The Inside Story of Sacrament Meeting During a Pandemic

  COVID-19 began to spread so much, the government asked churches not to have their services together as a congregation. 

   We started out with doing a video of the meeting through YouTube.  Bishop Holden asked Ben Carlston if he would be willing and felt that he was able to pull this off.  Ben met with Matt Goodman from the Vineyard Ward and learned how to use the proper software to make that happen.

    When the virus seemed to be slowing down, we did meet once outside, taking all the precautions of temperature readings, wearing masks and social distancing. But the virus continued to spread.

   Then came Zoom.  Fortunately, Ben had worked with it in his occupation and was familiar with how to do it.  Bishop Holden took the picture below which shows Ben doing his work from way back in the chapel.  Bishop Holden made the stand himself. The camera is placed on a tripod in the left of the picture.  

    It must be interesting giving a talk to just Ben and a few other participants in the almost empty room. A member of the bishopric sterilizes the stand and microphone before each speaker.  A special thanks to all those who have been asked to give talks as well as those who will give them in the future.

   The stake presidency just announced that we will have more virtual classes from now on. (See previous  blog entry.)