Challenged by social distancing recommendations – keeping six feet between people, and not gathering in groups of more than 10 – local faith communities are doing their best to stay connected. Two local religious officials, Rabbi Michael Singer of B’nai Abraham Synagogue and Rev. Patrick Lamb of Queenship of Mary Church, spoke with us about their special efforts during this unprecedented time of physical separation. Information about other Lehigh Valley houses of worship follows the in-depth discussions with Rabbi Singer and Father Lamb.

B’nai Abraham Synagogue

Rabbi Michael Singer of B’nai Abraham Synagogue (Bethlehem) shared uplifting news of the many ways his congregation is handling the current pandemic, as well as news about the Bethlehem Interfaith Group (BIG).

“I’ve used Zoom for a number of years in my work for the rabbinical assembly, in which I’m the food justice chair. We have meetings of about 1,800 rabbis from around the world, and Zoom is how we connect with everybody, so it was an easy transition [to use it for local synagogue connectivity].”

B’nai Abraham offers daily services (Monday and Thursday mornings) and Shabbat services (Friday evening at 6 p.m.) via its YouTube channel for congregation subscribers, as well as holding board meetings and providing religious instruction to teens via Zoom. Adult religious education is provided online in partnership with the Jewish Theological Seminary (Wednesday evenings).

“We do miss everyone coming on Shabbat to the synagogue,” Rabbi Singer says, “and our wonderful kiddush luncheons. We’ve had to make some obvious changes, but it’s still exciting; we still have lots of people that are connecting.”

The teen education classes are in preparation for confirmation of teenagers who have already become a bar or bat mitzvah. “We’ve been doing food,” Rabbi Singer says with a rueful laugh, “so we’ve had to stop our normal course-we make all kinds of things, and teach about the rules of kashrut. We were going to do a big Irish thing honoring the potato, and doing bangers and mash, but kosher. We had to switch gears, and we’re now doing Jewish humor.”

Regarding bar and bat mitzvah classes, Rabbi Singer explains that “we’re training our students every week. We’ve got a bunch of students coming up. We’ll probably end up – depending on how long this [social distancing] goes, we’ll just do it in our smaller chapel, and only students and immediate family will be there.”

Not everything can be done virtually, and some life events are more fraught with challenges than others. “We’ve had to make some changes in the way we prepared people who’ve passed away – taharah is the ritual washing we usually do – we’ve made some extra precautions, and we have to limit the size for funerals and sitting shiva, and taking on those challenges. It’s not easy – people are used to having the community comfort them.”

B’nai Abraham has also taken a proactive stance to staying in touch with the more physically vulnerable members of the congregation. “We’ve broken the congregation up [into groups for which individual leaders are responsible]; we have captains within our board of trustees who are looking after people and checking in, and we are keeping up the social contact.” Rabbi Singer has taken an active role in being as present as possible in his congregation’s home-based weekly services. “Every Friday, I’ve been releasing a little video before our Shabbat service to brighten people’s Shabbat. Cantor Sam Kunstler and I – he’s in New York, so we’ve had to figure out how to connect – we’ve been posting the videos to our special YouTube page for our congregation.”

Not only is Rabbi Singer’s congregation staying in touch virtually, but he is also part of a larger group of religious leaders in the Lehigh Valley who have come together to face challenges of all sorts in the past. “The Bethlehem Interfaith Group includes 14 different houses of worship. We’re doing a number of things together, including we’re going to be starting up an internal clergy book club, and reading a really great book, called ‘“The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.”’ That’s going to be an exciting book club. We were supposed to have a huge interfaith Passover seder; we had to postpone that, but we are all in connection with one another, and we’re coordinating as a whole faith community in Bethlehem – who’s open, and what’s going on, so people can have access to their spiritual needs within all of our member organizations and houses of worship.”

Rabbi Singer is a voice of hope when he reports, “We’re doing the work both locally and nationally. Thank G-d the state of the synagogue is strong.”

