It’s been a slow process, but some churches in Estevan have started having services with people in attendance.
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Living Hope Community Church, the Estevan Church of God and the Estevan Alliance Church are among those to now have people present for their services. St. John the Baptist was the first to do so, with 30 people attending each of their four services.
Living Hope, the Church of God and the Alliance Church followed suit, heeding the provincial guidelines.
Pastor Mike Hoffort from Living Hope said they had drive-in services in the weeks leading up to their first in-person service on July 5, and people could watch services online, but they weren’t the same as being in the sanctuary.
“It was really nice to be together, in the building, and have the music going,” said Hoffort.
They have two services, at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., with the first service drawing the larger crowd with about 100 people. The latter service attracted about 20. They can have up to 150 people in the sanctuary at one time, and on a normal Sunday, they have 230-250 people.
They made sure to follow all of the government protocols, which was a challenge, because he described them as a “friendly” congregation.
“To worship God together in the same building was really, really good,” he said.
They will keep both services going for the time being, and re-evaluate in a few weeks.
A live-streamed service will continue to be offered on YouTube, although they’re encouraging people to attend in person.
People have to wear masks for singing, which is hard for some, and others have said they won’t sing.
Also, the church’s roof is fully repaired, after it was damaged by a wind storm in June.
Hoffort is pleased to see that other churches in the community are opening up as well, and working within the government regulations.
Sanctuaries are allowed to be up to one-third capacity or up to 150 people, whichever number is lower. And people have to respect social distancing.
Most churches are still opting for the digital services that have been common since the pandemic hit Saskatchewan in mid-March.
Garnet Wilhelm, the chairperson of the board for the Estevan Gospel Chapel, said they have a capacity for about 150 people, and about 50-60 people would typically attend church each Sunday.
“You have to figure out how you would allow people to come in and exit without infringing on the two-metre rule,” said Wilhelm.
Once COVID-19 forced churches to go online, Wilhlelm said they started having services via Zoom. Not only did they use it for Sunday services, they use it for Bible studies.
“You try to make the best of what you’ve got. It’s not near the same as meeting in person,” he said.
Wilhelm said it would be tough to worship together at the church, and not be able to shake hands or hug someone they haven’t seen in a while.
The church also doesn’t have a senior pastor, so different people have stepped up to share the responsibilities of the role.
Keith Walton, the chairperson at Trinity Lutheran Church’s board in Estevan, said it is their desire to return to normal as quickly as possible. But barriers posed by the guidelines have to be followed.
“This week we will be meeting and analyzing and planning, and as much as we wish to open as quick as possible, we will be governed by the guidelines at what we can accomplish,” said Walton.
He called it a “very fluid situation.”
They have been holding weekly church services via Zoom. Walton said they have gone well, as their attendance has been close to normal. People from as far away as B.C. and Alberta have joined them, allowing former residents of the Estevan area to reconnect in some way with the congregation.
They try to keep the services via Zoom as close to normal as possible, with hymns and readings, sermons, prayers and even a kids’ time.
And they have found ways to accommodate those who aren’t technologically savvy.
“You can’t just keep everybody in the loop as much as we try, so we’ve also been trying some phoning and some snail mails and that kind of thing to make sure we touch base with everyone,” said Walton.
About 60-75 people typically attend the Sunday service at Trinity Lutheran, but they will get higher numbers for their services on special occasions.
The sanctuary can seat close to 400 people, so the full congregation could attend church on a Sunday.
“The biggest issue with the guidelines is the cleaning that’s required after the services and even during the services with doorways and bathrooms and those types of things,” said Walton.
He’s looking forward to seeing everyone again. It will be tough to not shake a hand, and being warm and welcoming is a big part of their church.
