Ministers across the country are having to reconsider every aspect of how they conduct their sermons amid tighter crowd restrictions resulting from the pandemic. Each week, we will spotlight a different church from the area to see how they are adapting to the ever-evolving crisis
ROCKINGHAM — Cars filled the baseball field at Place of Grace (POG) Campus last Sunday and tuned their radios to 88.1 F.M. to listen to the sermon and gospel music, which was delivered from atop a platform. Drive-in church services like these are becoming the norm as COVID-19 continues to change every facet of modern life.
In addition to the service being broadcasted over the radio, it was also live-streamed on POG’s Facebook page. “We’ve been doing live streaming for two years,” explained POG Pastor Gary Richardson. POG is located at the former Rohanen Middle School in East Rockingham and it’s campus now includes a food pantry, cafeteria, kitchen, and homeless shelter.
Richardson found God after a particularly harrowing experience over 20 years ago. “On January 8, 1999 I was a drug addict. I left the drug house contemplating suicide and in the midst of it the Lord spoke to my heart and told me he loved me,” said Richardson. “That changed my life. Ever since then I’ve been trying to share with folks who were like me that there’s hope.”
Place of Grace was started several years ago by Richardson after a local homeless shelter burned down. “We started Place of Grace Rescue Mission back in those days,” said Richardson. “We’ve been running for quite a while, but we’ve only been at this location, where we acquired the school, for about 20 months.”
In addition to the Residential Program, which allows homeless individuals to live on campus, POG is also connected to NC Works and Richmond Community College in order to provide GED classes and job opportunities to the community. Recovery classes for women and families is offered on Tuesdays at 3 p.m. and peer support counseling for residents and the local community are offered from 1 – 3 p.m. every day.
“Since the pandemic has begun, we’ve formed relationships with folks we didn’t know. In doing that, we’re able to help supply some of their immediate needs like food and clothing,” said Richardson. “Whatever people need, we do our very best to help them. Mentally, physically, spiritually.”
“We’re facing something we’ve never faced before. It’s unprecedented,” said Richardson. “Going home and waiting till it’s over is not an option for me. Not when there’s a need. Right now, the biggest need is a message of hope. It’s going to be alright. It’s going to take some time to get through this.”
