In Praise of the Watch Party

Trinity Church Wall Street has offered online-only Holy Eucharist six days a week since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began six months ago.

However, Trinity parishioners, and really anybody anywhere who would self-identify as a “church person,” will admit that there’s a lot more to Sundays than the worship service itself.

Church, when there is no pandemic sweeping the world, is intensely communal, in a physical space. It begins before worship with greetings and conversation and continues afterwards with more communal gathering, in what is usually called “coffee hour” and which includes food or at least snacks.

So, in this time of pandemic, enter the concept of the online Watch Party.

On a Sunday in early August, as Trinity observes social distancing, far more persons particpated in worship through watch parties than inside the nave of the church.

“Watch parties are attended by parishioners who want to experience worship together, albeit virtually,” said parishioner Regina Jacobs, who has volunteered on various hospitality committees at Trinity for many years.

“On Sunday mornings, we gather 45 minutes before the 11:15am service to greet each other and simply chat. After the service ends, many stay around for 'coffee hour' with their cup of coffee and cookies.”

John Deuel is a watch party regular. Deuel first joined the Trinity community by attending the weekday 12:05pm Holy Eucharist when he worked in an office in Lower Manhattan.

“When the pandemic shutdown occurred, I was immediately missing the community interactions I had with the other Sunday and weekday folks.  I was excited when the sacristans said they'd be hosting weekly watch parties for folks, so I immediately started participating in those.”

Deuel says he’s also found “community” by watching Trinity’s Facebook Live offerings of the six weekly worship services.

"I headed over to the Facebook livestream and found the comment thread there to be active.  Some of my friends from the congregation make their regular attendance there on the FB feed, so I started joining in there as well."

Trinity's Sunday Holy Eucharist is presented on Facebook Live as well as the 12:05pm worship every Monday through Friday.

Online video technology brings certain advantages. A Trinity member who has taken a short trip away from New York for a few days can still join in worship through the watch parties. A parishioner who moved away long before the start of the pandemic can now rejoin old friends.

Watch parties for the Sunday Holy Eucharist, including some targeted to specific age groups such as young adults, are among many Trinity opportunities to gather during this period of social distancing.  

“Watch parties do not replace worshiping in-person; instead, watch parties add breadth to how we worship. I hope more people could join us," Regina Jacobs said.

Trinity’s watch parties and other online offerings are unlikely to permanently replace customs of gathering together for worship, customs that date back millennia. Yet, until the pandemic is past, they provide connection, and a reassurance of care and relationship that’s even older than the existence of church itself.

"The strongest reason I keep coming back is because Trinity is my faith community, “ John Deuel said.

“These are my friends and fellow ministers. I love knowing they're okay.” 

To join in a worship watch party, please email Dane Miller (dmiller@trinitywallstreet.org) or Scott Smith (ssmith@trinitywallstreet.org)