Easter church services go ahead for first time in COVID-19 era

COVID-cautious churchgoers have rejoiced after being able to gather for Easter services for the first time in two years.

Queensland churchgoers and leaders have rejoiced after being able to unite for Easter services for the first time in two years.

Masks, social distancing and bookings were required for those attending and livestreams were in place for those who felt more comfortable joining in from home.

Brisbane’s three-day snap lockdown ended just in time for Queenslanders to attend services in person, something we can no longer take for granted, according to St John’s Anglican Cathedral’s The Very Reverend Dr Peter Catt.

“Last year we were prevented from gathering for the celebration of Easter by the first COVID lockdown. Last week it looked as if we were facing that prospect once more,” he said.

“The thought of missing a second Easter was devastating.

“ … the missed Easter and the prospect of a second missed Easter brought home a deep truth for me: we humans need shared, in-the-flesh, experiences.

The congregation at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane’s CBD for a Good Friday service. Picture: Richard Walker

“As good as it is to connect online, we need to be with one another. There is something about an embodied experience that cannot be matched by the virtual world.

“At its heart, the Easter story is about God sharing all of life with us; the highs and the lows, the good and the bad.”

CJ Barnaby and Reynne Goes attended one of their first services at the The Cathedral of St Stephen, with hopes of making a tradition of it.

“I feel great,” Mr Barnaby said, “Really happy to be here.”

“It’s good to see that they’re being rational about restrictions.”

Most Reverend Mark Coleridge Archbishop of Brisbane said everyone had been broken by the pandemic in one way or another.

“A year ago we were bracing ourselves for what lay ahead; we certainly didn’t think we’d be back here again this year,” said Archbishop Coleridge in a homily on Thursday night.

“Now there’s more a sense of weariness in what seems like a marathon with no finishing line, especially after this week’s lockdown.”

“Christians call this day not bad Friday but Good Friday and for good reason, because this is not death, this is in fact life, the ultimate good, the ultimate gift.”

The Cathedral of St. Stephen Dean, Father Anthony Mellor, said there continued to be much commentary about how post-pandemic life might change us and our world.

“If we are to mirror the life-changing transformation of the early Church, we will continually need to look for the seeds of new life that God will sow in a post-COVID world,” he said.

“These seeds will only be seen by those who can be surprised by joy.”