North Texas churches finding ways to safely have Christmas services amid COVID-19 pandemic

DALLAS - Church services have looked a lot different this year as places of worship have adapted to the pandemic, and holiday services are no exception.

A Christmas Eve church service is a tradition for plenty of North Texas families.

Things are different this year, and churches are finding different ways to adjust.

Church congregations across North Texas are celebrating Christmas differently this year.

Joanne and Charlie Zinger have been worshipping online with White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake since March, but Thursday was the first service they’ve attended in-person.

The church is limiting guests, spacing people out, requiring masks, and leaving extra time in-between services to clean.

"It’s a tradition for us to always come to the Christmas Eve service," churchgoer Teresa Anderson said.

But pews are empty at Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church in Dallas. They’ve only had virtual services since March.

"COVID has actually changed the way we do business," Pastor David Wilson said.

Wilson is also president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dallas, a group of 125 black churches that have collectively come to the recommendation that, for now, they only worship virtually.

They serve minority communities which have statistically been hit harder by the pandemic.

"These are not the times to let your guard down," Wilson added.

"How can we be most responsive to each other and take care of another in the midst of this pandemic?" asked Father Robert Pace, of Fort Worth’s Trinity Episcopal.

Pace’s church is doing virtual services only as well.

He feels the effects of COVID-19 as much as anyone. He was one of the first in the region to catch it back in March after attending an out-of-state religious conference.

"I do think that having had COVID very early on did help to inform our experiences in our church," he said.

It’s safe to say most churches are reinventing worship.

Highland Park United Methodist is celebrating in-person, but provides plenty of virtual options.

White’s Chapel said two-thirds of its worshippers are online.

"We think we’ve been very safe with our protocols," White’s Chapel Pastor John McKellar said.

But they believe that, this Christmas, for the ones who celebrate in-person, they’re setting guidelines to keep them safe.

"We’ve been very careful, but not fearful, this year," the Zingers added.

There are no occupancy restrictions related to COVID-19 for churches as part of Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order.