You’ve learned how to stream your services via Zoom or Facebook Live.
You’ve managed to edit videos or screen share to include others in your liturgy.
You’ve posted your services, held Bible studies online, and even created a virtual coffee hour after church.
Still, there are those precious members of your congregation who simply don’t have the technical wherewithal to participate.
What then?
How do you reach the folks who can’t click a link in an email to enjoy the richness of online fellowship?
We asked preachers how they’re handling this difficult predicament and compiled their suggestions here. May you find strategies and encouragement from your colleagues.
Deliver your sermon via Robo-call
I saw the question about serving folks with no internet, and wanted to share what my folks have loved. I signed up for a robo-call service (I’m using Call-Em-All.com but there are others) and I’m sending a voice recording of the Sunday collect of the day, along with a greeting. It goes out to everyone, by regular phone call, during the time our worship would normally be happening. I’m sending a second one during the week as well.
Susie
If you have a phone, you can participate!
The thing I'm looking into now is how to include my non-internet people - I've been calling and having others call around, but this week I will mail them a printed worship guide that they can use week to week. I'm also looking into the Bullhorn App (https://www.bullhorn.fm/call-to-listen-button), and thinking it might allow my people to call in and hear my message. But that is TBD.
-Betsy
We used Zoom, had about 40 people in worship (which is a decent % of ASA!) and had about half the folks join on the phone, including several folks in their late 80s who don’t have internet access or technology beyond a landline phone. I personally contacted every member of my congregations, and as part of my check-in, walked them through joining Zoom via the phone or computer. With many folks, I gave them instructions for how to join Zoom, and then asked them to hang up the phone, try it out, and connect to Zoom so we could make sure everything was working properly. I followed that up with instructions via email and USPS, along with a printed bulletin folks could use to follow along during the Sunday liturgy.
Once we gathered on Sunday, I went down the list of people, temporarily unmuted them, and asked them to greet others on the call for a minute or so, then moved on to the next person. After the service was over, I unmuted everyone, and several folks stayed for almost half an hour for a virtual coffee fellowship. We had only one family with technical difficulties we couldn’t solve on Sunday morning, and they should be all set for next week :)
The response was hugely positive, both the joy with which people greeted one another in worship, and in conversations afterward. We even had several people who are typically unwillingly absent from church during the winter join us, which was a wonderful gift.
Thanks be to God for a good first week of virtual worship; I hope our experience might be helpful for other smaller congregations.
-Gratefully, Andrew+
Snail Mail Reaches Everyone
Many are older and do not have internet access. I am writing a meditation along with a printed prayer and mailing it to each of them, and last week I called all of them. I will do the mailing every week and call every couple of weeks for as long as this lasts. This week I'm thinking I will include links to online worship for those who have access.
-Carrol
I'm sending weekly "letters" with inspirational messages and updated information about COVID-19. I'm a bi-vocational minister, and my full-time job is with the state health department. I have the latest information about the spread of the disease and what we're learning about staying safe. Trusted information is powerful in providing a sense of comfort and stability.
The letters I write have a Pauline flavor; in fact, I've written that I see these letters as similar to Paul's. He wrote to beloved congregations and when he couldn't be with them in person. In his letters, he address their current struggles and always offered spiritual nurture. That's what I hope to do.
Seeds of creativity are still growing regarding what I'll do for Holy Week and Easter. I always send Easter cards to members; this year, though, I'd like to include something creative that speaks to rebirth that can happen even as we're in the wilderness of isolation and fear.
-Glen
I've been compiling a newsy type letter - the first copy will be going out Monday, I hope! With a transcript of my sermon, some daily devotions for the upcoming week and a reflection on what has crossed my heart this past week. I'm making a few phone calls to check in - but that's not always efficient either....because of hearing (and timing of calls) concerns. There are lots of questions and concerns..but we have this FAITH that will carry us through.
-Dena
Have parishioners write to elderly; if your congregation is mostly elderly, could they write to each other and/or pair up with another local congregation?
When in doubt, call (and surely most people have email now, right?)
The congregation I serve are proud of the fact that most of them do not have computers or use most kinds of technology. I truly feel the impact of that as I try to stay connected. I have called almost every parishioner whose number I have. I am sending out daily reflections and meditations via email to those that do have and on Sunday my husband (he is also a pastor) wrote an abbreviated order of worship and I will do the same this week. It was well received as per the responses we received.
I hope that there will be another way in which I can reach out to those I serve. I hesitate to use mail for the same reasons we are physically distancing - while trying to remain personally and spiritually connected.
-Jo-Ann
And a few tips for better serving those who DO join you online…
What I have had the chance to do, because I am not serving a congregation right now, is to attend a number of online worship services. The number one thing I would say is that you can't just do everything you would usually do together while on the computer. In some cases the music just doesn't translate. In many cases, the service just feels too long. As folks are in their homes, some with kids that they are trying to wrangle to be still with them (even harder than in the sanctuary), the services seemed to draaaag on. As well, it's just not normal times. I think having some larger worship moment together is helpful as a way to mark Sundays as special, but I have found most help in brief (15 minutes) scripture reading/reflection (5 mins)/prayer each day that some folks have posted.
-Mamie
We've had good success using Logitech's Brio 4K webcam and a Blue Yeti Blackout USB microphone that's made imaging and sound much crisper than a standard laptop mic and webcam. We've used a combination of Zoom and Facebook Live to incorporate multiple leaders in multiple locations while still live-streaming the content rather than recording. It's important for us as a campus community to keep a sense of active rhythm for the various leaders that engage throughout the day.
-Drew
What equipment worked well? What didn’t? : We used a Samsung S9+ with a small shotgut mic for the FB Live event and am Asus laptop with a mic for recording audio to upload sermons on our website. The FB event equipment worked well. The laptop recording was a bit off (echoey) and we have to tweak the sound set up
What platform? We livestreamed on Facebook, the audio recording was uploaded to our website
What will you do differently? Place phone in a different location to capture video better, and place mic for audio recording in a better location to limit echo. Also, will place phone closer to preacher for capturing more of a headshot and eliminate much of the background. We’re also looking for additional equipment (video camera) and software (like OBS)
What will you do the same: Keep service/livestream to about the same time length (~ 40-45 minutes), will continue with FB livestreaming
-Gilberto
Instead, I'm recording a mini worship service (15-20min) from home, using my husband's iPhone, and posting the video to my church's website and Facebook page (trying to get it posted Saturday evening). I'm recording at home on purpose... for ease, to be consistent with what I'm telling my people (how can I tell them to stay home if I'm not doing it myself), and because I saw no sense in figuring out recording from the sanctuary only to have to re-figure it out from home…
Betsy