Amid lockdown, pastors take Easter sermon online

This Easter will be like no other, ever. As the faithful fold their hands in prayer on Sunday, they will be doing so facing their phones and computers as churches

This Easter will be like no other, ever. As the faithful fold their hands in prayer on Sunday, they will be doing so facing their phones and computers as churches in the city said they would livestream the service because of the 21-day lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19). While there is some dismay, many pastors have taken the opportunity to utilise technology well and bring joy to the congregation in such difficult times.

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“There will not be any Easter procession like the church members take out every year at sunrise. The service will be online and congregation members will not be in the church; Easter service will not be the same,” Rev Danny George from the Church of Immaculate Conception in Sector 45 said.

However, some churches “hacked” a way out to bring some much needed cheer with songs and performances which would all be woven into a joyous video of the complete Easter Service. “We recorded the entire service on Saturday where I have shot my part of the sermon; a singer recorded the song, different people who contribute to the worship service shot their part and sent it to us and then we put it all in a video. The compiled video will be sent out to the people through Facebook on Sunday,” said Rev Daniel Nazareth of the New Life Church in Sector 43 said.

Understanding this need for interaction, an important aspect of worship service, few churches logged on to Zoom, a web conferencing app, for the Good Friday service and said it did bring smiles to everyone’s face. “Meeting people is an important part of a church service. So, for the Good Friday service we did a Zoom call with congregation members. We were able to interact online, as a group, through a video conference call,” Rev Nazareth said.

Pastors said conducting a service in front of a camera was something many of them hadn’t done before, but were encouraged by the positive response. “Doing an FB Live was something new for us, but we have adjusted well,” Rev Daman Rodgers of the Epiphany Church in Civil Lines said.

Like Christmas, Easter Sunday is a day when even those who do not go to the church each Sunday make it a point to attend the mass. While they were grateful for the safety of their homes, devotees said they would miss the gaiety of gathering in celebration. “This is for the first time in my life that I will not be attending the Easter service in church. Having an online worship service is not the same, but in the circumstances this is the best option,” Anthony Masih, resident of Sector 14, said.

Staying at home also meant that Christians won’t be able to interact with their loved ones, friends or have an Easter egg. “All churches give egg as a symbolic gesture of resurrection so we are certainly going to miss that part. However, the situation has also helped us move our focus from symbolic things like the Easter egg to the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” said Jayan Matthews, resident of Sector 49.