E-Mail IMAGE: New research from WVU sociologists suggests that the Amish population saw "excess deaths " in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers theorize their distrust in preventative medicine and... view more Credit: Ben Stein MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Sunday church service in Amish country is more than just belting out hymns, reading Bible passages and returning home an hour later to catch a football game or nap. It's an all-day affair: A host family welcomes church members - between 20 to 40 families - into their home to worship and have fellowship with one another from morning to night. Church is a biweekly activity; each gathering takes place in a member's home and is a key ritual in the Amish community which values in-person communication.