NEW YORK - For nearly a hundred years, congregants would pack into the pews every Sunday at Queens Baptist Church.

“It was the gathering place, it was the place where you could retreat in and find refuge from all of the external violence and external conflicts outside of the church,” said Rev. Brian Ellis-Gibbs, the Pastor at Queens Baptist Church.

Since the coronavirus hit the city last March, fears of spreading the virus forced the doors closed. Now the seats are empty and the church is quiet.

“I am just filled with the expectation and anticipation of when we will come together once again, in the sanctuary as a community,” said Ellis-Gibbs, in a virtual sermon.

Ellis-Gibbs posts a weekly sermon on YouTube.

“I’ve heard of some of my clergy colleagues call it church 2.0,” said Ellis-Gibbs. “I think that has become an open door for us to rethink church, to rethink outside of the traditional box of what we call church, to consider that maybe there’s something bigger and beyond four walls.”

Queens Baptist Church did not even have a website when the pandemic erupted. But the clergy quickly found a way to connect the faithful, setting up a dial-in prayer line and offering twice-daily services during the height of the pandemic. Staff helped parishioners to access the services digitally.

“Some folks, we had to actually physically go to their homes, set up their cell phone, just tell them what buttons to push so they could get online to watch the online sermons. Or to be able to dial in to the prayer line,” said Rev. Dr. Brenda Harmon-Saunders.

Creating a safe space — while the community needed to be apart.

“Well, disconnected physically. But not disconnected spiritually,” said Viola Montgomery.

Montgomery is a longtime congregant who runs the church’s mission ministry. Out of the church basement — volunteers distribute food and clothing, work that has become even more essential during the pandemic. Montgomery says it’s also allowed the church to connect with new people.

“We are a multi-cultural church, we are a multi-cultural community. And we embrace all people,” said Montgomery.

Rev. Brian Ellis-Gibbs, the Pastor at Queens Baptist Church.

Communities of color have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus — studies show Black people are almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than white people. The Queens Baptist Church has lost three long-standing members of its 100-person congregation.

Pastor Ellis-Gibbs says when it’s safe to return — the faithful here will have a lot of healing to do.

“I don’t think that we will enter into this building the same way we left the building that just by default we will be different because of our experience,” said Ellis-Gibbs.