Attending Church Remotely

LD Browning

Prior to the COVID situation, I’d been sitting in church, spiritually dying, for the last two years.  November 2019, I left for vacation, and spent 21 hours on a plane. I had plenty of time to think and talk quietly with God.​

I returned home two weeks later, in December. That’s when God began to shake my world.

In early Spring 2020, I wrote my pastor, thanking him for the opportunity to serve in the congregation and community where I live. I also let him know God was taking me in a new direction and I’d not be attending the church there any longer. 

Fast forward to the present...

I’m attending a new (to me) church remotely. 

If you’d asked me four months ago if I’d consider attending a church remotely, I’d have thought it to be a crazy question that made no sense.  Why would I watch a church service from home when I could jump in my car and be present? 

Unfortunately, COVID-19 shelter-in-place rules moved most believers out of the church pews and into their homes. For me, it was different.

One morning, during everything being shut down, I was talking with my cousin Angelia, We’re of the same faith and I was explaining my dilemma of needing a church family. She knew I’d resigned my membership from the one I’d attended for several years, and the ensuing weeks without the fellowship of a church family was wearing on me.

During that conversation, moving on her suggestion, I asked her to talk to Pastor Kerry and Kathy Davis (his wife) of The Apostolic Church of Evansville (TACE), to find out if they would consider remotely pastoring me, and allow me to attend services remotely as well. I live four-hours away, in a neighboring state. I could be in service physically every few weeks, but not weekly services.

Now I participate in corporate worship, prayer meetings, and Bible studies, all remotely, via Facebook Live, WhatsApp or Zoom. The church is still developing their live-service feed to the social networks, and sometimes there are temporary hiccups in the process. When that happens, my new church family patches me in with a mobile phone to connect me with a video-call, usually via WhatsApp messenger platform.
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Here are a few aspects of how I participate in remote services from my living room... 

• I get dressed, maybe not necessarily in my Sunday Best, but definitely not in my pajamas.
• I also pay my tithes and offerings online, via PayPal.
• When the church is taking prayer requests, I text mine in, usually to someone physically present in the service.
• During the worship aspect of the service, I worship alone in my living room, although I’m still connected with others worshipping in the church sanctuary. It’s great! I can sing and not worry about anyone hearing me. This works well since I’m not blessed with the talent of singing!
• Throughout the service I’m able to leave comments in the live-feed. 
• When it’s time for preaching, I follow along in my bible, and take notes, same as I do when I’m there, in person. 
• Our pastor sends me emailed copies of our church bulletin and I can also find out news via our church website.

Thursday evenings are devoted to group prayer meetings, at the church. I participate in most of these remotely as well. A ShoutOut here for my wonderful friend, Ashley, who usually patches me in via her mobile phone.  We use WhatsApp video-chat so everyone can see me and I can see them. It works great and sincerely, the presence of God flows from the sanctuary right into my living room. We’re hours apart, yet praying together and our great God fills the gap between us!

Other ways that I’m actively involved are...

• I help in maintaining our church’s social media content.
• I also serve in OutReach ministry, keeping in touch with and encouraging those who are having to be absent from services due to illness or other reasons.   
• Every 4 or 5 weeks I take a long weekend, and make the four-hour drive to be in service physically. I try to plan those trips around church activities.   

My TACE church-family has been wonderful in welcoming me, and finding ways to enhance and enrich my remote-attendance sessions. 

The Davis family has amazed me at their consistent efforts to keep in touch with me through the week. During services, Pastor Davis nearly always inquires about my parents, who are elderly, with health challenges.

If you are looking for a church that is not made up of perfect people, and a Pastor who preaches it, right outta the  Bible, TACE is that church! I hope you’ll consider visiting our website and Facebook page to get acquainted with us, if you aren’t already. Better yet, please visit during a service! We’d love to get acquainted with you, too!

Thank you for your visit and hope you’ll come again!

​Denise​