Area churches cope with historic Easter under stay-at-home order

Published 8:30 am Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Churches in East Texas experienced a historic Easter Sunday.

One thing you normally don’t see during a church service is the use of cellphones. However on Sunday, that was one of the safest ways to social distance, as congregations texted the hymns and even links to the scripture in the Bible.

Some people printed them out. The younger generation is coming up with a new BYOB, “Bring Your Own Bible.” One college student said her grandmother used her own Bible but she always grabbed one from the pew. Now, she is using a Bible she received as a child and is using it to stay safe and take notes in it.

With a stay-at-home order in place, many services were held virtually by way of Facebook live or other streaming services. Worship bands and choirs were trimmed down to only a handful of social distanced musicians.

As a major thunderstorm rolled into the area early Sunday morning, several planned parking lot and drive-thru style church services were cancelled or postponed. Green Acres Baptist Church, which normally sees 8,000 people attend their four Easter services moved to an online-only single service for the first time. Their sanctuary in Tyler fits 3,000 people.

“This is the most unique Easter in our history,” said Green Acres pastor David O. Dykes.

The parking lot service at Liberty Missionary Baptist Church in Tyler went on as planned at 11:30 a.m. after the flood and tornado warnings had passed.

A single mime ministry dancer performed to the song “I Won’t Complain” for the congregation which sat in their cars, stood in the parking lot or sat on a few folding chairs spaced six feet apart.

Rev. Dr. Mark D. Hood, Sr. highlighted the resurrection weekend events and contextualized them with the events of today living in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The health agency says ‘wash your hands,’” Hood said, “I come to tell you what He said — extend it. Thank God He told us what to do with our hands. He gave us the hand of salvation…This is the time to walk with Him in this pandemic.”

At New Life Worship Center in Tyler, pastor Rudy Bond, his wife CJ and church staff members handed out devotionals, candy, prayer cloths and even communion to-go at a drive-thru style event in their parking lot.

“I think people are hungry again, and they can’t wait to get out and back to church,” Pastor Bond said.

In other areas around Tyler, worship services took place in neighborhoods with people standing in the road, lawns and driveways to keep social distance.

There was music and scripture reading.

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