Churches Around Providence Adapt for the Holidays

Places of faith navigate restrictions to find meaningful ways to connect their congregations this season

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If we thought we lived in a digital world before the pandemic, we do now more than ever. Places of work, performance, art, and learning have been forced, by mandate, to occupy a virtual space, but as we approach the holidays, a particular community cornerstone is at the forefront for many: places of faith.

In 2019, Barna Group (specializing in research on the intersection of faith and culture) released their annual report ranking the top ten “post-Christian cities”, or locations lacking in Christian identity, belief, and practice. Providence ranked number three, despite having well over 50 churches in city proper. This is a statistic that fascinates Renaissance Church’s lead pastor, Scott Axtmann, who adds that several new churches have popped up in the last decade for this exact reason.

“What I find most interesting about pastoring for almost 20 years in the city is the people who aren’t religious at all but are drawn to the church,” offers Axtmann. “People who are ‘spiritual but not religious’ but somehow end up having a powerful experience with God. People who are profoundly suspicious or jaded by all things church but who end up falling in love with the faith community.” That, he adds, is how his story began in 1989. “These are the kinds of new people who find their way to services at Christmas.”

However, in a city already struggling with faith, and now physically distanced from its current and, as Axtmann poses, would-be worshippers, how do churches plan to rethink outreach and engagement at this critical time?

Some, like Beneficent Church, have elaborate plans in the works, like a lineup of Advent activities they’ve been developing since August. “Under normal circumstances, the Advent season at Beneficent tends to be weighted toward in-person, sensory experiences,” says Reverend and Senior Minister Elizabeth Chandler Felts, citing hanging the greens, sharing special foods, and an emphasis on candlelight and music. In lieu of that, Beneficent is adapting as many traditions as possible to be enjoyed at home: virtual worship and wreath-making gatherings, an all-church Zoom viewing of Trinity Rep’s A Christmas Carol, a booklet of daily Advent meditations, and even a Reverse Advent Calendar crowdfund for transitional housing for youth through House of Hope. “[We’ve] been able to keep our congregation unified and active by adapting, adapting, adapting!” says Felts. Similarly, the First Baptist Church in America will continue online services, but Reverend Jamie Washam shares that they will also be offering a Christmas Eve Service of Bells & Light outdoors on the Meeting House grounds.

Others are keeping things simple. The Holy Ghost Church on Federal Hill is still hosting Mass via livestream and in-person with proper distancing and masks required. Renaissance Church, Axtmann says, will be offering Sunday services both online and in-person as well, which means just a third of the sanctuary’s 300-person capacity. “Normally at Christmas and Easter, we aim to get as many new people to attend as possible,” Axtmann explains, “but we can’t really do that with all the restrictions.”

However, the “Ren” has found a way to bring a different kind of service for Christmas. “I don’t mean church service,” says Axtmann, “but mobilizing the church in service to the city.” This initiative falls under the church’s CityLove program, which involves “urban missionaries” to design works of art and serve local nonprofits in an effort to contribute to the common good of the community. While at press time the specifics had not been firmed up, for the holidays the church hopes to give out a small number of personalized gifts with handwritten cards to specific groups in need, like refugees at the Refugee Dream Center, homeless women at Crossroads, teachers, and a nursing home – to name just a few.

“The Christmas story took place in a liminal, disruptive time,” explains Reverend Washam of First Baptist Church. “As we traverse through a season of tumult and upheaval in our neighborhoods, nation, and earth, we might better understand the bewilderment of that small family, seeking shelter and making do with whatever they could find.” Check your local place of worship to see how they are adapting holiday services this year.

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