After the mists of an unusual year and a virtual Easter, Sunday churches in the Perham area will be holding Christmas services this year. While many services will have online and broadcast options this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic many do still have in-person options. Many of the in-person options this Christmas will be following COVID-19 safety precautions and will be practicing social distancing.
Calvary Lutheran Church will be holding a Christmas Eve Drive-by Communion, Prayer, and Blessing on Dec. 24, from 2:30-3 p.m., 4:30-5 p.m. and 8-8:30 p.m. The drive-by will take place in the parking lot adjacent to the building, with cars entering the lot for communion, prayer, and blessing from Third Avenue Southwest and existing onto Seventh Street. Two online-only Christmas services will be available anytime on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at youtube.com/user/calvaryperham and will be broadcast on Arvig television channel 14 at 4 p.m. Christmas Day.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will be holding three Christmas Eve services at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. The 1 p.m. service will be live-streamed on Facebook and Youtube. Christmas Day service will be held at 9 a.m. Those wishing to attend in-person services should contact St. Paul’s Lutheran at attendance@stpaulsperham.com or by calling 218-346-7725.
New Creations Lutheran will be holding Christmas Eve worship at 4:30 p.m. with pre-recorded parts by the youth with limited in-person worship and will be live-streamed on the church's website newcreationperham.org . Christmas Day worship will be at 6 p.m. on Arvig channel 14 and online.
North Woods Life Church will be holding a Christmas Eve Candlelight service both online and in-person at 5 p.m. More information about the service can be found at northwood.church/christmas or on the North Woods Life Church Facebook page.
St. Henry’s Catholic Church is working in coordination with Holy Cross in Butler, St. Lawrence in Rush Lake, and Sacred Heart in Dent to provide a variety of in-person Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Father Matthew Kuhn said in an email to the Focus. Dec. 23: 1 p.m. St. Henry with extra sanitary precautions for at-risk parishioners. Christmas Eve: 1 and 4 p.m. Sacred Heart; 3 and 5 p.m. St. Henry with the 5 p.m. Mass broadcast on Arvig channel 14; 3 and 5 p.m. St. Lawrence. Christmas Day: 9 and 10 a.m. St. Henry; 8:30 a.m. Sacred Heart; and 10:30 a.m. St. Lawrence. St. Henry’s 1 p.m. Mass on Dec. 23, will be recorded for broadcast on Channel 14 at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve, the recording will also be available on St. Henry’s YouTube channel .
Ottertail United Methodist Church’s Christmas Eve service will be at 5 p.m. and Richville United Methodist Church’s service will be held at 6:30 p.m., Pastor Ricardo Alcoser said. Both services will be held with limited in-person seating and on Ottertail United Methosdist Church' s and Richville United Methodist Church 's Facebook pages.
- Crosspoint Alliance Church will hold Christmas Eve services at 2:30 and 4 p.m., Pastor Michael Bochman said. Both Christmas Eve services will be in person. The 2:30 p.m. service will be recorded and will be available online on the church's Facebook page, youtube channel, and website, crosspointalliance.org , by 4 p.m. The church will be asking those attending to please wear their mask and maintain social distancing as they utilize their space to spread out during worship.
Editor's note: Ricardo Alcoser is the parent of Focus reporter RosaLin Alcoser.
