BUFFALO, N.Y. — Easter church services looked a little different this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
While many churches in Western New York had virtual services via live streams on their websites, True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo offered a drive-in church service.
Pastor Darius Pridgen, who is also the Buffalo Common Council President, encouraged people to listen from home but told 2 On Your Side that the drive-in service was a safe option for people who planned on going out on Easter.
"They will be able to actually listen to the service through our closed-circuit radio system that they will be able to tune in, sit right there in their car for an abbreviated service and go home," Pridgen said.
There were several cars in the parking lot, and some people were seen outside of their vehicles.
Pridgen said they had safety measures in place. No one was allowed to leave their cars and the few people helping with the service wore personal protective equipment.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was wary of such an idea.
"We are not recommending drive-in masses of any type," Poloncarz said during his Saturday afternoon news conference.
Pridgen said of people concerned about the service, "everybody has the right to their opinion, and at the end of the day this was probably more safe than going to the grocery store. This was probably more safe than being in a big box store or even being in a park because people were in their personal cars."
Pridgen tested positive for coronavirus in late March. His daughter also tested positive for coronavirus and at one point was in intensive care and on a ventilator.
Pridgen said Sunday that everyone in his family has recovered from the virus.
"Everybody is out of the hospital. My daughter is out of the hospital and at home with her family, and everybody has recovered," he said.