Queenship of Mary

Roman Catholic Church

Rev. Patrick Lamb of Queenship of Mary Parish in Northampton is posting both pre-recorded Masses and short personal video messages on the church’s website (https://queenshipofmary.weconnect.com/), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/queenship2017/), and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8bpSNk9YYgqChvy9hTNjA).

Fr. Lamb explains, “There’s an intro where I greet my people, giving them confidence that we’re gonna make it through this, and then there’s the whole Mass, with music.” He’s not completely alone – music ministry director Jeannie Jordan plays the music for the Mass, her daughter Allie is the videographer, and Deacon Mike Doncsecz reads from the lectionary – but the congregation is absent, which is a challenging situation for someone whose ministry typically involves so much human contact. “The weirdest thing,” says Fr. Lamb, “was preaching to an empty church – there’s the organist and the videographer and the deacon, but otherwise it was empty.”

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Fr. Lamb says he owes a great deal to the gifts of the Jordans and Deacon Doncsecz, and notes that it’s important to his parishioners to keep the connection with the ministers of their home parish. “People went to EWTN,” he says, “but there’s something comforting about their own church and their own pastor. [In addition to the online Mass], I do a little video – a midweek check-in. All people are hearing is this negative stuff … We need to be informed, but we don’t need to be listening to all these news stations 24/7.”

Like many other Catholic churches, Queenship of Mary is open for private prayer for a few hours every day; the schedule is posted online, and parishioners who do not have access to the internet are being informed of the via “snail mail.” There is hand sanitizer at the doors of the church, and the previously scheduled Friday night Stations of the Cross have been changed to Eucharistic adoration, in which parishioners can spend time with the exposed Blessed Sacrament, sitting or kneeling spread out across the church.

As Rabbi Singer told us about Jewish rituals, Catholic sacraments and rituals are being slightly altered to protect public health. Bishop Alfred Schlert has directed that the sacrament of reconciliation not be celebrated at the rectory, for example; at Queenship of Mary, Fr. Lamb uses a large chapel in which the penitent is seated at least 10 feet away from him, and just uses hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting the chapel. Funeral attendance is very limited, and there is the option (as always) of having the body cremated now and celebrating the memorial Mass later.

Regarding the anointing of the sick, Fr. Lamb noted that people who die in hospitals are generally anointed by hospital chaplains, but that he would go to a nursing home or a private home if called. He hasn’t been called yet, but a parishioner who is a construction worker gave him a mask, and he has gloves. For a nursing home visit, he would abide by the protocols used by the nursing home workers for personal protective equipment and sanitizer use or showering.

The experience has been challenging. Fr. Lamb confides, “You realize that as a priest, you’re a pastor of people, and it’s strange when they’re not in church. I’m telling them in my letter that I miss them.” It has also been a time of spiritual growth. “I pray all the time,” he says, “but I’ve found this to be a time of spending more time with our Lord. I’m not cutting corners like I sometimes do in my prayers. Maybe God’s trying to teach this to all of us: that we have to spend more time with him.” He’s also finding new ways to care for his flock. “I’m seeing the good of technology – there’s a lot of good, and we can use it to be in touch with each other. Now I’m doing a lot of telephone ministry, calling people.”

And his parishioners are finding silver linings, too. “You have to get some quiet,” he says. “Sometimes we’re afraid of the quiet, but we have to take this opportunity. Some of the families are now preparing and eating meals together, and it’s a really good thing.”

Baptist churches

In response to President Trump’s recommendation to avoid groups of more than 10 people, the Elder Board of Bethel Memorial Baptist Church (Easton) suspended all meetings of more than 10 people at the church until March 30. Pastor Brent Robinson has posted his sermons (audio) and PowerPoint presentations online (http://bethelmemorialbaptist.org/recorded-sermons-power-points/).

First Baptist Church of Easton has Pastor Arthur S. Gilmore’s audio sermons, video sermons, a Wednesday evening faith series, and a spiritual blog on its website (http://firstbaptisteaston.com/).

