Like most places of worship, Westside Evangelical Lutheran Church is using an online option to reach its congregation during social distancing and COVID-19. This Easter Sunday, the church will also be hoping to be heard.
On Sunday at 9 a.m., the bells at 510 Ferndale Dr. N. will ring to signify the start of the most sacred of days on the Christian calendar.
Pastor Ann Krueger told BarrieToday the bells are rung every Sunday, but she believes it is even more important to do so this Sunday.
“This is obviously a tradition of signalling that church service is beginning, and though we are not using the physical building, we are having our online service with Zoom,” said Krueger. “The bells ringing are also a bit of a signal of hope, like a blue ribbon around the tree or a candle in the window.
“I hope when someone hears the bells they feel that sense of hope.”
The Westside Church has posted on the website that they hope other churches in the city will ring their bells at 9 a.m. to see if the sound can fill the sky and possibly reach the front-line workers at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.
“I think we all need to say some prayers for the frontline workers right now. They’re in the middle of all this and have their own families to worry about as well,” said Krueger.
Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday) marks the day that Jesus rose from death. It is a highly celebrated day every year, but Krueger says this Sunday may feel even more personal to many.
“Easter is about faith and hope. It is about light coming from the darkness; a new day, so to speak,” said Krueger. “I think we all need to see some light at the end of this current situation. It will come, we know that. Until then, many of us can look at the events celebrated this Sunday and take comfort in knowing it.”
