South Jersey Magazine - Moorestown / Mt. Laurel

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SJM_Feature_Learning_to_Adapt_0720_FINAL_Pages 7 / 15 / 20 9 : 56 AM Page 10 Places of worship are also finding ways RELYING ON FAITH to keep connected to their members in In this time of social distancing , local religious communities addition to streaming weekly services , are finding unique ways to strengthen their spiritual bond . from calling frequently to make sure they BY JULIE SHANNON aren’t feeling socially isolated , holding virtual Bible study and other group dis - cussions as well as increasing social media OFTEN , IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY AND ANXIETY , PEOPLE TURN TOWARD THEIR FAITH presence by posting uplifting videos Whether it be attending services with fellow members or speaking FOR GUIDANCE . throughout the week . directly with a religious leader , both bring a sense of comfort to many in our area . But “ In some ways this has helped since houses of worship have been shuttered due to the pandemic , members of various strengthen my faith because before that , local religious communities have scrambled to find ways to stay connected when they it was just connecting with my church need it most . every Sunday , ” Baer says . In - person services became virtual services online ; Bible studies and other weekly get - togethers took place on Zoom . Despite the challenge of taking something that is Transitioning very communal and adapting it in this time of social distancing , spiritual groups across Starting a new job in the middle of a pan - South Jersey have used these past few months to strengthen their bonds and deepen demic , especially in a place of worship , their beliefs . may seem daunting to some . But for Nikki Passante , who came onboard as associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church Had - donfield on April 1 , “ it made perfect sense . ” that didn’t , religious leaders suddenly had Monsignor Louis Marucci at St . “ God has dealt with me in a funny to become tech geniuses . Andrew the Apostle Church in Gibbsboro way , ” she says . “ I’ve always come into “ How to make virtual services work in understandably had a few concerns right job situations where something is going three days was a stressor , ” says Ben Mad - away , and the first thing his staff addressed on . This is only my third church and each dison , rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal was to make sure the church remained time the church has been in a major tran - Church in Wenonah . “ I am deeply thankful connected to its parishioners . He tasked sition . So the fact that [ former pastor ] I am one of the few millennial , digital the entire parish staff , while they worked Bill Getman was already leaving prepared native clergy in the diocese . The fact that I from home , to develop ways they can me for the pandemic . I was fortunate knew how to use Facebook Live and work provide ongoing connection to the parish - that when I came on , our church was Zoom ; all of that made it much easier . ” ioners , particularly through the use of already livestreaming services . I didn’t “ We hadn’t done virtual services prior technology . have to do what a lot of other ministers to all of this , but I think a lot of us found “ Since we cannot determine what the had to do , which was learn technology . great meaning and comfort in [ them ] , ‘ new norm ’ might be , I have required the Instead of being a pastor , even if they felt different , ” David adds . staff to establish a two - fold method for some have to “ It fills the need , ” says Brian Sattinger , ongoing ministry , ” he says . “ The first that be a producer . ” member and past president of Adath plans with people physically present , yet Emanu - El . “ It’s not the same as being able incorporates the safety requirements to to protect staff and parishioners ; the second see them but it definitely fills a gap . It’s to develop ministry plans using technology nice to see everybody can participate and as we continue to find ways to maintain we can all be connected that way . ” regular connection to the congregation . ” And the high numbers of those attend - Rabbi Benjamin David of Adath ing these online services have spiked . In Emanu - The blessings of January , St . Andrew’s had 854 online view - El in Mount Laurel wanted to make sure virtual worship , ers compared to the more than 15,000 it that he still provided a comforting place if there are any , saw in March . for his vulnerable population . “ The blessings of virtual worship , if “ For me , especially going to a pastoral is that we have there are any , is that we have seen a sig - place with regard to reaching out to seen a significant nificant increase in attendance , ” Maddison our more vulnerable population and those says . “ The more folks I talk to . . . they really that are elderly , responding to widespread increase in feel they are being connected when they fear and anxiety and having the synagogue attendance . ” are disconnected physically . Those are be a place of comfort and reassurance in BEN MADDISON , RECTOR OF great things . ” a time that felt incredibly unnerving and HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL Matthew Baer , a member of Fellowship uncertain was important , ” says David . “ In CHURCH IN WENONAH Alliance Chapel in Medford , says he always some ways , everything changed overnight , had been a faithful person , but after he but I think our tradition and heritage has was furloughed from his job , he relied always prepared us for this kind of moment That doesn’t mean performing services heavily on the church . in that part of what it means to be part of hasn’t come with its challenges . “ The first “ I a community of faith is to respond to few Sundays I did not mind preaching to was pretty scared and wasn’t sure those in need and be there for those who an empty sanctuary , I just pretended the what [ was ] going to happen , ” he recalls . are unsure , and that’s what we did . ” entire congregation was in the camera “ I told myself I need to get back stronger lens . But as the weeks progressed it’s gotten in my faith and work through things hard and exhausting because the sermon that way and I feel like I’m in a better Going Virtual is more than a lecture , ” Passante says . spot spiritually than I was before the While some places of worship already It was taking a toll on Maddison as pandemic . ” offered livestreaming services , for those SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 4 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 52 |

