Churches and pastors across North Texas are preparing for one of the most popular nights of the year when it comes to the pulpit. As COVID-19 cases show no sign of decreasing, Christmas Eve services will look very different from congregation to congregation.
For Senior Pastor Tim Bruster of First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, putting health and safety first is a no-brainer.
His church, which has 3,000-plus members, is offering virtual Christmas Eve services as well as two drive-in services in the church's parking lot.
Bruster will be giving his message from a scissor lift so people can see him, and battery-powered candles will be given out to members in their cars along with communion kits.
"It will be a completely different Christmas Eve than we've ever had, and we certainly hope to not repeat it," Bruster said. "To not be able to gather in person as we would normally on Christmas Eve is very difficult."
Last month, Bruster decided to do away with in-person services despite members wearing masks and distancing in the sanctuary.
Bruster said the church meets with a public health official weekly to understand the trend of COVID-19 cases.
When hospitalizations started to rise, Bruster said it was clear to go virtual.
"The real concern was the hospitals being overwhelmed," Bruster said. "We've made all of our decisions based on what's the most loving and caring thing we can do for the community."
Rev. Kyev Tatum of New Mount Rose Baptist Church in Fort Worth hasn't had an in-person church service since March. His congregation is smaller, but many of them are elderly, he said.
"We're going to quarantine until there's a vaccine," Tatum said. "We've had funerals in our church for those who have lost loved ones. People are passing away. This Christmas, we're not only going to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ but also the lives of everyone who's made it through this year so far. We'll celebrate and pray for the families who lost someone."
"Our present this year is life," said Tatum.
While Tatum and Bruster are strict on COVID-19 protocols, some churches are still meeting in person and offer different options for Christmas Eve services.
What seems to be most common is having services either outside or indoors, with masks being required for some services and "recommended" for others.
Watermark Church, for instance, is offering virtual and outdoor options for its Christmas Eve services.
At its Dallas campus, masks are required for all services, while its Plano campus is only requiring masks for one service.
For Prestonwood Baptist Church, four Christmas Eve services are being offered, but only one requires masks, and it's in the early afternoon.
There are others too that aren't requiring masks at all.
"No Masks Required" was flashing on the marquee belonging to the Light of the World Church in Fort Worth Friday.
A Christmas ad belonging to the church also said, "As always, masks not required."
Bruster said he's not taking a position on how other churches handle their business next week.
He's just focused on his congregation.
"For us, we're very clear. We're going to follow the best advice we can get from public health officials," said Bruster.