Black pastors see popular Easter services as an opportunity to rebuild in-person worship attendance

By Darren Sands | The Associated Press Rev. William H. Lamar IV, top, and Rev. Cozette Thomas, right, pray with a parishioner during Palm Sunday services at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, Sunday, March 24, 2024. Lamar says their churches are still feeling the pandemic’s impact on attendance, even as they have rolled out robust online worship options to reach people. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades) WASHINGTON (AP) — At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many churches moved their services online, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV initially shuddered at the thought that he needed to morph into a “video personality” to stay engaged with his parishioners. “I resisted kicking and screaming because I’m a child of the ’70s,” said Lamar, the senior pastor of historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. “I’m not a digital native.” Four years later, Lamar, a talented preacher, has adjusted to offering both virtual and in-person services. After a noticeable attendance drop, more Metropolitan congregants are choosing in-person worship over virtual, even as they mourn members who died from COVID-19. This Easter, Lamar is grateful to be back in person with his flock, believing it’s a fitting way to celebrate the...