Churches are approaching Holy Week this year, not expecting huge crowds, but figuring out how they may commune at all.
It begins April 5, Palm Sunday, a feast day in the Christian religion marking Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Usually, congregations pass out palm fronds, such as those scattered before Jesus as he rode into the city. It marks the beginning of Holy Week, leading to Easter and the ending of Lent.
It’s traditionally a time when churches would be filled with people. Local church leaders said this year, they’ve been forced to approach the holiday differently.
Easter is at its heart about sacrifice, said the Rev. Traceymay Kalvaitis of the Dublin Community Church.
“I feel we’re being called to sacrifice how we’re used to experiencing community, and to do without that for now,” Kalvaitis said. “It’s strangely ironic that this is happening in this time of Lent, when there’s a tradition of contemplation and change, when people often give up something, or add something to their lives that’s hard. The six weeks leading up to Easter is supposed to be a challenging time, and a time to make a change that will lead to growth in some way.”
For the last several weeks at her church, she said, her congregation has sacrificed that community gathering. Their church did not move to virtual services, as have others in the area, but Kalvaitis provides an audio recording of her sermon, and the church members have been encouraged to reach outside of the church for ways to help.
“For over 1,000 years, the church has been instrumental in times like this,” Kalvaitis said.
So, for now, “church” at Dublin Community Church is collecting food for ConVal High School’s End 68 Hours of Hunger program, volunteering for food delivery and errands for people who are self-quarantining, and being represented on the town’s emergency response team.
Kalvaitis said she some of the traditions will still be observed during Holy Week. This Saturday and Sunday, the church plans to put out a vase of palm fronds for members to take, and Kavaitis and other church leaders across the state plan to record a series of round-table discussions about the Easter canon, which they will provide to their congregations.
Pastor Bob Hakala, of Christian Outreach Church, said the church is livestreaming for the first time, and reaching a wider audience than ever. He said the church will be providing a service that way, but a lot of the traditions that go with it, including Easter breakfast, will be dearly missed.
“It’s a very strange time. In my 73 years of lifetime, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Hakala said. “We’re going to have to do it in a different way this year. We have to be separate, and that’s very difficult. People are missing the intimacy of fellowship. We have to do what we’re doing. We just have to. The mitigation process works, as difficult as it is on all of us.”
The church planned to have a special guest minister on Easter, Hakala said, who would have had to travel to attend, and that had to be canceled. And he said many people who would have met together as families likely won’t be able to.
“It’s a sad time for families,” Hakala said. “That’s probably the most difficult part of the whole things going on right now.”
The Rev. Veronica Don of the Mason Congregational Church said the church has not been meeting in person or virtually for the past few weeks, and has been using email to communicate weekly messages. The church is trying to arrange a virtual service for its Easter Sunday celebrations, however.
“I hate to say ‘It is what it is,’ but this is what we have to face right now, and we can do it with God and with grace,” Don said. “Most of my congregation is over 60, and they’re not coming out, as they shouldn’t.”
But Don said their life experience is a boon in these unconventional times.
“You have a congregation that’s lived, some of them, through World War II, the Vietnam and Korean War, or were born during the depression. These are people with a lot of experience, and they’re adaptable,” Don said.
The following churches plan a virtual or taped service on Easter Sunday:
Mountain View Bible Church, Dublin:
Hope Fellowship Church, Jaffrey: Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, 10:30 a.m.; Facebook and Vimeo: Hope Fellowship Church Jaffrey; website: hfcnh.org
Jaffrey Bible Church: Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, 10:30 a.m.; jaffreybiblechurch.org
Christian Outreach Church, Rindge:
First Church in Jaffrey: Weekly firstchurchinjaffrey.org
United Church of Jaffrey:
Advent Lutheran Church, Rindge: Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, weekly worship, 10 a.m.; Facebook:AdventRindge; website: adventlutheranchurch.org
Jaffrey Presbyterian Church:
Peterborough United Methodist Church:
Next Level Church, Peterborough:
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Peterborough: facebook.com/goodshepherdlcmsnh
Mason Congregational Church: