‘New Standard’ for Charleston Area Churches Involves Hybrid Worship and Community Programs | Characteristics

NORTH CHARLESTON – Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist doesn’t focus on the past.

Instead, Mount Moriah, like many churches, has accepted the reality that the pandemic has likely changed what it means to do church forever, Pastor Byron Benton said.

For Mount Moriah, that means establishing a hybrid cult model that includes a physical presence with a strong online presence.

The church also pioneered the idea of ​​creating its own social media program where parishioners can interact with each other on a similar, but separate, platform from other social media sites, like Facebook.

“We are finding a new normal,” Benton said. “The old will never come back as before. You can’t put new wine in old wineskins.

The ways churches are navigating the pandemic are highlighted in a study recently published by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.

The study, Navigating the Pandemic: A First Look at Congregational Responses, is the first glimpse into how American congregations are weathering the crisis, the institute said.

The data shows that the life of the congregation is far from returning to normal, according to the report.

The study includes 2,074 responses to a survey of 38 Christian faith groups from mid-June to the end of August, and is part of a larger project, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.

Research shows that 80% of churches now offer hybrid services with in-person and remote options, while only 15% worship only in-person.

However, at the height of the pandemic, as people across the country suffered severe isolation, 54% of churches surveyed said they had halted fellowship events entirely, rather than moving them online.

Community service activities, however, have remained a thriving ministry for most churches and have continued to be offered in person. More than 30 percent of congregations have seen the need for food aid, counseling and spiritual requests increase during the pandemic.

Mount Moriah has served hundreds of families through its food distribution efforts in partnership with the Lowcountry Food Bank. The church has also sought to support black-owned restaurants by purchasing restaurant certificates from businesses and giving them to first responders.

These efforts coincided with COVID-19 testing and vaccinations carried out in partnership with local health clinics and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

“The church had to respond to the cries and needs of the people,” Benton said.

Two Rivers Church, a United Methodist congregation, has responded to the pandemic by trying to make its virtual worship experience just as engaging as the church’s in-person services.

Two Rivers, which resumes in-person services on November 21 since rallies were suspended several weeks ago due to the delta variant, has an online moderator who chats with viewers during the service.

Those watching the service can also leave comments during times of church prayer and reflection. This type of commitment is essential, said Pastor Wendy Hudson.

It’s one thing for a church to put a phone on a tripod and live streaming services, the pastor said. But it’s another thing to fully embrace the hybrid model, which involves interacting with viewers on a regular basis, Hudson said.

Two Rivers’ approach seems to be working. The church has grown from 200 members before COVID-19 to 400 members now.

“We really looked at digital spaces,” said Hudson.

The church has also sought to take care of people’s mental health.

After a member of Two Rivers committed suicide during the pandemic, the congregation established a mental health fund that helps pay for therapy sessions for members.

“This has been one of the most important outreach activities we’ve had,” said Hudson.

For churches that have already resumed physical gatherings, attendance has not reached pre-pandemic levels.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church misses between 100 and 125 people a week during Sunday services, said Pastor Eric Childers.

The number of online viewers suggests these members are participating online, Childers said. This is an indication that the church must continue to offer alternative options for worship, he said.

“We are now at a point where all church leaders need to consider what the new church looks like,” Childers said. “It has already changed. It will be different in the future. We have to accept it. “

Some churches have seen their income increase.

Two Rivers said offers have increased throughout the pandemic. It has to do with the church having a viable online donation platform ahead of the pandemic. Before the virus, 60% of church offerings were provided digitally, Hudson said.

“When COVID happened, we weren’t depending on the presence of people to put money on a plate of offerings,” she said.

To reach Rickey dennis at 937-4886. Follow him on Twitter @RCDJunior.