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SJM_Feature_Learning_to_Adapt_0720_FINAL_Pages 7 / 15 / 20 9 : 30 AM Page 11 LEARNING TO he says . “ I am only seeing small numbers well , and he became exhausted mentally in comparison to previous attendance . and emotionally . We get anywhere between 40 - 90 people “ I can’t take [ Holy ] Communion to at any scheduled Mass . I believe people But not every place of worship is ready anyone , I can’t visit anyone in the hospital , are waiting to see if there will be another to open their doors , even with limited the only thing I can do is check in and see spike and are simply protecting their fam - capacity . Adath Emanu - El has no plans to how people are doing . That was heavy , ” ilies , which I believe is the appropriate open for the foreseeable future . he says . “ I can’t tell you the number of thing to do at this time . ” “ Our feeling from the beginning has times I would come home from livestream - ing the service and cry because this is not how I want to do church . All of this is way more difficult than it looks . ” Abigail Walsh was also in transition with jobs within the past month . She was the music director at St . Joachim Parish in Bellmawr until the end of June before becoming the pastoral assistant at St . Andrew’s July 1 . Not being able to say goodbye in a “ normal ” way made it very strenuous for the Voorhees resident . “ [ When the announcement was made ] I would be leaving , it was hard to see people’s reaction , ” Walsh recalls . “ We couldn’t give hugs or hold hands and I think that made it more emotional and more difficult . It didn’t feel like a finalized goodbye . As humans , we’re so used to that interaction especially within church communities . ” Similar to St . Joachim , parishioners been , just because we can , doesn’t mean Reconnecting must wear a mask , they are screened for a we should , ” David says . “ Even if we’re Since Gov . Phil Murphy lifted restrictions fever prior to entering the church , must allowed to have a small number in the on indoor gatherings in the middle of use hand sanitizer when entering and sanctuary at this time , we only want to do June , places of worship are allowed to exiting , pick up their own bulletin and that when we feel really confident it’s have up to 100 people or 25 percent of the follow diagrams to sit in special designated appropriate . We will aim to do a few socially capacity — whichever number is lower . areas divided for families , couples and distant outdoor services this summer with Walsh went to service the first week individuals . everyone wearing masks with the hope St . Joachim reopened with excitement , Fellowship Alliance Chapel reopened we can at least feel each other and feel the thinking it would be exactly what it was for outdoor services mid - June in their park - presence of the community . ” like pre - quarantine . ing lot and Baer has been going to service First Presbyterian Church Haddonfield “ In actuality , upon arriving , not many just about every week . Everyone has a similar frame of people came and I felt like my bubble mind and is acting has to burst a bit , ” she recalls . in the best interest of its members , espe - “ In my mind I bring their own chair , members are asked cially the elderly and children , and does was expecting a homecoming and it wasn’t to wear masks and socially distance as not plan to gradually open anytime soon . quite like that . Being at Mass post - quar - much as possible . As of a few weeks ago , “ We’re not going to return to worship antine is strange because everyone has Baer estimated there were a few hundred until everyone can , ” Passante says . “ We’re to wear masks , and as a singer at the people attending the outdoor service . not doing a phase one reopening where Mass , you’re looking out and can’t see “ The second week they had cones only a certain number of families can be expressions . every 8 to 10 feet apart marking where in the congregation . We’re planning on “ There’s hand sanitizer when you walk people should be and made announce - not being in the sanctuary for another in and signs that say mandatory masked ments asking people to be respectful of year . It will most likely be next June before zone . Pews are marked where you are personal space , ” he says . “ They have done we worship together . allowed to sit and not sit ; there are sections a good job at making everyone feel com - “ I’d love to get people’s focus from let’s for families , couples and single people to fortable . ” go back to normal to how can we expand keep everyone socially distant . ” Reopening also comes at a cost , on what’s working really well ? We want to St . Andrew’s opened with a limited between getting access to cleaning sup - be available to people . It’s about making schedule , with three Masses weekly and plies and the high price of making sure things easier to enter into . We’re not a parishioners must register online to assure each building is cleaned to Centers for gatekeeping community , we’re an opening the church is not exceeding the capacity , Disease Control and Prevention standards and welcoming community online and according to Marucci . is burdensome . are open to whoever feels “ Currently , we can hold approximately “ My estimation is it will cost an extra like logging on . 100 people in the church , following physical $ 5,000 to $ 7,000 to get our church as clean When we go back to in - person worship distance guidelines , but we also stream as we need it to be , and that is over and we will have a larger community and we’ll the service into our parish hall where above all the changes to the service we’ve have a much bigger picture of who and made , ” Maddison says . what the church is . ” another 100 parishioners can be seated , ” SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 4 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 53

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