Churches prepare-yet again-for virtual only services

“It’s a bit of a simpler shift for us,” said Pastor Fleming Blishen, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

These pews of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church are going to sit empty again for a little while longer, but for Pastor Blishen, he’s not worried about the transition to online. Up until four weeks ago, he was online only.

“We kind of anticipated that there would be some back and forth. We also spent the last year figuring out how to do online worship, with cameras in the sanctuary,” said Blishen.

The pastor just recently spent over $10,000 in camera equipment to help bring an experience that closely resembles in-person services. Churches were not among the list of places required to show proof of vaccination. But this church wanted to implement it anyways out of safety.

“When we started four weeks ago, we said vaccine passports, people are social distance and we all wore masks the whole time,” said Blishen.

Reverend Dr. Bob K. Fillier of Trinity United Church said that this change to virtual only didn’t come as a surprise to him. He’s been hosting both in-person and virtual services for months. He says this is a sigh of relief for some of his churchgoers.

“For some folks, it didn’t matter if they did know or didn’t know, they were going to stay away and continue to join us virtually only at least for now,” said Fillier.

Fillier was on a call with Dr. Henry, Minister Dix, and other faith leaders earlier this afternoon, answering questions they may have about the new health order.

He says that call gave him confidence that his doors can reopen next month, but that depends if more people get vaccinated.

“We encourage one another to invest in the common good and the common health of one another, I think if we all take that serious[ly] across the north, then on the 19th of November, things will become a little more familiar,” said Fillier.

by Oli Herrera

Churches prepare-yet again-for virtual only services

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