Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - For the first time in two years, many people will congregate at their local place of worship this weekend for the Christmas holiday, despite COVID-19 still being a prevalent threat to the public.
Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to take in their Christmas mass or holiday service from the comfort of their own home. While the amount of people gathering for services this year may not be back to, what's considered, normal, it will bring some semblance of normalcy for many.
"We're being hopeful and prepared, kind of like a Christmas without the pandemic, but we are going to be masked and distanced," said Pastor Fred Kopp from the Trinity One Lutheran Church in Amherst. "We're going to hear all the carols, and the good news that comes at Christmas."
Church leaders are looking forward to getting the community back in attendance this holiday season, but with the pandemic still affecting every day life, extra precaution will be taken for those returning for in-person services.
"There's a lot of preparations going on, not just the decorating and the cleaning, but also the continuation and the re-introduction of a mandate for masks in public places," said Father Paul D. Seil from Our Lady of Perpetual Help. "That kind of waned a little bit over the last several months, but now that it's been placed as an order by the county and the governor, we need to be attentive to that."
While this Christmas will see many people returning to church for services, many churches will continue to offer an online component to services.
"We will have people coming on Zoom, and people coming into the church," Pastor Kopp said. "Last year, we were only on Zoom, so it's kind of hopeful that we have people in the church, of course masked."
Pastor Kopp says for typical worship services at his church, there are probably 20 people on Zoom. However, he thinks more people may opt to participate in this year's Christmas service online.
Unfortunately for some churches, like Our Lady of Perpetual Help, they still do not have the capability of providing service online at this time. However, Father Seil hopes that will be different in the not-so distant future.
Even though none of his three services on Friday and Saturday are available online, Father Seil does not believe that his parish will not get too overcrowded. That will especially be the case for his final two services midnight and 10 a.m. EST on Christmas morning.
For those churches that may not offer an online service for people, Father Seil knows some churches are taking different approaches to try and make their churchgoers comfortable this year.
"Some churches are adding masses to thin out the crowds at each one of them, but I think we're going to be OK," Father Seil said. "Actually the Diocese of Buffalo, the Bishop [Michael William Fisher] allowed this year to have Christmas Eve mass - usually the time for a vigil mass is 4 o'clock or after, but I know a lot of churches have gotten permission to do them beginning at 2 p.m. Christmas Eve afternoon."
Meanwhile for Pastor Kopp, he believes the measures he's taking for his in-person attendees will keep everyone safe and comfortable for an enjoyable service this Christmas.
"Our sanctuaries are big, and we're expecting that it won't be overwhelming with people, because we do have that hybrid Zoom element," Pastor Kopp said. "I think [people] will be six feet apart, we always have hand sanitizer available, people will get their own bulletin, and I think that's about it."
Pastor Kopp says his church will have two separate masses to celebrate Christmas - One on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. EST, and another one Sunday morning following Christmas.
As for Father Seil, he's asking his congregate to wear their masks at his services this Christmas, and if they're feeling ill, he knows God understands it's better to stay home and avoid getting more sick, or getting those around you just as sick.
"We don't want to be any kind of a [super-spreader of COVID-19]," Father Seil said. "I don't think anyone should feel guilty if they opt to stay home or not got to church because of the pandemic. That's a real concern for a number of people. Me and many other clergy people can tell you the sad situations we've seen where something happened, and even vaccinated people have sometimes gotten the virus. There's a lot of variables here, and it seems like we're all trying to pull together."
"Wherever people are, you can always pray. You can always invite Christ into your heart. ... If you think, 'Where can I find Christ in somebody else?' I think it's going to be very simple things with appreciating the simplicity of the direction of families, and to have someone you can reach out to or talk to."
