continuing with my sermon series ‘24 Hours That Changed the World,’ which deals with the 24 hours before the resurrection of Jesus, I will also provide prayer and scripture to give people hope during this time. Our hymns this past week were chosen to remind people of how important their ‘trust’ in God is now and forever.”
While local congregations can’t gather like they are used to, the area pastors stressed that their churches also are carrying out various outreaches in the upcoming weeks, just in slightly different formats.
Pastor Schaeffer said the Last Thursday Dinner is still scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m. March 26, where drive by and carry-out service will be offered.
At Common Ground Church, Pastor Storm said “Love your neighbor” cards were distributed last week. Church members are asked to distribute the cards to neighbors, friends and acquaintances, with a note to contact that church member for practical tasks, such as collecting groceries or prescriptions.
“These are designed to help communities stay connected and supported without direct physical contact or close proximity,” the pastor said.
At Huntsville United Methodist, Pastor Meadows related that the church has employed an adoption-type ministry, where one set of individuals agree to call and check in with others of the church who might need some type of assistance, or who may simply be lonely or anxious.
“It’s a way for us to remind each other that we’re all in this together and with God’s help and strength, we’ll get through this. We’ve also tasked our prayer warriors to be in intercessory prayer for every aspect of this pandemic.”
While helping to guide their churches through this pandemic, the pastors related that the church is not defined by the building it meets in, but rather by its people and their ministry.
Pastor Meadows also emphasized that this state of emergency is only temporary and won’t last forever, like the Apostle Paul shared with his understudy Timothy, “we need to keep our heads on straight during this strange and unpredictable time.
“We’re also reminding each other that there’s value in the process of waiting. Just as Jesus instructed the disciples to go to Jerusalem to wait on the Holy Spirit, we’re called to wait in this season. God will show up-in some way and some fashion, and when He does we’ll once again be reminded that God is good and His love endures forever.
“We believe the local church is the hope of the world and in the midst of the struggle, we have an incredible opportunity to share God’s redemptive work among us. For that, we are grateful to God, even in an uncertain time.”
Pastor Shaeffer has established a prayer line for anyone in need of a confidential prayer request at (937) 593-5155.
He said he has been reflecting on Joshua 1:9 during these past few days: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”