Unitarian Universalist churches in Casper and Laramie go online

Many people spend Sunday mornings at church but that’s not possible as the world fights COVID-19. Houses of worship are now finding new ways to bring people together for weekly services even if they can’t physically be with each other.

The Unitarian Universalist Community of Casper and Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laramie have combined their services into a weekly service using Zoom. It started in mid-March.

“We had our last in-person service here in Casper and it was a discussion about ‘wow,’ a bunch of us were not feeling comfortable. We knew that the larger conversation was going to social distancing,” Rev. Leslie Kee said.

She is the minister for the Unitarian Universalist congregations in both Casper and Laramie.

She would usually alternate weeks at each church before the virus hit Wyoming.

Now, because the services are online, she’s able to minister to everyone each week.

“I am contracted part-time with both but when you put them together I’m doing full-time ministry and it’s transcended the geography,” Kee said. “I am very blessed.”

While Zoom services aren’t exactly the same, they do provide some normalcy during these tough times.

“People who are church-goers need that consistency and that’s why I think it was so easy to transition into Zoom services,” Kee said.

She said attendance from both congregations has about doubled for Zoom services as it’s easier for people to participate from home.

“When we went to Zoom we hit the ground running,” Kee said.

She said even when social distancing measures are relaxed, both congregations will transition slowly back to in-person services.