Altar Church to hold Easter Sunday communion service

COEUR d’ALENE — The Altar Church led by Pastor Tim Remington will be giving out communion on Easter Sunday.

Remington said the church board met Thursday evening and approved the plan.

The communion wafer and juice sealed in plastic will be distributed by Remington and staff, who will be wearing masks and gloves, in the church parking lot starting at 8:30 a.m.

“It’s all positive and we got it all cleared,” Remington said Thursday.

Remington, who was appointed in January as a legislative representative, was recently criticized and threatened, and garnered national attention for holding an in-person church service on March 29 after Gov. Brad Little’s stay-home order on March 25.

Some said the church at 901 E. Best Ave. was endangering the community by having a gathering of about 40 people and possibly spreading the coronavirus.

It did not have an in-person church service last Sunday, as determined by the board.

“It was certainly never our intent to create such controversy in our community,” the board’s statement said. “The heart of our church has been and always will be, to be available with hope and help in the direst of circumstances.”

Remington said there will be stations in the parking lot so people can pull up in their vehicles and be handed the prepackaged communion symbols. Then, they can park in the lot, nearby, or head home, and follow the service online.

About 9 a.m. those watching will be led by Remington in taking of communion together and at the same time.

Law enforcement may be on hand to monitor the activities.

Remington, who survived being shot six times outside the church in 2016, said he believes it’s important to hold a communion service on Easter Sunday, the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and hopes other churches do the same for their congregations.

“It’s resurrection day and it’s so essential that the church takes communion and that we at least see we’re alive and well,” he said.