WALTER, Ala. – Sunday morning, churches across the country took advantage of social media to carry on with their Sunday services while respecting COVID-19 quarantine and social distance restrictions. In rural Cullman County, tiny Oak Level Baptist Church held its first-ever livestream worship service and Pastor Etsel Riddle discovered that his congregation had grown. Accustomed to preaching to typical crowds of 25 or less, the live event drew 66 viewers from around Oak Level and across the country, with more views coming in the afternoon and evening.
Riddle reported that livestream viewers, including some distant relatives and families of church members, tuned in from as far away as Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia and South Carolina, and that several of those remote viewers shared the video afterwards. The event gave the pastor an opportunity to touch base with numerous family and friends.
Among the comments, Riddle said, “My cousin in Columbia, South Carolina watched and said he would like to attend with us every Sunday. I told him he would really like our people.”
The pastor said that concern about his first experience with online ministry gave him a restless night beforehand, but, “After I got going, it was just like preaching. And then, since then, I’ve had some requests to do, after we go back to church, to livestream for those people who cannot come to church or live too far away. Also, I had a request to do Wednesday night Bible studies online. So, apparently, it reached out and did pretty good. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I got a lot of good compliments off of the music.”
Bragging on his folks
“I think Oak Level Church is one of the finest congregations that I have ever pastored, and I’ve been in the ministry since 1964,” said Riddle. “They are very mission-minded. They give above and beyond what I would consider the capability of a congregation that size.”
The pastor is not worried about the effect of the quarantine on the giving of his people, saying, “I’m not worried about that at all, because I’ve had several wanting to contact the treasurer and bring their tithes and offerings to the treasurer, and that’s the reason I was giving (in the slide show that ran on a large screen television during the service) the address of the OLBC treasurer. We’ll be mailing our money there, and I think those that do not mail it will bring it in, because they always have. If they’ve missed in times past, the next Sunday is usually a real good offering.”
Riddle has announced that Oak Level will have a livestream Bible study at 6 p.m. this Wednesday and will continue with online services next Sunday at 11 a.m. via his personal Facebook page.
Lots of churches are doing lots of good things and The Tribune wants to hear from other congregations and ministers. How is your church doing and what is your church doing during this time? Hit us up by email or send us a message through our Facebook page.
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