SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - As the holidays grow closer, religious groups are preparing to celebrate in ways they’ve never before. Channel 3′s Katharine Huntley finds out how different places of worship are practicing as the pandemic gets worse.
“It’s most important that we keep ourselves safe and protected,” College Street Congregational Church member Matt Van Wagner. He says that’s why he doesn’t mind remote services. Parishioners will observe Christmas service through the computer. “We are waiting for better times, but we are just trying our best to make things feel like our normal Christmas.”
Wagner says staying far away from each other physically has actually brought members closer together spiritually. “So many of our members who are elderly and in places we can’t get out, they are now with us every Sunday in worship, and so our community is built and we are a stronger community.”
The first day of Hanukkah is Thursday, and it’ll also look a bit different this year. The annual lighting of the menorah in Burlington is going virtual. Members of Chabad of Vermont say Hanukkah has always been an at-home holiday, so most traditions will continue.
“It is unfortunate that we can’t get together as a community because that is a very celebrated and joyous part, but the traditions themselves can remain as alive as ever in people’s homes with their families in this time. We are really hoping to see in ourselves and in our communities a stronger light than before,” said Draizy Junik of the Chabad of Vermont.
Even though this isn’t a holiday season for Muslim members of the community at the mosque of the Islamic Society of Vermont, they are still feeling the vast impacts of COVID19 in their daily worship.
“During this time people usually need some spiritual healing and need some spiritual advice,” said Islam Hassan of the Islamic Society of Vermont. “I think everyone needs some spiritual advice sometimes. Regardless of your faith, you need to feel that someone is there caring for you. And that’s what we do for the community as much as we can.”
The Islamic Society is still welcoming 50 people at a time to pray following COVID-safety protocols.
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December 07, 2020 at 01:02PM
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How places of worship are adapting holiday services - WCAX
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