The Rev. Annette Dimond of Trinity Methodist Church in Port Clinton enjoyed hosting a Sunday service for people listening in their cars at the Sutton Center in Port Clinton. The special service was a test run for Easter services on Sunday, April 12, to accommodate statewide social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic.

BY D’ARCY EGAN

The biggest church services of the year are Christmas and Easter, with the latter scheduled to be celebrated this Sunday, April 12. Unfortunately, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its social distancing rules have shuttered churches around the area and the country.

Local pastors Rev. Annette Dimond of Trinity Methodist Church and Virginia Park of Community Church on Kelleys Island will give their parishioners the chance to enjoy this Sunday’s special Easter services while staying safe, as well as all of the folks who might like to join their joyous hapcelebration.

Immaculate Conception Church in Port Clinton will post its Holy Thursday services on Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m. on YouTube. The Good Friday services will be on Friday, April 10 at 3 p.m., and Easter Sunday services will be on Sunday, April 12 at 8 a.m.

To connect with ICS on YouTube go to the church website at immaculateconceptionpc.com and click on the EVENTS tab and Parish News in the drop down menu. Worshippers can also get the myParish app on phone or iPad by sending a text to 88202 with the message APP, and make Immaculate Conception PC your parish. On Facebook, go to the parish page and look for the link to YouTube, or go directly to YouTube and search for Jen Roberts, and a picture of the church’s Rose Window.

Rev. Dimond of Trinity Methodist Church in Port Clinton gathered parishioners together last Sunday for a trial run of their local Easter celebration by having churchgoers park their vehicles in the Sutton Center lot on Buckeye Boulevard in Port Clinton. Parishes in the area were invited to the Sunday non-denominational service, which broadcast mass, prayers and music to worshipers car radios.

With a handful of volunteers directing parking lot traffic, a light mist falling on Sunday morning did not dampen spirits. To bring smiles to parishioners faces and music to their ears were Trinity Methodist Church musicians Jeanne and Richard Morgan of Port Clinton, with the service starting at 9 a.m. from their enclosed travel trailer.

“Especially under the circumstances, it was a beautiful service,” said Rev. Dimond. “We are thankful for everyone that attended, and for the hospitality of Bob Snyder of the Sutton Center. It was a special celebration, and we’ll all be looking forward to this week’s 9 a.m. Sunday service at Sutton Center on Easter morning.”

This Sunday’s service at Community Church on Kelleys Island will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a conference call, said Rev. Park.

“Everyone who would like to join us can pick up their telephones and begin dialing into the Community Church conference call at least 10 or 15 minutes before the service begins,” explained Park. “They should dial 701-802-5439 (dial “1” first if calling from a landline), and will be prompted to give the call’s access code of 105468# . . . and if they get a busy signal, simply hang up and call again until they connect.”

The service will include the reading of Gospel scripture relating to the Resurrection of Jesus, said Park, and prayers including the congregation saying the Lord’s Prayer together, and an Easter homily.

“We’re so looking forward to this special service,” said Park. “Depending upon the success of the Easter call, it is possible that the Kelleys Island church will continue the Sunday morning conference calls until it is safe for people to gather together again.”