Pastor Barry Keurulainen of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Cabot records his message Friday afternoon for Sunday's service. The church is also planning a virtual Bible study to reachteenagers that will be done by videoconference.

Calls to Saint Rocco, considered a protector against the plague and all contagious diseases, are being made as the religiously observant prepare for cyber-Mass amid churches shutting down due to the spread the coronavirus.

In Butler County, the faithful are looking for many ways to find spiritual renewal.

Heidi Priest of Butler usually works at Starbucks on Sundays, but plans to take off, concerned about COVID-19 and the pandemic that has killed thousands and infected hundreds of thousands worldwide.

Instead, she'll be looking to tune in with her family to a livestream of a religious service.

For the observant, the shuttering of businesses and self-quarantine poses the added challenge of severing them from their greatest source of comfort — gathering in prayer.

The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention recommend not gathering in groups larger than 10 and the state's governor recommended churches suspend in-person services for the time being.

As of Friday, Butler County had no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to a Butler Memorial Hospital spokesperson.

One of Priest's favorite customers, a pastor with Oak Hills Christian Church-Disciples of Christ on Township Line Road, suggested tuning in to his livestream this Sunday.

“I think it's a nice way to connect. You have to adapt, you know?” Priest said. “I feel like everybody needs a moral boost and attending church is a good thing. It puts their mind in a good place. A lot of places canceling and with these uncertain times, it's hard for people to attend church now when they need leadership most.”

Priest, who has an infant, is also worried about leaving the house and potentially exposing her baby to the virus.

“I think that this is a great awakening for us that life in an instant can change,” said Stephanie Shaffer of Butler. “This is pushing people to turn to their faith and the people they love. What better time to start than now.”

Like Priest, Shaffer plans on tuning in to one of the livestreams being offered by churches that have been forced to close their physical locations. She plans on checking to see if her church, Holy Sepulcher Roman Catholic Church in Middlesex Township, will have a viewing.

Shaffer has two children, one of whom is a kindergartner, the other in pre-K. With schools closed, she has picked up the educational responsibilities and is also teaching her youngest child the catechism, a basic Christian religious education.

“They take turns with prayers, which is good because it keeps them in the loop of prayers and makes them think about what they're thankful for,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer said she cherishes the extra time with her children.

“This is a time for parents and children to connect on a different level because they're home with you the whole time,” she said

Shaffer plans to expand her children's education by exploring other religions, like Buddhism, “to teach them about other religions too, the diversity of worship out there. Give them a better understanding of people.”

Eric Levin, president of Congregation B'nai Abraham, said they will not be holding anything this week at the synagogue on 519 N. Main St. but are looking into using a cyber-solution next week.

“Unfortunately there's not much that we can do and even if the governor had not brought down this edict, we made a determination last week that we want to abide by safety first,” Levin said. “For us as a group, we have younger and older congregants, and they look forward to not only the spiritual side but afterward catching up with each other, seeing each other, talking about the week's events and everything that goes along with it.

“And that's tough for everyone right now, not to see each other.”