Webinar Info + 8 Things I’ve Learned

Click here to Register for the webinar, Friday, March 20

Tomorrow I am a panelist in the “Using Digital Tools for Faith Formation Webinar” hosted by Discipleship Ministries:

We are living in unprecedented times. The recommendations for social distancing and even self-quarantine threaten to raise our collective anxiety levels and keep us from experiencing community. Yet as the baptized community, the church affirms the need to continue meeting together (Hebrews 10:25). Now is the time for churches to be experimenting with digital tools and social media to help small groups and Sunday School classes to connect in new ways and continue the church’s efforts at faith formation.

In this unpredictable and unprecedented times we are all learning as we go. Here are  eight things I’ve learned in the first 5 days of online-only ministry with children and families:

1. It is good to have a partner to manage participants and chat. 
2. All kinds of people will show up, from awesome preschoolers to amazing octogenarians! 
3. The prayer requests over chat will be long and meaningful.
4.  Four-year-olds are super cute on ZOOM with their waving – it keeps the energy up. 
5. If you ask the gathered to light a candle at home, some kids will improvise with a phone app. 
6. The “Mute all” setting in Zoom is a leader feature I would like in real life youth gatherings 😉
7. Wild ideas, like a Palm Sunday car parade (more on that soon) are inspired by the Spirit.
8. Seeing each other online is a gift that also  highlights how important in person church really is. Thanks be to God.