In response to the COVID-19 crisis, East Hampton’s religious organizations have suspended in-person services, as well as Sunday school and all other gatherings and classes.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church has moved to a call-in system for a 10 a.m. prayer service led by the Rev. Leandra T. Lambert on Sunday and may continue offering this or another form of remote service going forward.
In a statement, the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre announced that all nonessential activities would be suspended at least through April 14. Funerals and weddings will be allowed only if necessary and limited to immediate family with a cap of 50 people. Churches were allowed to provide for private prayer at the pastors’ discretion. Most Holy Trinity remained open for prayer during daytime hours.
Sunday’s service at the Presbyterian Church was streamed and recorded and can be seen on fpceh.org, as will worship on Sunday. Frank Dalene ran the soundboard and Grier Magnusson the camera as the Rev. Scot McCachren preached to an echoing, empty sanctuary.
Mr. McCachren will also have Tuesday through Friday "office hours" on the church lawn from 1 to 2 p.m., to which he has invited members of the congregation to stop by to talk or pray with him.
Friday night and Saturday morning services at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons will be streamed at jcoh.org/live. The center’s adult learning classes have also gone online, at jcoh.org/adultlearning, and require installing Zoom meeting software.
The Methodist Church was also working on getting Zoom set up in time for Sunday’s 10 a.m. service. Updates will be posted at facebook.com/easthamptonpastor.
