Local churches find their footing amidst pandemic

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — During the pandemic, many churches have closed their doors to in-person services to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Slowly but surely, churches are starting to bring members back inside.

“Oh yeah it’s been great, we have been anticipating people getting back together and of course we’ve done it in two rounds, said Jody Andrews, pastor at Life Church. “So we met together a few weeks ago and then went back to online services only and just recently today started to meet together in person again.”

Since this is the church’s second time opening the doors since the pandemic, they are being extra safe.

“One of the things that we have worked on is social distancing,” said Andrews. “We follow all of the CDC guidelines as far as hand sanitation at the doors and entrances and we actually have masks available for people that don’t have their own mask and if they would like to wear them.”

Church staff member Fields Ferguson said they have come up with new ideas to ensure social distancing.

“We separate each row for social distancing so it’s every other row,” said Ferguson. “We make it fun, we say angels are sitting here so you can’t really sit here. We also do shorter services so its two services instead of one big one and then after that first service is over, we say please go outside and do your things there so we can go into the next service.”

Andrews said that the church is more than just a building.

“Well, I think that one of the biggest things that have happened for churches through COVID is we’ve learned that actually, the church isn’t a building,” said Andrews. “So our church has done very well online as far as financially and as far as reaching out to people and trying to keep people connected.”

“Just how us as a church we were able to reach different people that never went to church or have been to church are now becoming members of our church simply because we have reached them through online services and engaging and things like that and it’s just encouraging that we can be a church on whatever platform because we are simply the body of Christ,” said Ferguson.

Andrews said that if members and visitors still do not feel comfortable going into the church service, they will still be streaming their services online.