Coast churches streaming Easter Sunday services online

From sunrise to online Easter Sunday church services are alive and well this weekend

- easter sunday - the hallmark- holiday for those of the- christian faith - celebrated fo- centuries...this year - and the- covid-19 outbreak- has forced a- change in the way - churches are celebrating this - special day of resurrection - and new life...but as news 25's- toni miles shows us, south- mississippi - church leaders will still be- driving the message home- this weekend over the world-wid- web and social media -- a concerted effort to sharing - the good news of- the gospel.

- - westminster presbyterian- pastor will shurley never set - out to be a televangelist,- much less an on-line one, but - like many of us, he's learning- to- adapt, even working his own - camera phone to livestream- church sermons.

- pastor will shurley, westminste- presbyterian church: " during the covid-19- pandemic, we've had to think- about ways for us to continue t- - - - proclaim the gospel from our- church.

Lo and behold,- technology, like facebook live,- has - made it possible for us to do - that.

It has, in a way, i feel- like i am answering a new - calling to preach through - technology."

- - - and although the means of - sharing the gospel has changed,- the - message has not.- pastor will shurley, westminste- presbyterian church: " the easter message- never changes.

Easter is what - always is.

It's always relevant- to every generation < - easter> this easter is up - against the backdrop of the - covid 19 pandemic,- - - - so this year when we celebrate- the resurrection and new life,- it may take on a- new meaning for life."

Toni miles, news 25: " preparations are also underway- for easter services in ocean- springs at center pointe church- where they're also ramping up - their online reach- to spread the gospel."

Senior pastor ted pagel, jr., - center pointe church: " it's where we are right- now during this pandemic, so it- makes it very difficult to do i- any other way.

I am at- least thankful and grateful tha- we have the technology of - on-line communication,- the internet, facebook live, to- be able to get the message to - - - - our people, to keep us- connected."

<nats>- connected and comforted.- center pointe worship pastor- cyrstal westmoreland is - - - - in tune with the struggles many- are facing now - as she has som- struggles of her own.

- she says being a christian- doesn't make you immune to the- - - - hardships of life, but better - equipped to handle them-and - that's- something to sing about.- crystal westmoreland, center- pointe church's worship pastor:- " one of the things that i, and our - team have really been able to - focus on, is the fact - that our worship is to god, and- while it's different not having- - - - people in the room, we can stil- worship and we can still praise- i know the people at home right- now that are joining us on line- they are able to worship god at- home because we can - worship god anywhere."

This weekend, as many easter- sunrise services give way to on- line services, the message of - hope and redemption remains the- same- this easter holiday-a story of- old reflective of - this present day era - as the - whole world awaits a- resurrection and victory over - death and covid-19.

- toni miles, news 25.- - you can catch westminster - presbyterian church services- - - - for the easter holiday weekend- this saturday at 4 pm ...and on- sunday morning at 6:30 am and - then at 10:30 am on the - westminster presbyterian- church's facebook page- and on their website at - gulfport-church-dot-org.- to catch center pointe church's- easter sunday services, you - can head on over to their cente- pointe church facebook page - sunday morning at 9 am - or - watch the service later on thei- website - at