Church provides guidance to those who are seeking, traditionally from within a building that has been specially enhanced with murals, statues, candles and other spiritual representations. But when the ever-changing present demands constant readjustment, once-normal routines are left behind and new routines must be created. In other words: who’s ready for online church?

Local Pastor Jeremy Benack of Grace Community Church of Lansford was ahead of the curve when he began to livestream services from Facebook in 2018.

“(My wife and I) knew that sometimes people are sick or are away, so we decided to start recording our services,” Benack said of his decision. “The videos save to Facebook so people can still watch it and be a part of it.”

The church decided that before the COVID-19 outbreak got any worse they were going to fully switch to holding services through the online platform. The decision was made, he said, to be respectful to the community as he’s aware that some locals have pre-existing health conditions, and he didn’t want to take a chance on their health.

Many local churches came to the same conclusion and began to hold online services, even if they’d never streamed before.

Father Christopher M. Zelonis of SS. Peter & Paul in Lehighton began livestreaming and recording for the first time directly after the church received the directive from the diocese to halt interpersonal Masses. Zelonis felt there was still a desire among his congregation to remain connected, so he took to Facebook and YouTube.

Benack may have had prior experience, but Zelonis, like others in the area, felt he had to learn how to adjust.

“I miss having people together … and of course, it’s been a little discouraging,” he said. “But I’ve always been interested in social media and using it to reach out.”

Zelonis hopes that once life returns to normal, people use the communication skills they learned during this time. He also hopes the experience can instill a greater appreciation for the power of togetherness and community.

Faith Alive Church in Palmerton also had never livestreamed prior to COVID-19 and found it challenging to keep distance between each other while they recorded songs and services.

According to Pam Snyder, leader of their praise band Sounds of Faith, despite their difficulties, they remain committed to providing encouragement during the trying times.

Zion UCC of Lehighton is another church that has been proactive in keeping their congregation together during the pandemic.

The Rev. Dr. Dean D. Frey continues to use his well-known puppets to deliver his message, as the church is committed to provide the same quality of service online that their congregation would receive in person.

Cathy Eckman, Consistory President of Zion UCC, helps by recording Frey for his Facebook Live posts. Eckman and Brad Cressley, their musical ministry director, also record posts together to share with the public.

“Many of us view the liturgical music as a vital part of our services and, in an attempt to nourish that need with many, we have been creating Facebook videos of organ music from our grand Austin organ as well as some vocal duet music,” Cressley said about their virtual posts to Facebook.

To contact members who are not as technologically savvy, many of the pastors are making house calls including Zelonis and the Rev. Kevin Roberts, lead pastor for Bethany EC Church in Tamaqua.

In addition to posting on Sunday, many churches are posting daily tips and reminders.

Benack recently recorded a video with his wife, Victoria Benack, who is a social worker. While Pastor Benack gave spiritual tips, his wife gave mental health tips during the video which can be found on their Facebook page.

Assistant Pastor to Bethany EC, the Rev. Joshua Nemeth holds a Facebook livestream every Friday at 3 p.m. called “Here and Now” to offer encouragement to members. The church is holding many livestreams that include worship songs and reflections, and the dates are posted to their Facebook page.

Bethany EC has also led meetings and worships using the increasingly popular app and website called Zoom.

In addition to reaching out to members by phone, Zion UCC is trying to get their messages onto DVD as an additional option. The church will also be broadcasting live for Easter at 11:30 a.m. on the radio stations WBYN 1160 AM, WEEU 830 AM, and WLSH 1410 AM. There are apps available for smartphones to tune in to the radio stations as well.

For information on any upcoming events or how to support the churches from home, check out the Facebook pages for any of the churches listed, visit their website for more information or contact the church’s staff directly by phone.