On a Sabbath afternoon in February, about 75 cars – filled with people from around the East Bay – lined up in the Golden Gate Academy parking lot for the outdoor communion service hosted by the Oakland Market Street church.
Since the pandemic began, the church has held four outdoor communion services, which include music, prayers, and a short sermon. The pastors encouraged people to wash their family members’ feet at home before coming to receive the bread and grape juice in prepackaged containers.
Participants appreciated the opportunity to see each other, even at a distance. “People are so excited about coming that they start arriving an hour ahead of time,” said Senior Pastor Edwin Brown. “They bring their kids and wave at each other.”
