With churches across America shuttered for services, some congregations have developed drive-in services in an attempt to quickly fill the void.
Hundreds of thousands of churches across the U.S. have been forced to suspend their weekly services as officials ordered strict restrictions to help contain the spread of coronavirus.
But in such a time of uncertainty, communities are finding creative ways to still get together while still respecting social distancing rules.
Aerial view as Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church holds services in the church parking lot on March 29, 2020 in Mount Juliet, Tennessee.
Parishioners of Global Vision Bible Church raise their hands in prayer and to live-stream services in the church parking lot
Billy Kennedy, offering hugs to other parishioners of Global Vision Bible Church
Tennessee. Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order that prohibits social gatherings of 10 or more in response to coronavirus (COVID-19), which is also recommended by the CDC
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues forcing people to stay at home, churches have found new ways to reach their communities
Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church preaches to those gathered outside
Parishioners of Global Vision Bible Church pray during services in the church parking lot
The Tennessee church is hosting gatherings outside where people can feel connected while maintaining a safe distance
An usher directs attendees to a parking spot for services at Immanuel Lutheran Church In Lawrence, Kansas
In the town of Gu-Win, Alabama, the Blue Moon Drive-In Theater transformed its silver screen into an outdoor church to host congregants of the Faith Fellowship Church of Winfield.
‘Last week, the seriousness of it all took a toll on me,’ said Morgan Cochran, 33, to NBC News, who is a nurse. ‘I really needed church.’
Cochran went this Sunday and was able to attend the church service from the safety of her car.
Rev. Peter Gower celebrates Mass from the front door of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church as worshippers listen over the radio from their cars in the parking lot on Sunday,
Reverend Peter Gower walks out to the parking lot to spread incense to worshippers sitting in their cars
Gower started the Mass for those to attend from their cars last week as gatherings became restricted due to the coronavirus
Father Phillip Tran speaks during a live-streamed mass at the St. Augustine Church & Catholic Student Center, in Coral Gables, Florida
Father Phillip Tran prays among empty pews during a live-streamed mass
Masses open to parishioners have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic
‘People want to connect to something stable,’ said Harry Saylor, senior pastor at the church. ‘From our wealth to our health, everything is shaky right now.’
Chris Curtis, who owns Blue Moon-Drive In closed the business last week but felt okay when it came to offering the venue to the church.
‘I wanted to give people something where they feel safe,’ he said to NBC.
His cousin, John York, owns Birdsong Drive-In Theater in Camden, Tennessee.
York is planning to offer Easter Sunday services at the theater.
The Benton First Baptist Church is to use bring its congregation to the outdoor venue next weekend.
Surrounded by his family, Trent Allen, top, pastor at Calvary Chapel Jackson, speaks into a laptop as he conducts a livestream church service from his living room on Sunday,
Head priest Melaku Genet Komodo Aba Teklehaimanot with the Debre Genet Kidist Kidane Meheret Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church used a censer with incense to bless people
‘So many people are wanting to do something. They’re all stuck in their homes,’ he said. ‘I’m a Christian and I know that without God, I wouldn’t be able to deal with it.’
Todd Pendergrass the executive pastor of administration at Kingsland Baptist Church, decided to take to the internet to keep in touch with his 3,000-strong congregation.
The Kingsland church streamed Sunday services for the last two weeks with more than 6,500 people tuning in through the church’s app and website.
Pastor Bobby Contreras speaks as he streams an online service without church goers present at Alamo Heights Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas
Pastor Bobby Contreras, top right, and a small staff hold an stream an online service
Pastor Bobby Contreras, left, and Ares Messinain, right, prepare to stream an online. Due to the coronavirus outbreak churches in the area are closed and many are televising services
San Fernando Cathedral holds a televised service with an empty church in San Antonio, Texas
Priest Joachim Giesler stands in the parish church in front of photos with parishioners who were asked to send in photos after the service was closed due to coronavirus in Germany
More than 300 pictures were printed out and hung on the pews
The choir is limited to a couple of singers practicing social distancing while helping to lead the worship service at the Union Springs Baptist Church in Rutledge, Georgia
At the end of worship service, members wave goodbye to each other rather than hug or shake hands while as they practice social distancing in the pews at the Union Springs Baptist Church
Faith Fellowship church holds a ‘drive-in’ church service in their parking lot over a loudspeaker during the COVID-19 outbreak, Salem, Virginia
Due to the coronavirus outbreak churches are closed and many are televising services, holding services online or hosting them outdoors
For Easter the church plans to rent outdoor screens and radio transmitters so that people can attend in their cars.
‘They are looking for somebody to tell them it’s OK, and nobody can really say that yet,’ he said. ‘But we can express that the person we trust in Christ is unchanging.’
‘In times of disaster, people start to right themselves,’ he said. ‘People are looking for a sense of hope.
Rev. Peter Gower of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church as worshippers listen over the radio in their cars Gower started the Mass for those to attend from their cars last week
Reverend Aaron Goodro delivers his sermon from the roof of the First Baptist Church to parishioners listening from inside their cars, in Plaistow, New Hampshire
A parishioner makes an offering into a plastic covered box from his car after attending services at the First Baptist Church, where Reverend Aaron Goodro delivered his sermon from the roof
Pastor Tony Spell (far right) has defied a shelter-in-place order by Louisiana Gov John Bel Edwards, due to the new coronavirus pandemic, and continues to hold church services with hundreds of congregants
Assistant ministers and worshippers outside the front doors and in the parking lot at Life Tabernacle told media to leave, saying cameras would not be allowed on the property and worshippers had been told not to talk to reporters
Despite the ingenuity, hundreds of people still managed to flout Louisiana’s COVID-19 ban on gatherings and attended one of three church services in Baton Rouge despite warnings from the state’s governor.
An estimated 500 people of all ages filed inside the mustard-yellow and beige Life Tabernacle church in Central, a city of nearly 29,000 outside Baton Rouge.
Paul Quinn, a resident of Central who lives near the church, said the church service was a health hazard.
‘Other congregations are using the Internet, Skype, and other safe ways to congregate. Why can’t they? What makes them so special?’ said Quinn.
‘I wish state police would come out and do something. This is above our little local police level. The state needs to get involved. If they get out of church and go to the grocery store, it’s a serious health hazard. They don’t know how many people they’re affecting, and they don’t seem to care. That’s a problem.’
Louisiana state police said the community cannot ‘enforce’ its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic and is instead ‘dependent upon the responsible actions and cooperation of our citizens, businesses, and local community leaders.’
Congregants arrived by buses (pictured) to the Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana
Lance Knippers was protesting outside the church as members arrived for service Sunday