BY BRIANNA HAYES
Clarkston News Intern

Churches all across Michigan are planning ways to safely resume in-person services after livestream and Zoom adaptations including right here in Clarkston.
An obstacle faced within the church community was the separation of the family and personal feeling that went along with the weekly services.
Pastor Paul Undlin, at St. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, shared some self-reflecting thoughts brought up by the abrupt pause in the face-to-face relationship within the faith community.
“How do you do church when you can’t be in one another’s’ presence?” he asked. “How can you live unto the body of Christ when you can’t give a handshake or hug somebody, and you can’t help someone directly and physically?
“With the ‘stay home, stay safe’ order, it’s easy to lose touch with one another. I gave a regular encouragement at every worship service encouraging folks to not only reach out to not only their fellow members at St. Trinity, but also any of their family and friends in the area.”
Sashabaw Presbyterian Church had similar interactions going on during the stay home, stay safe order as well.
“Our denomination has a thing called ‘being a Matthew 25 church,’ which we had just done, and our big thing this year was mission,” Pastor Laura Sias-Lee said.
Along with grocery shopping for others, church members played musical instruments for those walking through their neighborhood, made masks to donate, and donated medical supplies where needed.
Most churches are still planning on carrying out online and Zoom worships for those who aren’t yet comfortable returning to in-person worships. For those who are eager to return face to face, new rules and regulations are being implemented.
Pastor Greg Henneman at the Clarkston Community Church said he is following the guidelines set out by the various authorities and held a gathering outside on June 28.
Sias-Lee shared her church’s reopening plan has not yet been voted on, but they think they will start with meetings outside.