As Christmas fast approaches, local parishes have strategically planned their on-location services with respect to the COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.

Sacred Heart Church in Palmerton, as are most local places of worship, is encouraging parishioners to call ahead to reserve seating.

The Rev. William Campion said that normal Christmas Mass attendance exceeds 400 people, but this year, only 160 will be allowed at each of the three scheduled liturgies.

“The bishop has approved of an additional 2 p.m. service, added to the 5 p.m. and the 10 p.m. We need time between to sanitize the pews, the doorknobs and the bathrooms.”

COVID-19 restrictions require that attendees wear masks. Greeters will provide them if necessary. Families may sit together, but social distancing is required in between.

Last March, the Catholic Church hierarchy lifted the weekly requirement for attending Masses.

“Of course, we would love to see everyone come,” Campion said, “but we understand and support those who feel it may involve risks they do not want to take.”

At Sacred Heart, parishioners should call 610-826-2335 to reserve seatings.

The United Methodist Church in Effort will be holding four services for Christmas Eve at 4, 6, 8 and 11 p.m. Seating is limited so parishioners should call ahead to make reservations.

Perhaps one of the more creative programs in the area is their 6 p.m. service.

“This service will be outside because we expect a larger number of families who will attend,” said UMC Education Director Brenda Mitchell. “We will have our children’s pageant at this time and after the service concludes, families can place decorations on our Christmas tree.”

Mitchell said all CDC guidelines with masks and social distancing will apply. There will be prerecorded music to accompany the liturgy. Attendees will be asked to hum along and not sing. Care will be taken to have no one pass each other during the entire half-hour the program is expected to take.

“At the conclusion of the service and tree lighting, everyone will be asked to immediately return to their vehicles,” said Mitchell.

St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ in Kunkletown will be holding four services with an array of Christmas festivities. The 7 p.m. service will be a “Country Christmas Eve” with live music provided by Randy Cramer and his family band.

The Rev. Suzanne Brooks-Cope explained the challenge of organizing all the services within the CDC guidelines and restrictions.

“We actually measured off the sanctuary, and at 6 feet apart, we can have 57 people present. With church officials, the number of parishioners attending is 50 people,” Brooks-Cope said.

Another feature of keeping people from getting too close to one another is prepackaged communion that will be handed out to everyone as they enter the sanctuary. This would avoid the customary offering of the bread and wine directly by a church official.

Brooks-Cope encouraged those attending to bring their own communion from home.

“The packaged communion really doesn’t taste very well,” she said. “They can bring a small piece of a roll and a little wine if they’d like.”

In case of an overflow of people attending, St. Matthew’s is prepared to offer livestreaming at designated areas for the 7 and 10 p.m. services.

Other churches have listed their Christmas services guidelines and times on their websites. Reservations are required to attend at Calvary Evangelical Methodist Church in Lewistown Valley, St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley in Summit Hill, St. John XXIII in Tamaqua, McMichaels UMC in Saylorsburg, and Zion Lutheran in Brodheadsville.

Trinity Lutheran in Lehighton is joining St. John’s on Mahoning Drive for a live Nativity worship that will include animals, hot cocoa, bonfires and Christmas caroling. RSVP before 4 p.m. on Dec. 21.

Campion echoes the sentiment of all the churches’ leaders in regard to those who choose to stay home and not attend services, but adds that one’s fear always challenges one’s faith.

“Faith should always be stronger than fear,” he said.

This Christmas is certainly a test of faith with unprecedented health and safety issues caused by COVID-19.