More and more churches are closing their chapels as they do their part to limit public gatherings and help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

But many are also taking advantage of online services so they can keep in touch with and encourage their congregations during a challenging time.

“We’re living in an uncertain period with a lot of fear and worry,” said Dan Reinhold, senior pastor at University Bible Church in Chubbuck. “Our ultimate hope at any time — (but it) especially becomes clear now — is in God and our relationship with him.”

University Bible Church will hold its Sunday worship service online this week, and board officials are planning to meet on Tuesday to determine how long the change should continue.

Reinhold says some health guidelines are encouraging people to avoid gatherings of 50 or more, while others say no more than 10.

“Either way, that includes us,” he said, adding that they’re trying to honor those guidelines and do their part to protect the health of the community and their church members who are more at risk for problems caused by the virus.

The church plans to live stream its worship service on its Facebook page, University Bible Church - Pocatello, at 11 a.m. Sunday. It will also post a pre-recorded worship service on its website, www.universitybible.org, in the event that there are problems with the live stream.

The church is also considering providing audio CDs or video DVDs for those who don’t have the equipment to watch online.

“We want to still meet the spiritual needs of our church body and reach out to the broader community,” Reinhold said. “(This is a) way to continue to teach from the Word and encourage people even if it’s in a little different format.”

Officials with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise also announced this week that all public Masses in the diocese will be suspended from March 21 to April 5. They are planning to live stream Sunday Masses in the future. A link will be posted at catholicidaho.org.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also suspended weekly worship services worldwide until further notice. In the meantime, church officials have encouraged members to continue a home-centered gospel study program introduced in recent years, and make use of new “Book of Mormon” videos and other available technology to study the gospel of Jesus Christ. More information is available at www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

Several other local churches are also offering services online.

Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is holding a virtual “Sing n Share Hour” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and a “Religious Exploration” discussion on “The Power of Forgiveness” at 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, people can visit “Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship PUUF” on Facebook or PUUF's website, pocatellouu.org.

The Rev. Jenny Peek, pastor at PUUF, says she’s also planning to send out daily words of encouragement to help people stay well spiritually and emotionally.

Peek believes its important for churches to continue to reach out to their congregations, even if they have to do so online. After all, coronavirus isn’t the only problem people are facing.

“There’s the real enemy of a disease, (but there’s also) another enemy of isolation. A sense of loss and connectedness that can lead to despair, loneliness and depression — so many of those things that are also societal ills,” she said.

Peek says people need to have opportunities to connect and remember they’re not alone.

“It can sort of be its own little inoculation against those ills,” she said.