Drive-thru communion at Redcliffe church

In uncertain times, innovation and creative thinking is even taking place in some of our oldest institutions. Drive-thru communion anyone?

Cue Redcliffe Uniting Church, a return to face-to-face worship and a desire to keep vulnerable members of the congregation COVIDSafe.

The church opened its doors for face-to-face services on Sunday, August 2, after being forced to close in March when COVID-19 restrictions came into force.

“Our church personally cares for something like 1 per cent of the Redcliffe population, and many of them are older. As we returned to our building, we didn’t want those who are vulnerable and staying home to feel left out. So, enabling them to watch online, then drive through for the final part just made sense,” Lead Minister Paul Clark explains.

How the shutdown changed things

“Worship is really central to who we are as churches,” Rev Clark says.

“The word ‘Church’ derives from the Greek work for ‘Gathering’. So, for a church not to be able to gather goes to our core identity.”

But lock-down, rather than being the end for local churches, has been a new beginning. Many of them have quickly learnt to live stream, zoom or start a youtube channel, with younger members coming to the fore to help get things online.

Many churches increased their viewers as they were no longer limited by geographical boundaries, and people who would never darken the door of a church, went online to find hope.

“We’ve got people from Victoria, WA, North Queensland and NSW joining us each Sunday. The church has been wondering how to grow our audience, especially with younger people. God throws us a curve ball that makes it happen” Rev Clark says.

Need guidance?

Churches around the district care for a significant number of people during tough times. If you are looking for a community to belong to, check them out safely online and see if they will work for you?

Visit Redcliffe Uniting Church’s website.

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