Different Christmas services; message the same
Many Oak Ridge churches are preparing for Christmas Eve, even during this COVID-19 pandemic.
“Especially when people are feeling lonely and isolated and apart from one another, its always important to mark holy time like this,” said Pastor Rory Naeve of First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge.
While Gov. Bill Lee’s recent executive order allows for churches to continue to meet in person, some churches are instead opting for other options, like streaming services online or in Naeve’s case, a drive-in theater setup.
As he explained, at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve (Thursday), First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge will have a large screen and a radio broadcast to which people in each vehicle can listen. Each car will get a paper bag with the order of the service's parts printed, along with an LED candle, and a communion serving. He explained the grape juice comes prepackaged with a wafer for the communion.