Calvary Baptist Church (Easton) has a wealth of activities on its website (https://calvarybaptistpa.org/), including worship services, Wednesday night Bible study, small group ministry participation via Zoom, and a “family survival kit” of resources for those feeling the stress of social distancing. The church, led by Pastor Paul Wilson, has a downloadable app to make digital participation easier, as well as links for streaming through a web browser.

Fellowship Baptist Church, which shares a physical space with St. John’s United Church of Christ on William Penn Highway, is posting Pastor Barry Webb’s sermons online (https://www.fellowshipbaptist-pa.org/life-goes-on).

First Baptist Church (Bethlehem), led by Rev. Dr. David Hardin, offers livestreamed worship services, videos of past worship services, and recorded sermons (http://fbc-bethlehem.org/covid-19/).

Episcopal churches

The Rt. Rev. Kevin D. Nichols, Episcopal bishop of Bethlehem, suspended all public worship services through Easter. Information on diocese-wide offerings is available here (https://diobeth.org/).

Trinity Episcopal Church (Easton) provides recorded video of Sunday worship services and Stations of the Cross on its website (https://www.trinityeaston.org). The church also invites members to participate in online religious education through ChurchNext (http://www.trinityeaston.org/?page_id=3232).

Similarly, the Rev. Dr. Pamela Payne, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church (Bethlehem), posts recorded sermons online (https://www.trinitybeth.org/sunday).

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (Tamaqua), led by Pastor Cindy White, has been livestreaming its services for quite some time. Online worship information is on the church’s website (https://www.ziontamaqua.com/live-streaming/). Parishioners who would like their special intention to be read at prayer services are invited to contact the pastor at zionlutheranrev@gmail.com.

St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Palmer) has the Gospel, Pastor Tom Neel’s weekly sermon, and prayers online (http://standrewspalmer.org/standrews_002.htm). “During this time of COVID-19 I would encourage you come back often to view the Devotion page,” the pastor’s message says, “and listen to an audio version of a message along with a Gospel reading. These items will be updated on a regular basis. When COVID-19 is part of our past I hope to see you face to face.”

Muslim community

The Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley (based in Allentown) suspended all daily and congregational prayers beginning March 17. The group is working on scheduling livestreams of nightly and weekly halaqas, and Imam Basheer Bilaal and the community’s executive committee are available for religious advice and consultations via telephone (610-799-6224). More information is available online (https://malv.org/covid-update/).

Jewish communities

Congregation Keneseth Israel (a Reform community in Allentown) is hosting its weekly Shabbat services via Zoom. Information and inspiration thoughts from Rabbi Seth are here (https://www.kilv.org/corona_virus).

Congregation Sons of Israel (an Orthodox community in Allentown), led by Rabbi Nisan Andrews, has canceled religious services until further notice, but PDFs for Shabbos is available online (http://www.sonsofisrael.net/).

Rabbi Moshe Re’em of Temple Beth El (a Conservative community in Allentown) says, “We may not be in the building, but there’s plenty to participate in at Temple Beth El!” Minyanim, Shabbat, and other services are accessible via Zoom and Facebook (http://www.bethelallentown.org/Worship.cfm).

Chabad Lubavitch of the Lehigh Valley (a community in Allentown inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe) offers a host of resources online (https://www.chabadlehighvalley.com/library/article_cdo/aid/4676981/jewish/Coronavirus-Resources-Inspiration.htm), including a quarantine kaddish service. Rabbi Yaakov Halperin offers his congregation this hope: “We pray to G-d that you and yours stay safe and healthy, and that the entire world be granted complete and speedy healing.”

Messianic Jewish

communities

Beit Simcha Messianic Fellowship (a Messianic Jewish community in Allentown), is offering its Shabbat services online-only via its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXD4wkUBqjQ&feature=youtu.be) at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. Rabbi Glenn David Blank offers more information about the congregation here (https://beitsimcha.com/rabbi-glenn-videos/).

Beth El Gibor (a Messianic Jewish community in Bethlehem) has also moved its services online (https://www.bethelgibor.org/). Additional downloads from Rabbis Mark Shulman and Eduardo Arroyo are available on the congregation’s website.

