The Rector of St Augustine’s, Rev Nigel Cairns (right), welcomes Bishop Andrew Forster to his parish’s first ever ‘Drive-in Service’ in Bishop Street car park
And a Derry minister says parishoners will not be in any hurry back because of the fear they have of catching the deadly virus.
Churches have had to adjust to the new normal while their doors are closed to the public for services.
Recently that has meant the possibility of open-air drive-through services as a way of reaching out to their parishoners who have missed going to church.
Last Sunday St Columb’s Cathedral and St Augustine’s Church have been holding services in a car park and Leckpatrick Church of Ireland in Strabane did the same.
Canon Paul Whittaker has said how people worship during the pandemic is changing.
He told told BBC Radio Foyle what it was like leading a congregation of cars “on the back of a 40-tonne lorry”.
The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Rev Andrew Forster, preached the sermon at the Pentecost Day ‘Drive-in Service’ in Bishop Street car park
“I dont think I could do it every week because getting the large vehicle could be a problem, but I am hoping to do another one in a few weeks time,” he added.
The service had around 40 cars in attendance with people beeping their horns in the car park, while many others followed the service online.
“Live streaming is probably here to stay, if not for good then probably for a year or two,” Canon Whittaker said.
Bishop Andrew Forster and Rev Nigel Cairns get ready to celebrate the first ever ‘Drive-in Service’ in derry’s inner city, on Sunday morning, May 31 – the Feast of Pentecost
The Stormont Exeuctive has published its Pathway to Recovery to ease lockdown restriction across society in the North of Ireland.
But it has not outlined any date for when church services can resume safely with social distancing in place.
Tags: