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WATCH: Churches turn to technology as COVID-19 rages

Churches livestream services to minimize coronavirus infections

Live-streaming religious services isn’t a new concept.

But now — in light of an international pandemic — it’s one of the only ways to practise your faith.

Churches, mosques and temples across the country are solely live-streaming their services to deliver messages of faith and hope as congregants are staying home and isolate themselves to prevent further community transmission of COVID-19.

For Kelowna-based Willow Park Church, the process starts with a conference call on Monday to talk about the week’s theme and what needs to be done for the service. Then over the next few days, a skeleton crew works on filming parts of the service, which are then put together and aired online on Sunday morning.

Willow Park Church senior pastor Phil Collins said the current pandemic pushed the church to connect with people in creative ways.

“Hundreds of people come through our church every week… we’ve had to adapt very quickly to take our service to the community and acts of worship online to be able to connect with people because, under the circumstances, we can’t gather together,” he said.

He added that delivering services online has actually enabled them to reach more people than they would during a usual Sunday service.

Collins also said that now more than ever, being part of a faith community has become important.

“Being part of a faith community really helps you through because we’re stronger together… connecting with people of faith brings hope, it brings joy and it brings peace. Whether internally or externally, faith brings peace in the storm.”

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Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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