Easter marks first service inside for members of local church since pandemic started
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MOBILE, AL (WALA) — As COVID-19 cases drop and vaccinations ramp up reports show people all across the country are beginning to return to their houses of worship.
After more than a year of YouTube sermons, zoom meetings and outdoor prayer, members of All Saints Episcopal Church will step into the pews to worship together for the first time since the pandemic’s start.
“There’s just no substitute for being in person,” said Reverend Jim Flowers.
Rev. Flowers says they were the first church to shut their doors in Mobile.
“And that was a hard thing to do. I mean we, we’ve got a very vibrant community who love beautiful worship and beautiful music.”
Their last service inside of the church was on March 8, 2020.
13 months later a “substantial” number of people in his congregation have been vaccinated, giving them comfort to worship together again.
For Reverend Flowers and his congregation tomorrow marks a new day as they rejoice in the resurrection side by side.
“The stars aligned that it just happened to fall on Easter Sunday which is our principal feast and it’s a symbol of new life and rebirth, so what an appropriate time to get back together.”
This Pew Research study published last month shows as churches reclaim normalcy, four in 10 Christians plan to attend Easter service in person.
Still faced with the pandemic’s presence, All Saints is restricting the Nave to 25% of it’s capacity, welcoming 75 people at each of their two services tomorrow.
Reverend Flowers says he’s hopeful this will be the start of getting back to normal, hoping to have in person worship for Sundays to come.
Members are asked to sign up online.
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