By JACK FICHTER/Cape May Star and Wave
Seashore Community Church is one of many holding services online.
Churches are closed and the pews are empty, but Sunday services are still being held via live-streaming from many places of worship due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Congregants can view a sermon from their pastor and, in many cases, music from church bands and musicians. Services can be viewed on computers, phones, tablets and Smart TVs.
Pastor Tim West, of Seashore Community Church of the Nazarene in the Erma section of Lower Township, said his church installed the technology needed to live-stream when the pandemic broke out.
“We were headed in that direction. We believe the church has been trending that way for years and we’re kind of on the back end of that trend,” he said. “I think the majority of churches probably do stream online.”
West said live-streaming has become an absolute necessity due to the pandemic. He said the church installed the needed equipment quickly.
Very basic live-stream can be accomplished with a smart phone and a Facebook or Instagram account, West said. He said for the best quality, the church’s audio board needs to be plugged into the live-stream.
“The camera is picking up with its microphone every little noise versus when you’re plugged into the sound board and use a remote camera with a designated computer, everything is hard wired in and there’s no Wi-Fi and the sound is much crisper because it’s going through the channels of the sound board,” West said.
He said with some programs, scripture verses can be placed on the screen along with the image from the sanctuary. Seashore Community Church has been working with an app developer as well, West said.
The service is held but it is being live-steamed from an empty sanctuary, a new experience for pastors and church musicians.
“It does make it a little more challenging but at the same time I try to just envision myself in the living room in the spaces with the church family and just have a conversation with them,” he said. “It’s just that you’re looking into a little camera.”
The first week that the church used live-stream, there were so many users of YouTube their service dropped offline a number of times. Viewers can communicate with the church via Facebook and other apps.
“So while they are sitting in their homes, if they are watching something live in real time, they can also communicate with other people in the church during that time,” West said.
He said he believed the church members were very appreciative of the technology. Some members are gathering together in homes to watch the live-stream and follow it up with lunch.
The church normally serves communion on the first Sunday of the month. The church has prepared sealed bags of wafers and communion cups for church families including some “goodies” for the kids and teenagers and a daily devotional book, West said.
“They will be delivered Sunday morning, so when we go live at 11, the church family that we know, which is a few hundred, will be able to have communion together,” he said.
Those who have to work Sunday, are on vacation or home sick or in the hospital have an opportunity to view the church service, West said. The live-stream webcasts are archived and may be viewed later.
“That’s what we’re hoping to use these platforms for is to just communicate hope, that this, too, shall pass and the Lord is with us and we can trust him,” he said.
Seashore Community Church operates a food pantry that has become busier amid the crisis.
“I’ve seen more people at our food bank than I’ve seen in a long time just today,” West said.
The food bank is open from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday but is available any time for emergencies.
One question pastors are hearing from members is whether the COVID-19 pandemic is part of the time of great tribulation predicted in the Book of Revelations
West said it was more important for persons to identify their relationship with Christ rather than where the world is on the Biblical timeline of events.
The title of West’s sermon for March 29 was “Seeing Remarkable Things.”
Seashore Community Church live-streams at 11 a.m. at sccnaz.com.
The Lighthouse Church of Cape May County live-streams at 10:45 a.m. from its Facebook page.
A number of Catholic masses are available on live-stream from the Diocese of Camden. Visitcamdendiocese.org/live-stream-mass for a list.
First Assembly Cape May live-streams from its Facebook page at 10:45 a.m.
Green Tree Church in Egg Harbor Township live-streams at 10 a.m. at greentree.org/live.
Calvary Chapel Cape May live-streams from its Facebook page at 10 a.m.
Cold Spring Presbyterian Church live-streams from its Facebook page at 10:30 a.m.
Episcopal Church of the Advent Cape May live-streams at 10:30 a.m. from its Facebook page.
United Methodist Church of Cape May live-streams at 10:30 Sunday mornings from its Facebook page.
Revolve Church of North Cape May has a time of corporate prayer over Zoom starting at 9 a.m. at zoom.us/j/405440880.
Coastal Christian Church in Ocean City is live-streaming Sunday gatherings at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Question and Answer Monday at noon, Tuesday midday prayer at noon on Facebook and YouTube and Thursday gathering at 6:30 p.m.
Ocean City Baptist Church live-streams at 9:30 a.m. Sunday from its YouTube page.
New Life Assembly of God in Ocean City livestreams at 10 a.m. Sunday and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at nlanj.com/watch-online.
St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Ocean City live-streams at 9 a.m. on YouTube and Facebook from the website makingwaves.church.
First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City livestreams at 10:30 a.m. Sunday via its Facebook page.