ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Easter services will be like no other in 2020, with many members of Christian denominations watching services online from home for health and safety reasons.

Rev. Kenny Irby of Historic Bethel AME Church in St. Petersburg called it a tough decision to take his services online three weeks ago. But he knew it’d be difficult for his members to abide by social distancing, which calls for people to stay six feet away from each other at all times. 

“You know, if I get what I refer to as 'seasoned saints' and the new believers of the church, they’re going to want to shake hands, they’re going to want to hug, they’re going to want to kiss on the cheek and you know' everything we know about this virus, the eyes, the nose, the mouth, the face is the primary entry point and we want to avoid that,” said Irby. 

In addition, he’s aware that people who are asymptomatic can spread the virus unknowingly. 

“We don’t want to be in a place where we can impact adversely other's health as well as ourselves, so stay at home is the order of the day for such a time as this,” Irby said. 

While Florida is under a safer at home order, religious services are exempt. 

Irby, however, chooses to err on the side of caution. 

“We have a number of members in our congregation that are on breathing machines, on oxygen, have heart condition, have hypertension and diabetes,” Irby said. 

Those are all conditions more prevalent in the black community that health experts say put them at more risk for severe complications of COVID-19, and in some places like Louisiana and Milwaukee county, more prone to die from it. 

Irby calls church online a temporary substitution for the greater good and encourages people to use the time to grow in their faith. 

“Grow your personal ministry. The scripture tells us the church is in you. It’s not solely a building.”

The Historic Bethel AME Church will hold service on Facebook Live, starting at 9:30 a.m.