Remote learning will be an obligation for schoolchildren in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for minimum nine weeks this fall as the city attempts to stem the scourge of coronavirus caseload.

But that doesn’t necessarily imply they’ll all be staying home. Some could be in church alternatively. In some communities, empty buildings and eager youth ministers offer safe places and supervision for families encountering school closures.

That’s the vision at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, one of numerous churches in Winston-Salem hoping to host remote-learning locations for small groups of socially distanced kids.

With the approval of the Bishop, the idea would involve as many as 30 students who would gather daily, spread across three buildings at St. Timothy’s campus—in the mornings.

Church volunteers would enforce compliance with health protocols, tutor, and lead prayers to start and end the day.

“We know in our faith that it’s not good for us to be alone,” stated St. Timothy’s Rector, Steven Rice, in a reference to the line in Genesis. “Some socialization among people of their own age will be a great benefit (to the students). And if both parents have to work, at least half the day is better than nothing.”

Right from Connecticut to Hawaii, congregations are looking for ways to support families still smarting from last spring’s sudden adjustment to home-based learning during the pandemic lockdown.

They’re researching how underutilized church buildings might be put to a new use that allows education to continue while allowing parents to work and attend to other responsibilities.

Recommendations range from hosting students during online classes to providing study hall space for them to work independently.

With such efforts, youth ministry experts see a promising opportunity.

“This is a way of reimagining children’s and youth ministry during a pandemic in a really amazing way that serves families and meets concrete needs,” said Angela Gorrell, assistant professor of practical theology at Baylor University and author of Always On: Practicing Faith in a New Media Landscape. “You can connect with kids in your neighborhood who might not otherwise be a part of your children’s and youth ministry.

“Our households are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 shutdowns. It’s time for new levels of creativity, flexibility, and support.”

In some cases, longstanding partnerships with districts are bringing out new fruits.

Considering rural Graham County, North Carolina, where 8,500 people reside amid the Great Smoky Mountains. Locals depend majorly on tourism jobs, such as cleaning second homes owned by residents of Atlanta and Charlotte.

When the pandemic hit, 16 churches—Dry Creek Baptist, Eternal Believers and 14 others—became locations where families daily could pick up school lunches to go, along with breakfast for the next morning.

At least six Graham County churches also obtained mobile hotspot devices from the district, said Pastor Eric Reece of Robbinsville United Methodist Church, which received one of such devices.

That development made them oases in what Reece calls an “internet desert.” This is where connectivity in homes is unreliable or not available. Robbinsville students were able to obtain their assignments and complete online coursework at his church when they picked up lunch.

Robbinsville UMC is warming up to offer 40 hours a week of drop-in study hall access this fall. With Graham County schools operating at reduced capacity and having kids learn virtually on select days, students will be able to drop by the church with a parent any time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., log on and work in the fellowship hall. Two adults from the church will be available to supervise.

With regards to social distancing, no more than 10 children will be allowed at a time.

“On their day that’s virtual, if they don’t have Wi-Fi at home, they can come here,” Reece said. “They can use their (district-issued) Chromebooks to go online and stay caught up on their work.”

In New Haven, Connecticut, the Greater New Haven Clergy Association announced this month that as many as 15 congregations are prepared to host children on days when they’re expected to learn virtually, which will be one to three days per week, depending on grade level.

Among the topics that will be discussed include: Will school buses bring kids to and from churches? Will schools send staffers to supervise remote learning or leave supervision to church volunteers? Will churches lease space to the district for remote learning or offer space free as a ministry to families?

“I’m not looking for any money to do this. I just see a need, and I don’t want money to be a hindrance to why we can’t get it done,” stated Steven Cousin, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Haven.

If technology supports are required, Cousin said churches might seek in-kind donations from corporate sponsors.