Some local churches are holding in-person services again as restrictions prompted by COVID-19 have eased. But others say they will continue to meet only online for now.

John Robinson, senior pastor of Gate City Christian Church in Chubbuck, says they welcomed their congregation back as soon as they were allowed to in May, and he’s been excited about the change.

“Seeing each other face-to-face is much more meaningful than contacting (each other) by phone or Zoom. There’s a sense of community created by it,” Robinson said.

Still, their services look different than they used to as they’ve implemented several precautions to help keep people safe.

The pastor says their chairs are spaced farther apart to meet social distancing requirements and all of their volunteers are required to wear masks. They’ve also placed sanitizing stations throughout the building so they can quickly wipe down surfaces in between meetings.

They’ve made other changes as well.

“We don’t have a meet-and-greet time where we shake hands and say, ‘Hi,’” Robinson said.

In addition, they’ve temporarily suspended their children’s programs, although they hope to start adding some of those back in toward the end of the month when Idaho is set to move out of its fourth and final stage of reopening the economy.

In the meantime, Robinson says they’re still offering online options so that families with young children and others with health concerns can continue watching their services from home, and many are choosing to go that route.

Some other local churches are holding their services strictly online for now.

The Rev. Jenny Peek, pastor of the Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, says the larger Unitarian Universalist Association has recommended its congregations across the nation remain virtual through May 2021.

She’s hoping they will be able to return to in-person services sooner than that, but she notes that there are a lot of things to consider, including the state’s recommendations, the number of new COVID-19 cases, and the age and underlying health conditions of their congregants.

“It’s multifaceted,” Peek said, adding that they will continue to monitor such things in the future as they consider when to start holding services again.

In the meantime, they’ve moved all of their programming onto a Zoom platform. And Peek said they’ve even added some programs to give people more opportunities to connect.

For instance, at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays they hold a casual check-in.

“(It allows people to) see each other and chat,” Peek said.

They’ve also added programming that covers spiritual, physical and emotional wellness topics.

Peek believes it’s important to offer such church services and programs right now even if they can only do so online.

“There is a lot of concern for folks feeling isolated and lonely in the uncertainty of the times we’re in,” Peek said, adding that it’s an unprecedented time for many living today. “This brings a routine and hopefully some comfort that helps folks.”

G. Michael Scarlett, pastor of Pocatello First United Methodist Church, says they are also planning to keep their services online for the foreseeable future.

He says the bishop who oversees the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area and a crisis team have created guidelines for reopening and they’re still a few phases away from being able to do so.

In the meantime, Pocatello First United Methodist Church is holding online services through its Facebook page.

Scarlett says the online meetings give their congregation a chance to be together and reconnect even when they have to be isolated.

“We desperately want to be able to be together, but we know that it’s the best thing to follow the bishop’s guidelines for us to stay away until it’s safer for us to be together,” Scarlett said.