Online Religious Services Gain Importance Amid COVID-19

Online religious services are gaining larger importance, as life changes in the New Britain community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some congregations, like the Bethesda Apostolic Church, had already been live streaming religious services. Bethesda Apostolic Church has a Sunday service Livestream page on its website. The Church also has videos of its services on its YouTube site. Its Sunday worship starts at 11:15am.

Likewise, Spottswood A.M.E. Zion Church has a video Live Church page and video streams services on its facebook page. The Church has recently announced that, “We will NOT be having in person worship until further notice,”, adding, “join us online for worship.” Its services begins at 10:00am in Sunday.

With Catholic Churches announcing cancellation of Masses through April 3, 2020, Saint Joachim Parish’s Pastor, Father Israel Rivera, has been encouraging congregants to subscribe to the Church’s YouTube channel, “so I can be with you in celebration of the Holy Mass every day.” The Church has also been streaming its services on its facebook page.

Saint Joachim Parish includes Saint Mary Church and Saint Ann Church.

South Congregational – First Baptist Church, announced on March 14th that, “Worship Services on March 15 and March 22 have been cancelled to protect our community from the spread of COVID-19.” The Church, saying that it as been, “Finding ways to bring church to your phone/computer screen during this time,” has created YouTube channel, where it has been sharing videos of prayer and music.

St. James Missionary Baptist Church has announced that, “we will not gather as a corporate body Sunday, March 22, 2020,” later adding, on March 21st, that, “We invite you to join Saint James MBC live tomorrow beginning at 10am with praise and worship as we celebrate Christ.” The Church says that, “You can watch live at www.facebook.com/saintjamesmbc or by our Periscope channel located at pscp.tv. Or you may call into our conference line 605-475-3220 access code is 409086#.” The Church says that tithes and donations may be brought to the Church at 45 Daly Avenue, mailed to the church at 15 Wilcox Street or made online, such as at, “PayPal using our account paypal.me/saintjamesmbc.”

First Church of Christ Congregational announced on March 19th that, “Worship service will not be held on Sunday, March 22nd and March 29th.” The Church provided links on its website to, “area churches with livestream services.”

As New Britain joins communities around the world in, “social distancing,” isolation to help prevent spread of COVID-19, the online world has become where many are turning for religious community.

Editor’s note (3/21/2020): The article was updated to include information about St. James Missionary Baptist Church.