This time a year ago, Richmond area houses of worship were loaded most weekends with church members praying, greeting and embracing friends and swapping thoughts about family, neighbors, work, school and retirement.

That was church life before COVID-19 struck.

Today, with the potentially deadly airborne virus still uncontrolled, religious leaders say life’s pause button is still being pressed. With the advent of highly effective coronavirus vaccines — and many churches opening their doors as vaccination centers — an end to the pandemic is medically in sight but not yet here, they caution.

“They (church members) yearn to be back together,” said Dr. Emanuel C. Harris, president of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Richmond & Vicinity, echoing sentiments of congregations of the more than 50 pastors in the conference. “They want to hug each other, hug babies.”

Dr. Harris, pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church in Manakin-Sabot for some 28 years, said the last 12 months have turned the church as an institution on its head. In addition to halting large, weekly Sunday morning services in physical buildings with several choirs, ushers and musicians helping orchestrate services, most area church buildings are still shut. Filling the gap, congregations are being kept linked virtually through the newer technology of Zoom and social media channels of Facebook and Instagram.

Most churches still keep gatherings to an absolute minimum. They have abandoned dinners, special celebra- tory events and continue to minimize funeral gatherings, despite the losses of many veteran members.

The pastors say they politely and frequently remind members to stay inside as much as possible, keep their distance — at least 6 feet — when among others, wear a face mask and wash hands frequently with warm soap and water.

With more than 597,000 cases of COVID-19 in Virginia during the past year and 10,100 deaths, including nearly 1,400 in Metro Richmond, religious leaders have seen many in their congrega- tions stricken, hospitalized or killed by the virus, and are helping families cope with the impact.

Seeing the ef- fects up close, area ministers echo health officials in appealing to people to do what they can to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Collectively, they are cautioning people not to run back to the area’s pre-COVID-19 days, despite the urge and news of conditions improving nationwide.

“People are anxious to get back in church,” said Dr. James L. Sailes, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Varina, where the average age of members is 55.

Dr. Sailes said expanding technology in the church is not considered “a bad thing.” It simply doesn’t offset “the absence of fellowship” that so many congregations still miss, he said. “I think people want some sense of comfort and security” in the wake of the virus. “It’s incumbent upon us to make some changes.”

That’s especially true in churches focused on serving the elderly, the poor, low-income residents and neighborhoods historically plagued by inadequate health services, pastors say. Church activities scheduled such as senior cafés and mid-week Bible study, were initially postponed for a few weeks. Now, they are on indefinite hold. Plans for vacation Bible schools and spring graduation programs already have been penciled in for 2021 at many churches.

“We have to figure out new ways to have services,” said Dr. Harris, who survived his own battle with COVID-19 in home isolation for 20 days. He is in his 40s and did not have any underlying health issues. The virus, he says, affects people of any age, race, gender, religion or status in life.

“I’m really excited to get to the other side,” said Dr. Joshua L. Mitchell, 34, senior pastor of Thirty-first Street Baptist Church in Church Hill.

The church is registering people to attend an in-person worship service on Easter, Resurrection Sunday, April 4. Limited seating is available and masks are required.

Dr. Mitchell arrived in Richmond from Houston last March to begin his new ministry at the church, only to find the sanctuary doors of his church and others across the state shuttered under state orders because of the emerging health crisis.

“I’m still waiting for the opportunity to meet everybody in the flesh,” Dr. Mitchell said.

In addition to presiding during the last year over final rites for 20 deceased members of the church, Dr. Mitchell also has welcomed new members from Maryland, Georgia and Texas who have joined via social media and Zoom.

“People have wanted to join who have not been to our building, but want to join online, he said, vouching for the value of technology as an added asset.

Meanwhile, Thirty-first Street Baptist has kept busy during the pandemic, he said, including furnishing school supplies to the nearby Henry L. Marsh Jr. Elementary School and continuing its work with members and non-members in need through its long established “31 Cares” program.