Faith & Spirituality | Hamden | News From The Pews | Youth Arts Journalism Initiative | Christmas | COVID-19
A recent service, streamed on Facebook, at Friendship Baptist. Photo from Facebook Live.
On a television hooked up to a laptop, Susan Gilliam watched the Rev. Brian Bellamy recite scripture for the Holy Communion. She lifted her makeshift wafer to represent the body of Christ. As he spoke, she remembered a time before a global pandemic changed her Sunday tradition of going to Friendship Baptist Church.
For nine months, Gilliam has been unable to attend in-person services at Friendship, a church that sits on the New Haven-Hamden border at 26 Edwards St. Instead, she has watched worship move online in the face of COVID-19.
“I miss being with my friends and church community,” Gilliam said. “You have to be very careful not to be distracted or else you won’t get the same thing out of the church service.”
Under Bellamy’s leadership, Friendship Baptist Church is using technology to navigate faith and worship during COVID-19. But the church congregation is also using good old-fashioned principles like love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness, and community service to help each other get through 2020.
Friendship’s origins are rooted in connections and friendship, according to Bellamy. Formed by the Rev. William Hall, the church has been sharing the love of Christ since May 17, 1964. Many of Friendship’s current members have been part of the church since it began in the 1960s.
“The church is actually named Friendship because it began with just a small group of friends,” Bellamy said.
Jessica and Susan Gilliam. Jessica Gilliam Photo.
But anyone is welcome, said Gilliam, a newer member of the church. She has been a member of Friendship for over five years. From the moment she started going, she said she saw the connection between each member.
“Even if some members aren’t related by blood, there’s a strong family atmosphere,” she said.
Just as it began, Friendship has remained centered on love during the pandemic, Bellamy said. From March through May, he was the only person allowed inside the building. Up to 40 people were allowed inside the church during the summer months, as long as they could maintain six feet of distance. But that changed as the number of new cases of COVID-19 began to rise in the fall.
“I love members very much and miss coming together throughout the week,” the pastor said.
He said the novel coronavirus forced Friendship to postpone many of its planned events, including those that the congregation was anticipating. The church cancelled its anniversary party and annual banquet. He added that the holidays feel different when congregants are unable to gather.
“Before Covid the church had luncheons where many people of the church would come together,” Gilliam said. “We have also had musical performances and a Christmas celebration.”
During the pandemic, Bellamy noticed how many members of his church were forced to stay at home. In an effort to reach out to elders and those at risk of developing complications if exposed to the novel coronavirus, he and volunteers from the church sent care baskets their way.
“Seniors are most vulnerable to the coronavirus so they weren’t coming out to the church,” Bellamy said. “I wanted to show some love.”
Volunteer and congregant Jessica Gilliam assembled the baskets, which included toiletries and items congregants could use in a time of isolation. Friendship also provided thousands of dollars worth of groceries for families in need.
“I volunteered to make the baskets because I have a lot of respect for Pastor Bellamy,” she said. “I respect his commitment to the community he serves.”
“Before COVID the church would help out at New Haven Management Shelter,” Bellamy said. “And around Thanksgiving, we tried to help provide dinner to people in need by giving out Stop and Shop gift cards.”
In addition to its financial support, Friendship also has a tradition of praying for the community. That, Bellamy said, has remained strong despite physical distance. One of the people contributing to those prayers is Friendship member Latanya Burton. She has been a member of the church for many years and has seen firsthand the services it has provided for the community.
“I pray for the world and I hope that this will be a message to a lot of people as far as being more positive and coming together as one,” Burton said.
With the holidays approaching, Friendship is working on distributing pre-made holidays dinners and another round of baskets for elders. Bellamy added that he and congregants alike are looking forward to the new year, when they hope that they can gather in person again.
Bellamy said he doesn’t plan to rush that shift, however: he won’t welcome congregants back until it’s safe to do so.
“I think one of the church’s biggest strengths are when we are all together as a unit,” Burton said. “I can’t wait for the day we can be together as one again.”
Jayla Anderson is a freshman at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, where her concentration is dance. This piece comes to the Arts Paper through the Fall 2020 cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative (YAJI), a program of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven. This year, YAJI has gone virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the program here or by checking out the "YAJI" tag.