COVID-19: Online Service, Home Cell Worship Overtake Sunday Services In Port Harcourt
Following directive by the Rivers State government for people to observe social distancing protocol as a way of containing the spread of coronavirus pandemic, many churches in the state and Port Harcourt in particular put their open services on hold by making use of the social media to put in place online services.
Although some other local churches with fewer congregation held their Sunday service in a well spaced setting, the bigger ones with vast numerical strength, according to investigation by the National Network ,resulted to making use of there existing cell structures to organize church services in their various spread.
For instance, the Living Faith church known as Winners Chapel held their Sunday Service making use of their home cell structure. Some of the services lasted for the maximum of two hours. At Rumuigbo, one of the home cell structure put in place by Winners Chapel, which was monitored by our reporter, members within the vicinity called out neighbours to join in their Sunday service as they offered prayer, praise and worship to God.
They also prayed that God should be merciful to the nation and the world at large by delivering it from coronavirus.
At the Assembly of God I. Rumuigbo, normal Sunday service took place with fewer worshippers who gathered to worship.
But it was a complete ball game as Rhema Chapel International Churches, Port Harcourt organized an online church service which commenced at 9:am on Sunday.
Many church members linked up to the online service by spreading information among the members to hook on from their different locations.
Speaking on reason the church decided to go online, the Minister-in-Charge of Rhema Chapel International Churches Port Harcourt, Pastor Abiola Ajadi stated that the church embarked on the innovation of using the online platform for its Sunday service as a law abiding entity
According to him, the zonal headquarters church is located at a central area in Rumuola, hence the need to ensure that no overcrowding of persons took place.
The online Service which was titled ‘Trusting God’ was hailed by members who expressed joy that the Pastor had ministered to their spirit at the critical time when the whole world is facing coronavirus attack.
Those who joined the link online expressed their expectation of the continuity of the online service, even as they prayed that God’s intervention will bring churches together again.
