Scores of churches across the island are planning to have virtual watch night services on New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day because of curfew orders enforced by the Government to slow spread of the novel coronavirus.

Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang told the Jamaica Observer on Monday that churches should abide by the guideline for gatherings and should seek approval for events beyond curfew hours of 10:00 pm.

“I have not seen any major request so far. [But] before I give approval of extension of time they have to get approval from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government, if they satisfy the requisite protocols,” said Dr Chang.

Bishop Everton Thomas who leads the congregation at the Emmanuel Apostolic Church in Kingston and St Catherine explained that the New Year’s Eve services will be held for 90 minutes of adoration and praise under the theme, ‘Unstoppable – Standing Strong when things go wrong’, followed by watch night service which will be held via Zoom.

“One will begin at 5:00 pm and last until 6:30 pm at the Kingston church and the other will begin at 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm at the Portmore church. After that we will then go on Zoom at 11:00 pm for a cross-over celebration, as we have been using Zoom since the pandemic started in March and we will finish at about 12:30 am,” said Bishop Thomas.

Noting that the churches usually accommodated 1,000 – 1,200 people before the novel coronavirus pandemic, Bishop Thomas said that a “first come, first served” method will be applied to facilitate those who come for worship.

“What we have been doing for the past several weeks is that persons call in on a first come, first served basis in Kingston and Portmore, and we are doing the same thing for the New Year’s Eve services. With the required physical distance of six feet, we are down to 150 people in Kingston and 120 people in Portmore,” he said.

However, Bishop Thomas stated that for Christmas Sunday, churchgoers were turned away from the church at the Portmore location, as they were not registered and the same method will be applied for New Year’s Eve.

“Last Sunday we had to shut the main gate in Portmore because persons were pouring in after the building was maxed out, so we had to apologise and let them know that they should have called in to register. For protocols, we are at 100 per cent compliance now, as we have been recording the temperature for each person, sanitised after each service and ensure six feet distance in the church,” he said.

Senior Pastor of Faith Temple Assembly of God, Montego Bay, Bishop Conrad Pitkin added that churches will be abiding by COVID-19 protocols.

“A New Year’s Eve service will be held early in the evening and others will do a virtual watch night. All protocols will be observed as is normally done by the churches,” he said.

In the meantime, church administrator Dawn Betton at the Maxfield Avenue Church of God of Prophecy said that service will also be held via Zoom.

“We continue abiding by protocols, which we have started in March. For new year’s, we will be having a virtual watch night via Zoom. The church is big enough to hold 120 people with two per bench. We have to continue observing protocols because people come out more than ever on Christmas Sunday and New Year’s Sunday,” she said.

Betton explained that if the church exceeds the limit, some will be seated outside the church.

“Based on the amount we can hold, we have not had the trouble of closing the door or telling someone that they cannot get in. If it goes over, we have the verandas that can hold about 10 chairs on each side while maintaining the distance,” she said.