WHAT IS GOD SAYING?
As practitioners we can often default to activism, but right now many of us are sensing the need to stop, take a breath and be still before God before rushing into activity.
There are many different patterns of life at the moment from frenetic energy to calmness. What for one person was a moment of quiet is for another a time of busyness
We’re all inhabiting this tension between activity and contemplation, activism and stillness, action and paralysis
We need to find a new rhythm of life which can be hard at such a chaotic time.
Where is the place of listening at a time when so much is new and strange?
We need to respond to our calling and not just the needs around us
We need to give space to the prophetic - what is God saying?
Nature is continuing despite us stopping
PASTORAL?SPIRITUAL NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES
There is a collective loss of the world we all knew before the pandemic as every single person is forced to adjust to a new reality that not only presents significant practical challenges, but deeper challenges to the soul.
There is a lot of fear and uncertainty
There is a lot of grief
There is a need for permission to grieve the forced change and actual loss.
We need to make space for lament and not skip over this on the journey
RELATIONAL/COMMUNITY CHANGES AND CHALLENGES
Although the landscape we're finding ourselves in feels like a wilderness, there has been a lot of growth in the number of people connecting with church and those on the edges getting more involved. This increase in connection brings with it an exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) challenge of how to go deeper both relationally and spiritually in this season, but also in preparation for whatever lies ahead. There is also, understandably, a real challenge as we seek to develop and deepen connections virtually and minister to people online.
Lots of unknown people joining church online groups / watching services etc - 1000 people for example watching a service of a church that has a congregation of 100 - how can we reach these people going forwards?
People on the edge are joining in.
Great to have lots of previously 'un-techy' people joining in.
Better contact with those already in networks, almost no contact with those not
Connection is happening in new and deeper ways
An increased need just to be present with people online
Connection happening, but people are overwhelmed in desire to respond
More contact with people beyond our usual groups
Connecting well with people, but mostly in-house, but with a huge wide range of others that we are not sure how to go deeper with
Opportunity for blessing, opportunity to serve.
VIRTUAL CHURCH
Lock down has moved the church into the home and onto our screens. In the rush to respond and stay connected, church has moved online with varying results. How we do church in this season needs to be reimagined. There have been some great creative responses and some less imaginative, but one thing is certain - the church needs a lot of grace during this period.
Some denominations are a lot more nimble at dealing with large issues (communion) than others
Church has lost its buildings, structure and physical opportunity to meet, but is still trying to do the same thing
The rush to stream what we already do is obscuring the possibilities for pioneering
Going online is not about streaming the vicar
Not enough ‘Any Questions’ or Pause for Thought
Is Zoom exclusionary and non-missional - you need to know about it to join in.
Interesting comment that Zoom is exclusive and not missional - we have found that loads more of our local community want to join in with more explicitly faith based conversations and gatherings, so it seems more missional
Some online streamed services not very interesting
This is an opportunity to experience local churches without have to go and deal with face to face things
Some people are displaying unbounded optimism about keeping church going as it always has been, others enjoying the opportunity to look at how we do things and what the essentials are
Need to be gracious to others - people are doing their best in difficult circumstances even if the weaknesses of the inherited church are being exposed in this new
People on social media producing interesting material on phones
People using pictures rather than words
Struggling with how to do mission
LEADERSHIP
Pioneers have generally found it easier to respond and adapt to the crisis and for many this challenge has energised their teams and their faith.
Church members/leaders thrust into new roles.
Finding new confidence and assurance in their faith.
Different response from pioneers and established church
Leadership teams suddenly becoming much more energised and active as they meet more regularly
It feels like there’s a lot of pressure to be in contact all the time and having to be doing things continuously
A NEW NORMAL?
There was a strong sense that we need to reflect on the changes that have already taken place and what this means for future fx ministries.
A strong feeling that life needs to be done differently ongoing after the crisis
Lots of people talking about not going back to how it was pre lock down. Society will look different
Can we ever go back from this to the hour-long Sunday service?
We need some theology around crisis/change from a biblical perspective
Community is being formed in new ways…
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