Madison Magazine June-July 2020 | Page 17

them from attending service. “We’re reinventing ourselves,” he said. “It meets the needs of other people. We can continue to be available to (former members), but also to our own members here in Madison County.” For churches who already offered online services, the switch to 100% online service wasn’t too difficult to achieve. For Crossroads Church Richmond, located on South Keenland Drive, online services already existed for those who wished to worship but did not live near a Crossroads location, or “site.” David Reichley, the Richmond community pastor at Crossroads Richmond, said after the outbreak their church decided to “shut (things) down and shut (them) down quickly.” Meaning no in-person church services were held and the church swiftly rerouted activities into a 100% online format. However, this change did not come without faults. Reichley said the hardest hit area of worship was worship designed specifically with children in mind. At Crossroads, a special area is dedicated to children between first and fifth grade — this area is in a separate part of the building and is where children learn through kidfriendly Bible stories, games and music. “It’s much harder to do online,” Reichley said. Yet, at a time when individuals are asked to social distance, Reichley attests Crossroads’ bonds to the community have never been stronger. Crossroads has worked with local nonprofits, such as God’s Outreach, by asking members to volunteer and get out in the community. Members have helped hand out groceries to those in need and donated their time and energy to look after those who need it. The church has taken services a step further by creating a phone call initiative in which every attendee of the church — both past and present, who can be found in the Crossroads database — is called by church leadership, who hope to check in and offer guidance. This newfound outreach program is something Reichley believes the church will continue to practice. “Even when we get back together, that is something we’ll continue to value and do,” Reichley said. Crossroads has not yet opened its doors, although churches were given the OK in mid- May, and will continue to offer online services until church leaders feel it is safe enough to open up. “We’re trying to make a good, healthy, safe decision,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is make a decision that puts people at risk.” Through it all, Reichley assures that the loss of an in-person service did not lead to a loss of faith for those who practice. “You realize the church isn’t a building, it’s the people and the work God does through the people,” he said. ABOVE: Charles Judd leads a worhip service for McCready Manor residents. BELOW: Crossroads Richmond delivers coffee and donuts to Baptist Health Richmond. You can still make memories and we can help Dad told the hospice team he wanted to fly 859.986.1500 hospicecareplus.org Call today to learn more about our home-hospice and home-palliative programs. He even got to pilot! June- July 2020 Madison Magazine 17