After seven weeks of online sermons and prayer groups, members of the Life Family church gathered for an in-person service Sunday.
The megachurch opened the gates to its 1,500-seat amphitheater in Southwest Austin, but not before parishioners checked in and demonstrated proper protective gear.
A “welcome home” sign at the entrance greeted members.
The church closed its doors — across all four Central Texas locations — in March in accordance with stay-at-home orders put into the place by local officials to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
In April, Gov. Greg Abbott allowed churches statewide to reopen their doors, but most religious organizations have chosen to remain closed, offering online services.
Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on April 21 issued new guidelines for in-person worship that included attendees wearing personal protective gear, sitting 6 feet apart and sanitizing seats and surfaces.
Keeping in mind the health and safety of his congregation, Pastor Randy Phillips decided he would reopen the church’s Southwest Austin campus to provide relief and allow people to come together as a community, which he said doesn’t translate as well with online services.
The church will now welcome members back for one Sunday service each week.
Limiting seating to 350 people, church staff required members to show a downloaded ticket to the service and receive a heaping squirt of hand sanitizer at the gate before entering the outdoor space. All guests also were required to wear masks.
Ushers wearing masks and gloves seated family units 6 feet apart. Members greeted each other with smiles, waves, air kisses and elbow bumps.
Ruby Henry, who normally attends the downtown Austin service, said she prefers to get the experience in person, adding that it felt weird not to hug anyone.
Phillips led the group in an abbreviated service that included worship, music and Communion. Wearing patterned, colored and plain facial coverings — from bandanas to scarves to face masks — members of the congregation swayed and worshiped together but from a distance.
“You mean so much to me,” Phillips told the congregation as he fought back tears, “and I will never take it for granted again the beautiful fellowship we have together as believers.”
With research saying quarantines would lead to divorces and breakups, Phillips reminded members the time was an opportunity to deepen their relationships with each other and God and that unsettling circumstances shape the heart.
Country singer Granger Smith and his wife Amber, who live in Georgetown, shared the tragic story of the drowning death of their 3-year-old son River in the swimming pool at their home last summer. Working through the shock, fear and anger together, Amber said they used prayer and support and never blamed each other.
Exiting the venue in a socially distant fashion, many gathered in the parking lot to catch up and visit with friends — from a safe distance.
Friends Leslie Ridl, Shaula Scardami and Molly Lintz stuck around for a few minutes following the service, saying that being on the property for the first time in weeks was overwhelming and that leaving was hard.
For many, Life Family is a social and faith community and being apart has been difficult. Even with online services, it just wasn’t the same feeling, Scardami said.
“It’s nice to be back with the community,” Lintz said. “On a Zoom call you are using two senses — your eyes and ears. You just don’t get the same feeling over Zoom. This is more real because you are using all your senses. I don’t think we were expecting to be this overcome with emotion and I am just grateful for the opportunity to gather today.”
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