Churches Adapt to Social Distancing for Holy Week

April 3, 2020, 5 p.m. ·

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With Holy Week set to begin Sunday, churches across Nebraska are looking for ways to celebrate while complying with social distancing rules.


Greg Griffith is lead pastor at King of Kings church in Omaha. Three weeks ago the church moved all services and gatherings online. They also closed their facilities except for essential staff and their childcare center.

For Palm Sunday and Easter, Griffith said the church wanted to do something special.

“We are created for community as people. Regardless of our faith, we are a communal people,” Griffith said. “We do want to give community in ways that are possible and respectful of social distancing, so we thought a few weeks ago, ‘What would it look like to have a drive-in style service?’ We’re kind of saying that you know right now some of the old has become new again.”

The church will have a large screen in place at the front of the parking lot to show the services. Attendees can listen to a low frequency FM broadcast of the service audio on their car radios. Space is available for 190 cars, which will be spaced 8 feet apart. Churchgoers will be asked to keep their windows rolled up, and there will be no communion or offering.

Also in Omaha, the Arch Diocese will be live streaming liturgies during Holy Week, in addition to live streams from local parishes.