See indoor services resume for Easter at this Sacramento church after a yearlong pause

Two reawakenings were celebrated in Oak Park on Sunday as St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church met indoors for Easter services.

The first — the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion — was traditional. The second was the resumption of indoor services after a hiatus that lasted more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Nothing like in-person worship,” said Senior Pastor Kenneth Reece.

“Honestly I give all praises to God for giving us the opportunity to get back in. But I think the pandemic was an act of God. It was part and parcel to getting the church ready. I think their hearts were more centered now than probably before because it seemed as if we took the worship for granted.

“Now that we have been absent from it… we realize the true importance what it means to worship together,” he said.

Evidence of the pandemic remained: families had to preregister for the service, congregants’ temperatures were checked on entry and caution tape cordoned off alternating pews to ensure social distancing.

This story was originally published April 4, 2021 at 5:06 PM.