While the doors to local churches may be closed because of the threat of the virus known as COVID-19, it doesn’t mean people of faith are not staying connected.

Several churches have moved services to an online format. Local churches doing this include Wesley United Methodist and First Christian Church.

Services are being live-streamed through Facebook Live.

Pastor Allen Carson, head of El Reno Ministerial Alliance and pastor at Wesley, said his church is among the ones that are planning on staying closed until at least April 6.

He said churches are choosing to follow CDC recommendations to prevent the spread of the disease.

“We are doing the best we can in a place we have not been before,” he said.

“This is a tough time and we want to be present in any way we can while respecting what the CDC has said about social distancing.”

Carson is also sending out daily devotionals to members of his congregation.

Catholic churches will not offer public Mass at least until Easter. Mass can be heard on Catholic Radio on FM 97.3, and KOCB TV, Channel 34 airs Sunday Mass at 6:30 a.m.

For Carson, there is hope in the midst of the chaos. He said that although he hasn’t experienced a pandemic in his lifetime, he’s learned from history that communities bounced back whenever there was an economic crash or a health challenge.

Carson also said that there is at least one good thing that can come from the pandemic — unity.

“It’s refreshing to see people in the government, from local to federal, across party lines working together and seeking to be in unity over the best response for this. We’ve been fighting as a country for a long time. So it’s one of the gifts that comes out of a hard place.”

Hope and optimism, according to Carson, are two of our most powerful weapons against uncertainty.

“The most encouraging thing is that we’re not alone. God is with us and we have each other. That is how people in history have made it through these tough times.

“Regardless of what their faith was, they believed in something greater than themselves.”

First Baptist Church is offering online sermons at fbcelreno.com and on the church Facebook site.

The doors will be closed next week.

Faith Family is continuing to hold services on-site, keeping worshippers from sitting too close to one another.

Crossbridge Nazarene Church is offering online services only, livestreaming on Facebook every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

A date for reopening to the public has not yet been specified.

Bible Baptist is continuing its 11 a.m. Sunday service.

The service is also live-streamed at bbcer.org and on Facebook, along with the Wednesday services for those who choose not to attend.

Audio sermons can be delivered by mail.

The church also welcomes people to pray together in the auditorium on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran is closed until at least April 5.

The church is providing written sermons by mail, through Facebook, and at elrenotrinitylutheran.com.