What can a church do for you at their building

[Mr.Bill]

that they can't do electronically or online?

A minister could put his sermon on YouTube. A Catholic Priest could even do confessions through texting.

Oh, wait, there is one thing. Take your cash.

[The Magistrate]

1. The Eucharist, Sir

That pretty much requires physical presence, and is important to some people.

[PJMcK]

2. Not necessarily, Sir

One of the most unique partaking of Communion occurred during the first Moon landing. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who is a devout Christian, performed the Eucharist for himself shortly after he and Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon. I believe he had the elements blessed prior to their launch from Earth.

Nonetheless, the communion (small "c&quot of a congregation does require a physical presence.

[The Magistrate]

8. Interesting, Sir

I was not aware of that.

[Voltaire2]

16. It's a crappy cracker.

People who have prioritized crackers over stopping a pandemic have lost their minds.

[The Magistrate]

17. They May Well Have, Sir

The question asked was what cannot be done by remote means, and passing the 'crappy cracker' came to mind as something which could not be so done. Being as I am 'a slave to that cheerful and roguish vice, politeness' there is no cost to me in referring to the sacrament by the name those believing on it employ.

[progressoid]

3. Interesting story on NPR yesterday that sort of related to this.

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/20/858918339/things-will-never-be-the-same-how-the-pandemic-has-changed-worship

Drifting away from church

In some cases, however, the coronavirus shutdowns have weakened church connections. The Pew survey and a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that one-third or more of those who had previously attended church regularly were not bothering to watch online services. For those whose church affiliation was already tenuous, the disconnect may be permanent.

"I wasn't regularly attending church anyway," says Beth Daniel, 50, of Mounds View, Minn., "so it really hasn't changed anything. But now I feel less guilty about not going. I thought at first [the pandemic] might encourage me to do more online worship, but it really hasn't." Though raised in an evangelical tradition, Daniel says she has found her own time and space for spiritual connection, "and it doesn't usually happen on Sunday mornings."

But Mary McGrath, 26, whose church affiliation has likewise been slipping, has reacted to the coronavirus shutdown in the opposite way, with a new yearning to return to the Catholic parish she left as a college student.

"Down at my foundation, faith has a strong role, one I've kind of repressed or disregarded," she says. "And I've realized that when you're especially alone, something I haven't really experienced before, it's something I would really like to be able to fall back on. I was very surprised to have that feeling just hit me. Like, 'Wow, I would really like to be in a pew right now, in a place that's bigger and holier than I am.'"

Clearly, the way churchgoers are reacting to the pandemic depends in good part on their past experience. For John Chadwick, 73, a retired Lutheran pastor in Iowa, 40 years of preaching have left him feeling that his faith no longer provides the answers he needs.

"I look at the virus, and I wonder," he says. "As a pastor, I always say, 'We need to trust God in all this.' And that's OK, to say that. But I gotta admit, for me, I wonder where God is, which is not great for a pastor. I realize that, but that's where I am today."

The importance of singing...

[forgotmylogin]

4. The choir can perform.

That's the only thing I can think of which is kind of cool in non-pandemic times.

Even the Bible agrees with social distancing:

The Lord’s Prayer
(Luke 11:1-4)

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

(With apologies for quoting scripture in the A&A forum. I'm by no means a Bible zealot; I Googled... it's right there...)

[Mr.Bill]

6. The choir can perform on Youtube.

I can't tell you how many thousands of hours I have listened to and enjoyed the Beatles' music, but I have never been in the same room with even one of them.

[forgotmylogin]

14. I don't know if the choir can perform *live* by teleconference.

You meant people can watch a performance, I mean the choir can't assemble and sing live.

Apparently there *have* been instances of people on Skype or Zoom performing music together, but it's a dicey proposition with lag! It'd probably work better with a small band, but I can't imagine a choir of 30-100 people separately streaming and harmonizing.

[Mr.Bill]

15. But it would be quite spectacular if they did.

[forgotmylogin]

18. I actually did find an example...

This is pretty spectacular, but surely edited together from separate footage and not simultaneously live.

[leftieNanner]

10. The choir cannot perform together as a unit

One of the worst outbreaks at the beginning of this in Washington State was a choir of 60+ people. One person was infected and more than 2/3 of the choir ended up sick. Singing involves blowing out lots of air and cooties from your mouth. And in close quarters.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post.

[forgotmylogin]

13. Question was "what can a church do for you" (in person as opposed to remotely)

And my response was that the choir cannot perform if they're not all in the same room.

It was just an attempt to answer the question of what churches lose by not being able to congregate. I agree that worship doesn't need to happen in a crowd.

[PJMcK]

5. As an atheist and former Christian, allow me to voice some observations

When I was deeply active in Christian churches when I was younger, I experienced a great many of the aspects of life as a member of a congregation.

First, the building is more than just a structure. It's a House of Worship and it's deeply respected by the congregation. It's where they meet for religious services, baptisms, deaths, community events, social events and much more. While I expect that many parishioners would concede that online services are better than nothing, it would only be by a small amount.

Second, it would be difficult for a Priest to maintain anonymity while performing the Act of Contrition. Texting is also a dangerous medium for people to confess their deepest sins. I mean, if it ain't safe to send an erotic photo of one's self then it's probably not a good idea to confess in a text that one is cheating on their spouse.

Third, regarding the cash, yeah, churches need their members to financially support them. It's part of doing God's work. However, many parishioners don't drop their coin in the plate at services. Instead they tithe and make periodic payments to fulfill their contributions.

Having written all of that, let me say that I think it's stupid to have any kind of mass gatherings until we're all immunized or have had the damn disease. People who MUST go to religious services really don't understand what faith is all about.

More importantly, the Covid-19 virus is just one more example that there is no god. If god were a "loving and caring" creature, why would it allow this virus to decimate its creation? Some love.

[Mr.Bill]

7. But don't you feel like you

"meet" people here without going to a building?

[PJMcK]

12. Of course, Mr. Bill

I've seen your posts for quite a while and have an impression of your perspectives.

However, some people, many who are older, prefer the personal contact. Certainly, you know folks who don't like to use a computer or a smart phone. Hell, my father-- who was a very successful scientist!-- hates using a very simple cellphone!

Let me be clear: I walked away from religion many moons ago. It's all bunk.

I just know the terrain a little.

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. and why a monster like trump? for 3.5 years?

I am a former active christian gone agnostic.

[rickford66]

9. Isn't God everywhere ?

[Mr.Bill]

11. That's the rumor I heard in Catholic school. n/t

[AlexPontik]

19. 0. What can a church do for you at their building

Amen!

[Normanart]

21. choir singing

Music and singing can be accomplished on Zoom, and the virtual plate can be passed electronically. Really no need for a physical structure or social gathering.

[NeoGreen]

22. One other thing they can't do while quarentined and online...

...is rape another child.