Moravian

churches

Music minister Becky Lepore of Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem is posting daily “musical moments” of inspiration posted on the church’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/centralmoravianchurch). “Becky is creating and recording piano arrangements of requested hymns from her living room and is posting the hymns, along with their hymn texts, and a corresponding scripture,” senior administrator Cindy Gibson informs us.

A list of all Moravian Church congregations nationwide offering online worship opportunities, including the inter-provincial worship service held every Sunday at 11 a.m., is available at the faith’s national website (https://www.moravian.org/2020/03/online-worship-opportunities/).

One of the worship services posted on the Moravian website is conducted by Pastor Derek French of East Hills Moravian Church in Bethlehem. Pastor French’s services are available on the church’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/easthillsmoravianchurch/) and its YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/M1_lBOFiUFY). Information about online giving, as well as spiritual information, are available on the church’s website (www.EastHillsMC.org).

Presbyterian

churches

First Presbyterian Church (Bethlehem), led by Rev. J.C. Austin, is livestreaming both its 9 a.m. contemporary and 11 a.m. traditional services on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/firstpresbethlehem) and on its website (https://www.fpc-bethlehem.org/). Information is also available on how to participate in other ministries, such as the Wednesday Lenten conversations, via Zoom.

Roman Catholic churches

Catholic parish St. John XXIII in Tamaqua was already livestreaming Masses prior to the novel coronavirus epidemic. Rev. John Frink, the pastor, also posts his sermons on his YouTube channel. Father Frink, who acknowledged the challenge of delivering a sermon to an empty church at a recent Mass, added his hope that Catholics would take this opportunity to deepen their faith. He asked those participating virtually to consider why they come to Mass, and suggested that Catholics embrace the humility of the tax collector in the Gospel of Luke. The livestream link is on the parish website (www.SJ23Tamaqua.org).

Rev. Keith Laskowski of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Easton is also livestreaming the 8 a.m. daily Mass and Saturday night (vigil) 4:30 p.m. Mass in English, as well as the noon Sunday Mass in Spanish, on the parish’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/)

United Church of Christ congregations

The general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, Rev. John Dorhauer, has participated online in worship services across the country beginning March 17. Links to UCC churches across the US offering online services are here (https://www.ucc.org/news_moving_worship_online_during_pandemic_ucc_churches_offer_pastoral_touches_prophetic_voices_03172020).

United Methodist

churches

Green Pond United Methodist maintains several weeks’ worth of Rev. Scott Freidgen-Veitch’s sermons on its website as an audio stream (https://www.greenpondumc.com/). Weekly messages of spiritual uplift and announcements are updated Wednesdays (https://www.greenpondumc.com/weekly-newsletter). The church is looking into livestreaming worship services.

Pastor Nina Patton-Semerod of Epworth United Methodist Church of Bethlehem told her faith community, “We are not the church because we gather every Sunday morning for worship; we are the church because we carry the light of Christ with us wherever we go.” Pastor Nina posts a video of the weekly worship service on the church’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EpworthUMCBethlehemPA/) by 10:45 a.m. each Sunday. Members of the church are invited to post specific prayer requests during the week for Pastor Nina to lift up during the worship service. The youth group and other ministries are using tools such as Zoom to continue to meet online.

Wesley United Methodist Church (Bethlehem) is posting its recorded worship services online (https://wesleychurch.com/). Rev. Candy LaBar’s sermon videos and transcripts are online as well.

Other Christian

denominations

Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church (Bethlehem) is livestreaming its weekend and mid-week worship services, and offers devotional videos by Youth Pastor Mike Notary (https://aplaceforyou.org/). Senior Pastor Tim Gibson encourages his flock to use technology to connect, and says, “Don’t practice social distancing with Jesus.”

GRACE Church Bethlehem has a portal of online services (https://www.gracecb.org/gracelive/), including live worship services on Sundays at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., games and religious education for middle and high school students on Sundays at 7 p.m., and mid-week Bible study with Dr. Mark Crumpler. Sunday worship services led by Senior Pastor Dr. Marnie Crumpler are also available via Facebook watch (https://www.facebook.com/gcbGRACE/).

