Pastor Carlton Aiken Joins CBS3@4 To Discuss Celebrating Easter During Coronavirus Pandemic

Ukee Washington reports.

AND SERIES BACK FOR AN EIGHTHEPISODE ON SUNDAY.WELL, CHRISTIANS AROUNDTHE WORLD AND HERE IN OUR AREAWILL BE CELEBRATING EASTERSUNDAY IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYSBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.JOINING US NOW TO DISCUSS THISFURTHER PASTOR CARLTON EAKINSOF THE MISSIONARY BAPTISTCHURCH IN WEST OAK LANE.PASTOR, THANKS SO MUCH FORBEING WITH US.THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, IAPPRECIATE THAT.YOU KNOW THAT.HOW WILL YOUR CHURCH ANDCONGREGATION CELEBRATE EASTERTHIS SUNDAY.WELL, UKEE WE HAVE HAD TOMAKE SOME MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS TOHOW WE WOULD NORMALLY SERVE.WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BESTREAMING OUR SERVICES ON LINEVIA FACEBOOK WHICH WE HAVE HADTO DO WITH MOST OF OURSERVICES NOW JUST BY FOLLOWINGTHE GUIDELINES OF SOCIALDISTANCING.WE'RE JUST BLESSED WE HAVE HADRESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO STREAMOUR SERVICES ON LINE AND IT ISSOMETHING WE WEREN'T DOINGBEFORE PRIOR TO THE COVIDVIRUS AND NOW WE'RE ACTUALLYMOVING DOWN THAT PATH OFBROADENING OUR HORIZONS ANDDOING SOME THINGS THAT AREEXTRAORDINARY SO WE CAN SERVEON THIS SPECIAL DAY.LETS TALK ABOUT THOSEEXTRAORDINARY THINGS.YOUR CHURCH HAS BEEN PROVIDINGFOOD DRIVES FOR THE COMMUNITYI UNDERSTAND, TELL BUS THAT.OH, YES, I AM'S REALLYFORTUNATE BECAUSE FOR THE PASTEIGHT YEARS NOW WE HAVE BEENSERVING OUR COMMUNITY VIA OURMINISTRY.WE SERVE PRETTY MUCH FIVE DAYSA WEEK.WHEN THE VIRUS FIRST HIT OURFIRST CONCERN WAS OURVOLUNTEER, SAFETY.SO WE WANTED TO CUT BACK OURFOOD SERVICES TO TWO DAYS AWEEK, IN THE KNOWING HOW LONGACTUALLY THE VIRUS WOULD LASTBUT SINCE THAT TIME AND VERYQUICKLY WE HAVE HAD TOREADJUST THAT THINKING.WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DO FIVEDAYS A WEEK AND I HAVE TO SAYI'M VERY PLEASED WITH NOT ONLYOUR DEACON BENNET WHO RUNSFOOD MINISTRY AND HISVOLUNTEERS BUT THEY HAVE BEENFAITHFUL EVERY DAY, STILLGETTING UP EARLY AND GETTINGOUT OVER 400 BOXES OF FOOD INDIFFERENT GROCERIES ANDDIFFERENT THINGS THAT AGAINJUST TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.WE KNOW THAT IN TERMS LIKETHESE WE NEED PERSONS THAT AREREADY, WILLING, AND ABLE TORUN INTO THE FIRE AND IT MEANSA LOT WHEN PEOPLE ARESTRUGGLING AND NEED RESOURCESAND I'M JUST GLAD WE CAN BE AVALUABLE RESOURCE TO OURCOMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY ATLARGE.IT HAS BEEN A REAL BLESSING.PLEASE GIVE DEACON ANDVOLUNTEERS OUR THANKS AS WELLBEFORE WE GO WHAT WORDS OVENCOURAGE.CAN YOU GIVE PEOPLE, TO LIFTTHEM MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLYDURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME.THIS EASTER WEEKEND WE HAVE TORISE AS A PEOPLE.WHAT INSPIRATIONAL WORDS DOYOU HAVE FOR US.YOU KNOW, UKEE I'M JUSTREMINDED AGAIN OF JESUS WHENHE WATCHED HIS DECIPLES FEETAND WASH THEIR FEET ANDBLESSING JUST TO KNOW THATSYMBOLISM OF HUMILITY, CAREFOR OTHERS EVEN IN ONE OF HIS,AGAIN, LOWEST MOMENTS INKNOWING WHAT HE HAD TO DO ONHIS WAY TO THE CROSS.I WANT TO ENCOURAGE SOMEBODYTODAY TO KNOW THAT TO THINKOUTSIDE OF YOURSELF.THERE ARE SO MANY THAT ARESUFFERING.THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THATNEED AGAIN JUST COMFORT DURINGTHIS TIME WHEN THEY DO NOTHAVE FAMILY MEMBERS AROUNDTHEM, AND I JUST AM ASKING,CALLING FOR EVERYONE AGAIN TOENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO CALLTHEM UP, AND WE ARE OURSTRONGEST RESOURCE AND SO IFWE CAN COME TOGETHER JUST ASTHEY DID ON THAT NIGHT ANDUNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE, THECALL FOR THIS WEEKEND AND THISRESURRECTION TIME TO KNOW THATTHIS TOO SHALL PASS BUTGREATER IS COMING AND I TRULYBELIEVE THAT AND I BELIEVEAGAIN THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TOSURVIVE THIS.AMEN, PASTOR YOU AND YOURS