Churches welcome greater attendance

CLOVIS — The innovations churches have taken as in-person services have been restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic run the gamut — from low-tech wristbands to high-tech options like webcasts and online seat booking.

But there’s no replacement for the ability to just be in church, and local pastors said Saturday is a meaningful change with a new public health order that allows houses of worship to have 40% occupancy. Churches have been operating at 25% capacity.

“It’s massive,” said Jason Swann, executive pastor at Faith Christian Family Church. He noted recent surveys indicate average church attendance is around 33% nationwide. That means a change from 25% to 40% can literally be the difference between a church seating everybody who arrives and turning people away.

“That’s the last thing you want to tell somebody as a church,” Swann said. “’Sorry, we don’t have room for you.’”

The change, Swann said, can also motivate somebody who was coming to church anyway to bring a friend they think needs the message.

The church has put out about 400 chairs for services and has consistently filled every seat. Now, an estimated 200 more chairs can come in.

Swann noted the church has taken countless precautions even though some feel they’re illogical, like taking a husband and wife who arrived in the same car and will leave in the same car and putting them in socially distanced seats. But he said he’s been so proud of the church membership for how careful they’ve been as well.

One idea that’s paid off, Swann said, is a wristband system. Everybody can choose one of three wristbands at the entrance — red indicating no interaction, yellow indicating a willingness to talk but not touch and green if they’re good to talk, shake hands, etc. The crowd is about 60% green, 30% yellow and 10% red, which Swann said isn’t surprising because people coming into a building of around 500 people have some level of comfort.

Don Thomas, senior pastor at Central Christian Church in Portales, said he has disagreements with any orders to limit capacity because he feels worship is essential, and even moreso in such a difficult time. But the church will follow every guideline it has to, and an extra 15% capacity is welcome.

“Obviously, any increase gives us more flexibility,” Thomas said. “Trying to keep the 6-foot distance is still a challenge.”

A 2019 renovation of the church has paid dividends Central Christian couldn’t have possibly anticipated at the time. The work added 4,000 square feet, in turn increasing occupancy limits that are so key in public health orders, and converted pews to chairs with an online booking system similar to what you’d get at a movie theater.

“The software zeroes out the 6 feet around it,” Thomas said. “It has proven to be very helpful. If everybody sits where they’re registered, we’re doing fine. Online services have also been helpful.”

The church currently offers two services, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, but plans to add a second Sunday service to hopefully add more overall guests and lower the average crowd at those services.