church-christmas
NEW YORK (AP) — Amid the surge of coronavirus cases across the U.S., numerous churches have canceled in-person Christmas services, disappointing pastors and churchgoers who consider them an annual highlight.
Other churches planned outdoor services or proposed a hybrid of online and in-person worship, often imposing tight restrictions for those in attendance. These included requirements to wear masks and show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Among the prominent churches canceling some or all of their in-person Christmas services were Washington National Cathedral in the nation’s capital; St. John the Divine, the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; and the historic Old South Church in Boston.
The Rev. Nancy Taylor, senior minister of Old South, said the church – affiliated with the United Church of Christ – still hoped to hold in-person Christmas Day services on Saturday, but was shifting its popular Christmas Eve service to online-only.
