Good Ideas in the time of COVID-19
Please contact Deanery Secretary to share hints and tips with other parishes. Christ Church (North Abingdon)
We are blessed at CCA having Heather our Children's Minister, and she's been putting together some superb Children and Family Worship resources each week. We want to serve and support others and share the resources God has given us, so are happy for others to access/use this if it is of help to any churches. You can see the video form this week here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9YqdBa1hxRdA84Vxfw7pA
Peachcroft Christian Centre (North Abingdon)
We have a YouTube channel, where we place recordings of sermons, prayers and notices - click here. We make a playlist of songs and people go through the service, in order. At the end, everyone meets together in homegroups via 'google meets/hangouts' or 'zoom' to discuss the questions from the sermon.
We are having lots of positive feedback from people. The homegroups also meet midweek (online) and have been imperative.
We have a church 'WhatsApp' group with messages sent to the whole church three times a day, prayer, song and bible reading, which is really well liked. For Advent: a play-mobile advent calendar - see here.
St. Peter's, Wootton
We've been continuing to worship together at 10am every Sunday in our own homes using YouTube and orders of service distributed by email for those who are internet-connected and augmented orders of service distributed (now by post) to those without email. Although our main Sunday service had normally been mainly eucharistic and lasted about 1 hour, these videoed services (except for Easter Day) have been services of the Word lasting no more than 35 minutes. Different members of the congregation record sections of the service in their own homes (including accompanying hymns) and the churchwarden's daughter compiles these on YouTube to run as one service. These have been much appreciated by members of the congregation. We are holding PCC meetings using Zoom. Links to all services and orders of service are available on the church website at: https://www.woottonchurch.co.uk/videosofsundayservices.htm
or from the church's Facebook page. Practical help is being coordinated by one of our churchwardens so anyone needing help with collecting shopping, medicines, or just a chat on the phone, can receive appropriate support from known and trusted members of our congregation. He also liaises with the village community support group.
St. John the Baptist, Kingston Bagpuize
Anne has been live-streaming Sunday morning services from her home using embedded videos of other members of the congregation doing Bible readings, intercessions, etc, from their own homes and she also live-streams morning prayer daily. Fellowship groups have been meeting using Zoom. A lot of additional resources have been added to the website including weekly talks, recorded stories and songs for Children, Bible jokes and Thoughts for the Day. In place of an Easter Egg hunt, one member of the congregation is doing a "Blue Peter style" demonstration of how to make an Easter Garden on a plate and posting it on the church's Facebook page inviting people to post pictures of their own creative interpretations of the idea. Website is at:
https://kingstonbagpuizechurch.churchinsight.com/ Caring help is being co-ordinated by the Safeguarding Officer.
|