Life in Christ Church (Bethlehem), led by Pastor Norman Carlisle, is livestreaming its Sunday worship services. Visit www.LifeInChristChurch.com, click “Useful Links,” and select “Service Livestream (Members).” The password is “licclive.”

New Covenant Christian Community Church (Bethlehem and Macungie) asks its congregation not to come to either campus, but to watch the livestream from one of the two links provided (https://nc4.churchonline.org/ and https://livestream.com/accounts/20632837). A video recording of the weekly message from one of the elders will be available for download here (https://livestream.com/accounts/20632837) 30 minutes after each service ends.

groups/667596886725236/?epa=SEARCH_BOX).

Msgr. Tom Baddick of Notre Dame of Bethlehem has developed an innovative way for parishioners to get together without spreading germs: a drive-in rosary. Parishioners drive into the grotto on Notre Dame property and park facing the statue of St. Mary. They remain in their cars-just like a drive-in movie-and pray the rosary along with one prayer leader who stands at a safe distance with a microphone. The drive-in rosary takes place every evening at 7 p.m. More details are provided on the parish website (https://www.ndbethlehemchurch.org/grotto-rosary).

United Church of Christ congregations

The general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, Rev. John Dorhauer, has participated online in worship services across the country beginning March 17. Links to UCC churches across the US offering online services are here (https://www.ucc.org/news_moving_worship_online_during_pandemic_ucc_churches_offer_pastoral_touches_prophetic_voices_03172020).

United Methodist churches

Green Pond United Methodist maintains several weeks’ worth of Rev. Scott Freidgen-Veitch’s sermons on its website as an audio stream (https://www.greenpondumc.com/). Weekly messages of spiritual uplift and announcements are updated Wednesdays (https://www.greenpondumc.com/weekly-newsletter). The church is looking into livestreaming worship services.

Pastor Nina Patton-Semerod of Epworth United Methodist Church of Bethlehem told her faith community, “We are not the church because we gather every Sunday morning for worship; we are the church because we carry the light of Christ with us wherever we go.” Pastor Nina posts a video of the weekly worship service on the church’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EpworthUMCBethlehemPA/) by 10:45 a.m. each Sunday. Members of the church are invited to post specific prayer requests during the week for Pastor Nina to lift up during the worship service. The youth group and other ministries are using tools such as Zoom to continue to meet online.

Wesley United Methodist Church (Bethlehem) is posting its recorded worship services online (https://wesleychurch.com/). Rev. Candy LaBar’s sermon videos and transcripts are online as well.

Other Christian denominations

Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church (Bethlehem) is livestreaming its weekend and mid-week worship services, and offers devotional videos by Youth Pastor Mike Notary (https://aplaceforyou.org/). Senior Pastor Tim Gibson encourages his flock to use technology to connect, and says, “Don’t practice social distancing with Jesus.”

GRACE Church Bethlehem has a portal of online services (https://www.gracecb.org/gracelive/), including live worship services on Sundays at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., games and religious education for middle and high school students on Sundays at 7 p.m., and mid-week Bible study with Dr. Mark Crumpler. Sunday worship services led by Senior Pastor Dr. Marnie Crumpler are also available via Facebook watch (https://www.facebook.com/gcbGRACE/).

Life in Christ Church (Bethlehem), led by Pastor Norman Carlisle, is livestreaming its Sunday worship services. Visit www.LifeInChristChurch.com, click “Useful Links,” and select “Service Livestream (Members).” The password is “licclive.”

New Covenant Christian Community Church (Bethlehem and Macungie) asks its congregation not to come to either campus, but to watch the livestream from one of the two links provided (https://nc4.churchonline.org/ and https://livestream.com/accounts/20632837). A video recording of the weekly message from one of the elders will be available for download here (https://livestream.com/accounts/20632837) 30 minutes after each service ends.