Highlights from
Webinar to inspire
churches’ ministry online during a pandemic
Summarising the thoughts of Dr Heidi A.
Campbell, professor of Communication at Texas A&M University and director
of the Network of New Media, Religion and Digital Culture Studies; Rev. Jonggoo
Kim, senior pastor of Seshin Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea; Rev. Ralf
Peter Reimann, pastor and internet commissioner of the Evangelical Church in
the Rhineland, Germany; Rev. Dr Nicolas Kazarian, head of the ecumenical
department of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Ingeborg Dybvig,
communications director, Church of Norway.
Churches tend to be doing one or more of three things
·
doing the same as usual, from the pulpit for
example, but online
·
adjusting to the new world, modifying their
usual Sunday morning practice, eg experimenting with technology; broadcasting
from their home
·
using technology to become more interactive,
talk-show / fireside style, inviting in other participants, encouraging conversation
right through the week not just on Sunday mornings
All agreed that while church doors are closed, Church is
open and available.
The current situation should lead to a real examination
about what church actually is – on reflection, should it really be about the
Sunday morning one-hour ‘event’?
This is as real as church ‘before’: how do we carry on to
the next level?
Moving online represents a shift in the relationship
between on/ offline
·
remember the vulnerable population: create
alternatives
·
remember the people: don’t get carried away by
the tech (it is the tool, not the point!)
·
digital literacy is important:
o
how can we use it, understand it, and understand
the culture that has appeared around it?
o
what are our expectations of it, and what are
our expectations of how it is received / interpreted?
o
a new relationship is arising between digital
media and church: how should we navigate this?
o
Don’t do it if you can’t do it well – anything
we do should maintain dignity and give honour to God; don’t sacrifice quality
or substance for convenience
·
Make use of the comments / chat sections for
active engagement
Discoveries
·
community and communion with one another are
more important than physical buildings
·
churches had to go digital within days or become
irrelevant
·
‘church at home’ is a guiding principle: our
homes are being transformed into churches as church life is transferred there
·
People seem to be much more active / open /
participatory online. The internet seems
to (positively) lower their inhibition threshold to expressing themselves /
sharing prayers etc
·
These instant online responses increase the
sense of community and connectivity
·
Some people want to stay within their familiar
church home / worshipping community; others are enjoying ‘visiting’ other
churches all over the country / the world
·
The relationship behind the connection is as
important as the connection itself: that’s where the focus should be
Examples
·
Personal prayers are being posted online during
services (in chat / comments sections) and then used within those services
·
Weekly Sunday service from within a church
building
·
Musical concerts every Saturday night, from
different churches, trying to cover different styles / target ages / interest
groups etc
·
Simple prayers for the night, each night, from
different ministers / leaders
·
Reaching those not online: the attitude
of bringing church into people’s homes should be the focus
o
Printing out prayers and posting them in shop
windows / noticeboards
o
Working through phone lists; regular pastoral /
prayer calls (not just from the minister)
o
Mailing sermons / reflections etc
Limitations
·
Online / internet fatigue
·
Access to the technology / decent internet
connection
·
Impact on our sacramental / celebratory lives:
communion, baptisms, funerals, weddings…
·
A leader can sometimes feel alone, despite lots
of people watching: how can you get a dialogue going?
After the lockdown…
· Following the pandemic many churches will have
fewer resources
·
The ‘unlock’ won’t be instant or equal.
Shall we continue to stream / produce
online once the measures begin to be lifted?
o
Many will remain under distancing rules for
longer… they mustn’t be forgotten once the majority of us go back to ‘normal’.
Older people and the vulnerable may still want the online option when others
are back in church.
o
How do we keep some of the strength of the new
sense of community?
·
More people are connecting with online church
than were attending traditionally – how do we seek to keep them?
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