With churches closed, egg hunts canceled and drive-by Easter bunny visits, Johnson County churches, cities and residents are getting creative to celebrate Easter this year as the coronavirus pandemic courses through the community.
Eggs are still colored, the bunny still hops, lilies still bloom and churches still meet, albeit virtually, in this new reality everyone’s had to adapt to.
Bargersville family thankful for technology
For young families such as the Littrells, of Bargersville, social distancing and Easter changes have been an adjustment. Amber Littrell, a stay-at-home mom, is navigating eLearning for her preschooler Jackson, 4, and preparing for a new baby this summer.
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Her husband was furloughed. Her ultrasounds are solo excursion. Still, Littrell is staying positive, doing little things to celebrate the season, she said.
“At first, it was a big change. But you have to get used to it or you’ll drive yourself crazy,” Littrell said.
Usually, Littrell would be making an Easter feast for she and her husband’s families, and planning a big egg hunt for all the kids. But this year, plans were scaled down to just the three of them. The family is keeping with traditions such as painting eggs and making decorations, and she’s turned egg hunting into a teaching tool, she said.
On Easter—and really anytime she needs them—family is just a phone call, Facetime or message away. Littrell said she’s grateful for that technology to help bridge the divide.
“You wouldn’t think about not having this (technology) 10 years ago, but I’m glad this (stay-at-home order) is happening when we have it,” Littrell said.
Franklin couple missing kiddos, but staying put
The Hatfields plan to celebrate the holiday at home together, missing their kids, grand kids and church family. Patricia Hatfield, who moved to Franklin last year, was just starting to get a good foothold in the community when their world changed again with the pandemic.
They had planned to spend the holiday with her son in Boston, but are now staying put, live-streaming church service by Tabernacle Christian Church of Franklin.
Though this year’s Easter will look a lot different, Hatfield is keeping a positive attitude about the changes. Divided by several states, she’s been in contact with her son and daughter even more in the midst of the pandemic.
“It is tough, but it is one day,” Hatfield said. “The overarching thing is that it is bringing us together.”
A former pastor, Hatfield is used to celebrating Easter with sunrise service, breakfast at church and a big family lunch at home, she said. This year’s services will be watched at home, but the church set up a drive-thru to pick up communion supplies and an Easter lily to make this weekend’s celebrations feel more complete, Hatfield said.
“It will be church, but everything is a little different now,” she said.
Greenwood pastor offering drive-in church
While many are only live-streaming services, Greenwood Bible Baptist Pastor Todd Poynter came up with a unique middle ground, appealing to his many church members who crave a live experience, he said.
The church set up an FM transmitter that allows services to be routed from the church’s sound system to members’ cars like at a drive-in movie, Poynter said. And when it is nice outside, Poynter sets up his pulpit on a wagon hooked to a tractor to give live sermons, he said.
Bible Baptist’s members quickly grew tired of the less personal online sermons, so Poynter set this up for members who needed more socialization, he said.
“There is more to church than the sermon. I had quite a few older folks and some younger folks say, ‘How long is this going to go on?’” Poynter said. “For the church to go six or eight weeks without a service is not good for the body.”
Services are still live-streamed for those who feel more comfortable at home, he said.
“I am really just trying to (find) multiple ways for people, based on their comfort level, to be involved without services,” he said.
Bible Baptist takes many precautions with its live services, such as making sure there is at least six feet of space between parked cars, having only essential staff inside the building and using a butterfly net on a six-foot pole to pass out bulletins, he said.
Poynter, his staff and the congregation are trying to stay positive during the stay-at-home order and these turbulent times, he said. He urges members to envision a future when they are all together again, to know that this, too, shall pass and to “keep your eyes fixed on Jesus,” he said.
“The grass is still green, the flowers are still blooming and we are able to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Poynter said.
Communities across county coming together
Communities across Johnson County are coming together while staying apart. On Friday, Franklin Parks and Recreation’s Easter bunny, Strawberry, made an appearance while kids greeted the bunny, who was safely inside a vehicle.
Today, the City of Greenwood will join together to watch the Easter bunny dance around town in an alternative-style Easter parade, and the Town of Edinburgh will join together to ring bells.
Joanne Hollenbeck, secretary of the Edinburgh Ministerial Association, organized the bell-ringing event to bring the town joy during these challenging times, she said.
Last year, when a beloved Edinburgh chiropractor died, churches in town rang the bells for him as his funeral procession made its way through town. It was a meaningful show of unity, Hollenbeck said. So this year, in the midst of the pandemic, Hollenbeck is hoping it will bring people together again, she said.
“It was kind of a brainstorm,” Hollenbeck said. “Hopefully it can help unite us and help us with what we are missing out on as a community”
Hollenbeck’s church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and volunteering with the church’s food pantry are getting her through these tough times, especially during one of the nation’s biggest religious holidays. Isolation, she said, has made her appreciate the little things, such as going to church and stores and hugging her friends.
Trinity will hold mass via Zoom, so members don’t miss out on that sense of togetherness this Easter, Hollenbeck said.
“This is the first time I’ve not been to Easter Sunday mass in my whole life,” Hollenbeck said. “But there’s nothing you can do except keep praying about it and hope it gets over with soon.”
After virtual church on Sunday, Hollenbeck and some of her volunteer group will have an Easter meal, she said.
“It is a comfort to know I have that familiar part of my life,” Hollenbeck said.
State leaders encouraging caution this weekend
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday issued guidance for churches and advice to Hoosiers on how to safely celebrate Easter.
Churches should live-stream services if possible. If churches choose to have in-person services, church buildings should be closed and churchgoers should stay in their cars. Cars should be parked with at least one empty parking space between them. Churchgoers should not carpool to the service and cars should only contain a single household, according to the order.
Church leaders should not interact with attendees during the service. High risk and elderly church members should consider not attending in-person services. It is recommended for communion to not be distributed, but if communion is offered, drinks and crackers should be prepackaged, the order said.
Holcomb recognizes the need to celebrate Easter, but hopes Hoosiers will heed his guidance and stay safe, he said Thursday.
For those attending services, he implored Hoosiers to “get the word and get home.”
“Our only desire is for your family, your congregation to be as safe, as strong and as healthy next week as they are this week,” he said.
Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box further urged residents to not meet in person for family dinners—beyond immediate family—and urged churches to be mindful of interactions this holiday weekend.
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For Easter, Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess urges residents to stay apart and continue to follow Gov. Eric Holcomb’s orders.
For Burgess, enforcing the stay-at-home order is a sticky constitutional issue and would depend on the situation surrounding the alleged violation, he said.
His advice to residents is to “be an adult” and follow the rules, he said.
“I understand that it is difficult for folks. It is for me, too,” Burgess said. “The CDC, the president and the governor are requesting people to use social distancing, so people need to use those guidelines.”
So far, businesses and churches have been in compliance with the order, he said.
Burgess was not aware of any residents who had violated the order, other than those who were issued citations after being arrested on other, non-related criminal charges, he said.
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Greenwood Easter bunny dance
What: The Easter bunny will dance and play music while parading through Greenwood. Families are welcome to gather on their front porches and yards;
When: 11 a.m. to noon Saturday;
Where: West Old Town Greenwood at 11 a.m.; The Oaks, on Oakwood Drive between Averitt Road and Smith Valley Road, at 11:30 a.m.;
Edinburgh bell ringing
What: Ring bells or make noise to celebrate Easter across Edinburgh;
When: 8 a.m. Sunday;
Where: Doorsteps, porches and yards in Edinburgh.
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