Adapting to Social Distancing in the CoronaVirus/Covid19 Pandemic

As the Coronavirus began to spread around the world early in 2020, the House of the Lord already had it in their sight. Early on, Church leaders from across the country were keeping tabs on the virus, as were the congregants. As the pandemic spread to the United States and then to Ohio, the Church began to prepare. 

In the early weeks of March 2020, OHOLF took note of the growing proximity and threat of the crisis. They immediately began taking precautionary measures, providing tissues and hand sanitizer for every row of seats in their new Pleasant Street location. In addition, they began posting personal hygiene advice in convenient locations in an effort to encourage a safe environment in the Church itself. However, it quickly became clear that more extreme measures would have to be taken when on the second Sunday in March only 10 people attended Sunday Worship. At the time, the Church was only providing in-person Services and had not yet begun the transition to digital Services. 

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Church quickly devised a plan to move Services to Zoom, where the congregation could continue worshiping together in a socially distant manner. By the third Sunday of March, OHOLF had gone completely digital. The first Zoom Service naturally had its challenges, so took some troubleshooting and a bit of patience from the congregation, as is always the case when abruptly introducing so many people to a new technology. Despite the learning curve and the occasional bump in the road, the Church has quickly adapted to the technology and began to settle into their new digital Services. 

Soon, members and affiliates of the House of the Lord Fellowship from all over the country and world began tuning in to 11:30 AM Services with the Oberlin Church. After it became clear that physical Services would be impossible and dangerous, the congregation from Augusta, Georgia ultimately decided to join the Oberlin branch for worship. On regular Sundays, other members from all over the country have joined, including members of other congregations as well as people who have moved away that were previously disconnected from the Church. In addition, all of the branches of the Church also decided to come together on Resurrection Sunday (Easter) for a collective Service. After this proved successful, the Church has planned to also celebrate the Pentecost together on May 31, 2020. Overall, the Church has seen a significant increase in the number of people attending Sunday Worship as a result of the current pandemic and the accessibility of digital platforms. 

The Oberlin Church and the House of the Lord at large have also emphasized developing relationships and involvement with the Church through gatherings and other preexisting programs that have been adapted to function online. Outside of Sunday Services the Church has hosted online versions of Bible Study, Monday Noon Prayer, Health Meetings, 20 Somethings and Date Night, to name a few. These opportunities to connect have been enthusiastically embraced and enjoyed by a congregation seeking community in a time of disconnect.

Although online Worship has been very successful overall, everyone deeply misses physically going to Church. No matter how well the Church adapts to Zoom, many feel that the true power of attending Church can only be fully experienced in person. However, people have also found that going to Church online has been somewhat of a blessing in disguise. Despite being physically further apart than ever, people are able to see and speak with distant members of the greater House of the Lord Fellowship that they haven’t seen for years, or even decades. Connecting online to this extent has in some ways been an opportunity that the congregation never expected or conceived of before, and one that many hope will continue to be a part of the House of the Lord’s future once the congregation is able to safely return to 125 South Pleasant Street. Until then, they will continue to meet online and help each other to stay healthy.