Ministry in Bloom: The Flower Guild During COVID-19
Holli Rogers
The Pandemic and Holy Week • Spring 2020
No one could have imagined a time when the doors of First Presbyterian Church would close, but in March 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic changed life as we knew it. On March 14, I was in the flower room preparing Lenten arrangements for Sunday worship when Malcolm received word that the church would be closing. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, all worship services, programs, and activities were suspended.
As Holy Week approached, the staff and Session remained committed to finding ways to celebrate the season and maintain a connection with the congregation. They turned to the Flower Guild for inspiration. Becky Tate, Anne Pittenger, Holly Eddins, Ginny Morrow, Suzann Emery, and I worked together to create floral and foliage displays for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter at the front of the church.
During those uncertain and unsettling days, the work felt like a ministry not only to the congregation and our neighbors "in the heart of Knoxville," but also to one another. Through flowers and symbols of the season, we continued to share messages of hope, faith, and resurrection when they were needed most.
Easter morning dawned chilly and damp, but Holly Eddins and Becky Tate faithfully tended the flowering cross, welcoming members who drove by to place flowers in its framework as a visible expression of Easter hope and community.
In the early weeks of the pandemic, First Presbyterian joined Fountain City and Sequoyah Presbyterian Churches in streaming worship services. By Easter, the church had developed its own streaming capabilities, allowing worship to continue even while the sanctuary remained empty.
In July 2020, First Presbyterian reopened its doors for carefully managed, COVID-conscious worship services, marking the beginning of a gradual return to gathering in person.