Covid & Churches Pages

The Paris Independent 16

November 6, 2021 C O V I D & C H U R C H E S

PARIS CHURCHES ADJUST TO VIRTUAL SERVICES

By Carolina Saenz

Finding resilience through faith and creativity during unthinkable times call for unthinkable measures. As The Paris Independent continues its quest to explore the effects of Covid on local businesses and organizations, The Independent turns its attention to local churches.

Located in different areas of the city and showcasing a variety of methodologies, these churches serve as an example of resilience in the Paris community. Regardless of Covid restrictions, regulations, and even lockdowns it is safe to say these churches are thriving.

Sojourn Church

Located on Scott Avenue in the north of Paris, Sojourn Church is inspiring. Looking beyond the inconveniences Covid has caused, Lead Pastor Jay Grimes explains how his church has adapted. Although it has not been an easy process, the Sojourn community has stepped up to the challenges faced. “As followers of Jesus we are servants. We serve Him by serving others. And so, within every crisis throughout history the church has always been running to the fire rather than away from the fire”, says Grimes. By staying active within the community even beyond the physical building of the church, Sojourn members volunteered and served those in need. Some of the major adjustments included having to move towards an online approach by prerecording the service and eventually offering live streaming. And while Grimes does not see a future where the church is solely online, he admits that online streaming is here to stay. It makes service accessible to those who cannot physically come to church, and it also allows for the church to have an online presence. It will never replace being able to gather and meet in person, but it certainly makes one rethink what we have taken for granted. Another innovation at the church moving the service from the auditorium to the gym. By setting up a worship space at the gym, the church is now able to safely accommodate 150 people as opposed to only 50 to 60. Grimes emphasizes the importance of being compliant and adhering to regulations,

Sojourn Church Pastor Jay Grimes

while also admitting these were not always straightforward. The lack of clarity from the government was the most inconvenient part of this process but through patience and perseverance, Sojourn remains strong. In fact, Grimes notes an increase in members and credits this in part to Covid. Inspiring people to find something bigger than themselves, in their search for Jesus and to get their questions answered, many new faces have found Sojourn. And as a welcoming community, Grimes has just this message to share: “We’re open. We’d love for people to come. ”

CHURCH COMMUNITY BONDS STRENGTHEN

Continued from Page 16

Cedarview Church

Moving on to the Rest Acres Road area of town, Cedarview Church is located right on Cedar Street. Boasting impressive and immaculately maintained facilities, Cedarview is as welcoming as it is creative. Lead Pastor Wendy Payne is undoubtedly proud of the church. She explains that adjusting to Covid times was a bit of a struggle but by thinking outside of the box, Cedarview has adapted well.

Similar to other churches in the community, Cedarview moved towards an online approach during lockdown. And what started as a live stream directly from Payne’s cellphone, has turned into a much more organized and professional production. With the loving help of volunteers and a creative eye to stay within budget, Cedarview managed to bring the church to home. This has become especially important for seniors and other members of the community who are still not ready to come back to the building.

“They can have church at home and still feel connected,” says Payne. So online streaming, once again, is here to stay. Having chairs instead of traditional pews has also been an advantage, as it has allowed the church to safely distance people. Moreover, by rewiring the church’s sound system and setting up televisions in overflow rooms, Cedarview has been able to accommodate its congregation. Finding ways to be together while still complying with regulations, has required lots of creativity.

“Air high-fives” have become the new norm, replacing handshakes, and adding humour along the way. But more importantly, allowing members to still bond and experience human connections. “We’ve become more intentional on checking in on people”, says Payne. Due to Covid, the church has become more conscious of one another. If a member has not heard from or seen someone, they reach out. “We’ve been separated but I can see it bringing us closer together because we are more aware of the loneliness that can happen through Covid,” Payne further explains. Reaching out to the Paris community has also been a priority. With events such as last year’s Halloween scavenger hunt, which was a fully outdoor drive-through event, as well as running a food bank and partnering with local businesses to provide gift cards to bless teachers, staff at healthcare centres and fire halls, Cedarview strives to deliver a message of love and support to the community. “We are a welcoming church. I am mama bear proud of my congregation. When people come, we are welcoming. No matter who you are, no matter what your demographic is, you are welcome here,” says Payne.

Cedarview Church Lead Pastor Wendy Payne says Covid has strengthened the human connection.

