Several churches in the La Salle-Peru area reopening for on-site services

Just days ago, Father Tom Otto celebrated Mass in front of empty pews and parishioners watching on Facebook. It was awkward, but the pandemic has forced the La Salle priest to make do.

Thursday, Otto again celebrated with the camera rolling but within near-reach of more onlookers than his last full Mass on March 13. The Diocese of Peoria has restored public Masses, and Otto wasted no time convening a vigil Mass in the parking lot at St. Patrick Church in La Salle.

“This is such a joy for me, I don’t even know what to say,” Otto said to a crowd of about 60 people.

Other pastors will be heard singing a similar tune when Sunday rolls around. Not all churches are being reopened, and the novel coronavirus pandemic is not yet a thing of the past. However, the pandemic has sufficiently eased so the region’s largest hierarchical denomination is resuming services, albeit under tight infection protocols and by limiting in-person attendance to 25% of capacity.

The Orthodox Churches are following a similar protocol. The Rev. Andrew Kishler, pastor of St. George Orthodox Church in Spring Valley, will conduct in-person services this Sunday, which is Pentecost on the Orthodox calendar. Nevertheless, he still is bringing Holy Communion to the elderly and infirm and has no plans to stop livestreaming his services.

“I’m not going to tell people not to come,” Kishler said, “but I’m being extra-cautious with those who are elderly or at-risk.”

Other churches already have resumed public services, including Mighty Word Church in La Salle, which reopened its sanctuary on May 31.

“People were relieved to be back,” Pastor Neil King said. “It felt like some sort of going back to normal. It was a kind of fresh air for people.”

Pastor Tyler Sultze of Grace Bible Fellowship in Peru reported similar feedback when he presided over outdoor services on May 31. This weekend, they will be held indoors.

“Last week, we were outside on our lawn, and this week we’re back in our building,” Sultze said.

Sultze said attendance last week was, understandably, a bit below average – about 65 worshippers, down from a pre-pandemic average of 75 – and he expects a few at-risk members to sit out this weekend, too. Those who do come, he said, can rest assured the church has received a deep-cleaning, with another to follow Monday.

As a rule, smaller congregations have reopened or will reopen this weekend. That’s not the case for churches with older memberships, however. COVID-19 poses greater risks for senior citizens with underlying health conditions, and several pastors said they remain wary of exposing their grayish flocks to any level of infection.

The doors will remain closed this weekend at First Congregational Church of La Salle, for example. Pastor Lee Iseley huddled earlier this week with the church council, and they agreed upon a more conservative return date of June 21.

“We will open on Father’s Day and follow the social distancing guidelines,” Iseley said. He noted a more belated opening was warranted because most members are senior citizens and are consequently at higher risk of infection.

Cameron Graper, lead pastor of Ax Church in La Salle, presides over a younger flock, but they, too, are sticking with digital broadcasts as opposed to in-person attendance, at least for the remainder of June.

Graper said digital outreach has been effective, so Ax Church has been encouraging “watch parties” where church members invite friends over to celebrate services. This ensures outreach while giving church leaders time to reassess the progress of the pandemic.

“The month of June, we’re still 100% digital,” Graper said, and while the target return date is July, “We’ll have a fuller picture in a few weeks.”

First Presbyterian Church in Morris also intends to continue livestreaming until Illinois reaches Phase 4 (expected late June) and perhaps beyond. Rev. Roy Backus, pastor, said they took a survey and found that for every member itching to return to the pews, there is another willing to continue with broadcast services until the pandemic has receded fully.

“We just really believe in taking the safe approach,” Backus said. “We’ll continue to stream even after we return to church.”

St. John’s Lutheran Church also is playing it extra-safe. The Peru church will remain closed until COVID-19 is more firmly in the rearview mirror.

Pastor Tom Redig said the church council has discussed resuming public services but is keeping the doors shut in light of the many logistical issues and, frankly, the fear somebody will get sick.

“We’re working on setting up guidelines for holding services in our parking lot and doing drive-thru services,” Redig said. “We’re just trying to stay safe.”