La Cañada Presbyterian Church hosted its first live church service since March this past Sunday. The 6 p.m. gathering was held outdoors in the church parking lot, as nearly 150 people were in attendance, wearing masks and sitting in pre-marked circles for physical distancing.
The worship band played familiar songs and hymns while the masked congregants sang and hummed along. LCPC Senior Pastor Jeff Hoffmeyer preached his first sermon of a two-part series titled, “Benedictions: Blessed Beyond Measure.”
“Wow, after more than five months, it was so wonderful to worship together,” Hoffmeyer said. “It clearly meant so much to those who gathered for worship to be together, sing together, and pray together.”
Said Jack Lantz, LCPC’s director of music, worship and arts: “It was almost like a homecoming atmosphere. People were moved to gather together. Everyone had missed seeing their friends.
“Everyone arrived wearing a mask and, perhaps surprisingly, practiced social distancing and the appropriate safety protocols. Although we could not see them, it seemed as though there were many smiles behind the masks. [Pastor] Jeff stated that it was so much more rewarding preaching to a live group of people, rather than to a camera.”
A second outdoor worship experience is scheduled for Sunday evening, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m. Online registration is required.
