Durham church streaming service met with complications as stay-at-home order set in place
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Streaming services is nothing new at World Overcomers Christian Church in Durham, so when church doors were closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, offering an online service was an easy switch.
But streaming services has been met with a complication of its own- though donations are still being made, fewer people are attending in-person services.
"The people bring a certain amount of energy," says Pastor Andy Thompson. "So when you ask me whats the hardest part of this, for someone like me, it's not necessarily the streaming, because streaming is something that we do. What's more challenging is the room is empty."
Thompson says that when the grip of the pandemic finally breaks, he predicts businesses will not only see an increase of traffic, but so will churches.
"I think the culture was on the way to being more individualistic. I've tried to serve that while being a little critical of it at the same time," Thompson said. "We're more separated and individualist than ever and our suicide rates are higher than ever, our opioid addiction is higher than ever."
If stay-at-home orders and a pandemic have shown anything, it's that we, people, don't like being without one another.
"You know what we're finding out? We need one another. And we need community and the idea that this (holding up his phone) was going to take place of physical interaction were finding out... no, it's not."
World Overcomers Christian Church continues to find new ways to serve their community despite limited interactions.
On Saturday's, the church is offering a drive-thru pantry on the Sheetz side of the Durham location, but they could use donations of:
- bath soap
- canned meat
- canned vegetables
- rice
- pasta
- ramen
Additionally, the church has been serving other churches by allowing church leaders to utilize World Overcomers Christian Church's technology, allowing pastors from other churches to record sermons.
