By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
For those who celebrate the Christian holiday of Easter, the celebration typically marks a time spent in celebration with church services, family and friends.
Unfortunately, Easter 2020 is going to look a bit different across the country thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With gatherings in the province restricted to less than 15 people, and even family gatherings being against recommendations, Easter 2020 is going to look very different. However, that is not stopping some churches from around the region from getting the Easter message out.
“It does indeed seem eerily empty at the church in a time when we should be preparing a huge celebration of joy!” wrote Rev. Barbara Zimmerman of Castor’s Knox United Church when asked for comment.
“Our Easter celebration will therefore be a video service posted on the Knox United Castor Facebook page. We started this with the fifth Sunday of Lent.”
In addition to the video services, Zimmerman also stated that church members without Internet at home would receive a printed version of the sermons.
Knox United Church isn’t the only organization embracing digital presentation of services. Castor’s Evangelical Missionary Church is a member of the same denomination as Red Deer’s Crossroads church, and Castor members are being encouraged to watch the Good Friday Service at either 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. on April 10th, and the Easter Celebration at 9 a.m, 11 a.m, or 6 p.m. on April 12th, each of which will be live-streamed online at www.crossroadschurch.ca.
The Catholic Church has plans for getting through Easter as well.
“This year is one of an unprecedented nature,” wrote Fr. Roger Niedzielski of the Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Castor.
“The directives that both the Vatican and the archdiocese of Edmonton have forwarded to the parishes have been to celebrate …Holy Week in a private matter. What I am asking my parishioners to do is join me in an act of spiritual communion during the hours I will celebrate these liturgies.”
Additionally, Edmonton’s Archbishop Smith at St. Joeseph’s Basilica in Edmonton will be conducting liturgies for all the Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Edmonton that will be accessible for online viewing at www.grandinmedia.ca/livestream.