Continued on Page 18

St. James Anglican Church

Moving to another area of Paris, on Burwell Street, historically stunning church is found. The St. James Anglican Church exhibits an exquisite display of architecture, true to Paris. Over 185 years old, the church building has been wellmaintained, and an addition carefully added, maintaining the beautiful cobblestone so important to Paris’ history. Father Jason Postma explains that St. James continues to adapt and anticipate the changes Covid brings. Managing directions from the province, the health unit, and The Bishop has not been an easy task. “The hardest change for us as a church was the fellowship aspect. We have weekly meals on Sundays so after service we all have lunch together. There are programs during the week that involve food and we’ve had to stop all that since March of 2020 and that’s probably been the hardest thing for us to deal with. The elimination of having food together. We are still waiting for that day”, says Father Postma. Covid has changed the weekly schedule of lifelong parishioners, making it impossible to share bread and limiting human connections. Father Postma explains that “[t]he biggest need has been the need to be together. ” And not being able to do so physically, has been challenging and has increased anxiety and depression in the community, especially for the most vulnerable. People need bonds of affection; they want to be with each other. St. James has adjusted to offering services online, and while it was difficult at the beginning, the church has figured that a smart phone is the simplest and best thing for their purposes as a small church. Not wanting to rely on simply having an online presence, Father Postma is skeptical of the idea of a digital church in the Anglican tradition. When asked if St. James will continue providing an online presence, Father Postma says “[i]t will continue but it cannot replace, because I do not think that the idea of a digital church makes any sense. ” He emphasizes the importance of gathering to worship, in bodies, and receiving the Eucharist. While St. James continues to offer daily prayers online, Sunday service is now exclusively offered in-person. Going from very busy church running activities everyday of the week to being an empty building and now slowly opening back up, has been a process. It involves finding a balance between regulations and managing parishioners’ expectations. Some people finding the church is doing too much, others feeling it is not doing enough. Father Postma explains that finding that balance is key as an Anglican church, not wanting to be in the extremes. Some of the programs ran at St. James include an emergency food bank, two growing 12- stepprogram groups, and the Boy Scouts program. Father Postma says Covid has increased the needs in the community but has also seen a lot of support from community members. And not surprisingly, St. James has also welcomed new faces. Father Postma explains that “Covid has exposed the longing or the need for human communication. I think it’s raised big questions about life after death, so death is now very clear. People are dying of Covid and that is causing people to reflect on their own mortality. So, they are coming to church hoping to get those questions answered. ” St. James’ message to the Paris community is that of peace and welcome. “You come in and you feel welcome, whatever baggage or struggles you bring you don’t have to feel conscious about that. We are a safe place, a hospital for sinners. We are a place of welcome and a place of belonging and healing”, concludes Father Postma.

Continued on Page 19

The Presbyterian Church

As a last stop, The Independent interviewed Pastor Joel Sherbino of Presbyterian Church. Located close to downtown right on Grand River Street North, Paris Presbyterian is a treat in the heart of Paris. Currently under restoration, as the 128-year-old building is brought back to life, the church has taken Covid challenges and transformed them into positive action. While Covid has slowed down the restoration of the outside of the building, it provided the perfect opportunity to renovate the sanctuary. Not having to worry about relocating the congregation, as it was already operating online, Paris Presbyterian renovated the sanctuary in August of 2020. “It has been amazing to see through our renovations how we’ve been able to open it up to other usages within the community”, says Sherbino. Setting up a whole new stage by adding a platform and professionally redoing lights and sound, the church is now accessible for concerts, theatre groups and community groups. They are now hosts of DT Concert Series and Playful Fox Productions. And with a capacity of 500 people, the possibilities are endless. When reflecting on the impact Covid has had on the church, Sherbino says “[i]t’s really put us in a place where we can think through how we want our building to be used more and more by the community. ” And while Covid has delayed restorations due to a lack of supplies, Sherbino hopes that the outside restoration will be completed early in the new year. For now, the church focuses on building a sense of community and continues running valuable programs such as The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise, two annual food drives, a backpack school supply program, and more. In terms of building an online presence, Paris Presbyterian has gone full force. Hiring staff and investing in equipment to run an online ministry, all the services provided in person are also available online. “I would say now we have a hybrid ministry, both in person and online”, says Sherbino. The online service takes a different approach. It is a whole production pre-recorded in relatable environments such as living rooms, kitchens, and patios, making it more conversational and appealing to viewers. As Sherbino puts it, “It is the same message but delivered differently. ” And people are responding well to this approach. “More people watch online not during Sunday morning. So, we upload it for Sunday, but the majority of people watch it later in the day or even later on in the week. So, it is a great way to connect with people at different times,” says Sherbino. Not only reserved for those who cannot physically come to church due to health reasons, going online has increased the number of people engaging with the church. By making online service accessible to seniors, young families with kids, people involved in Sunday sports and events, the church is busier than ever before. “It’s actually made it easier for people to invite people to come because it’s ‘here’s a link, will you join us?’” explains Sherbino. Serving about 220 households pre-Covid, that number has certainly increased. Like other churches, Paris Presbyterian has welcomed newcomers. “We’ve been very intentional of what we’re speaking about, and people are asking the questions, so we can jump right in,” says Sherbino. So, with growing ministries, Paris Presbyterian continues to focus on the positive. “We’re #ForParis and as a church we want to be for you. We want to be a part of the community. And one of the things that Covid has taught us is the importance of being in this together and I would say our church is a place where you can come, and you can belong. We talk about life and faith and hope in the midst of how it all plays out day to day,” concludes Sherbino.

Paris Presbyterian Pastor Joel Sherbino