This past week we returned from an 8-week sabbatical from our parish work. I have still been consulting, coaching and writing. In fact, I got the final layout for a new book on preaching that I wrote for our denomination just last week.

     But I did not return to anything resembling what I left just 8 weeks earlier. I left a congregation with pastoral coverage, two fully operational services, community services happening, youth programming and solid cashflow to provide resources. I came back to a congregation that worshipped together yesterday for the last time, at least for a few weeks, has to deliver ministry in new ways, and where weekly finances may change drastically in a short period of time.

     Coincidentally (or perhaps not), the sign on our church sign when we returned said, “Problems are opportunities with work clothes.” As my son likes to remind me, the best new ideas almost always come out of crisis. The church needs to be moving ahead in using technology. Perhaps this is the time to do some things we have been slow to do.

So, here are a few things that we can each do to do ministry in this new time:

     Have a small worship staff gather and provide an order of worship – perhaps led from the sanctuary – and livestream it. YouTube channels and Facebook livestream are easy options. We held worship yesterday and livestreamed for the first time here with good success. And three times as many people watched online as came (since we are already feeling the impact of the virus). But some of those who watched were former members from other states and some were people we hadn’t met. There is an opportunity here if we use it. Preparing a written order of worship for the online service and emailing it to members can allow you to design something helpful and tailored to online worship (don’t just do the service you normally do without thinking about needed changes for an online audience). Finally, you can start with just a laptop armed with a built-in microphone and camera and if careful do a fairly adequate job as you get started, especially in a crisis. But long-term, getting a few upgrades on microphones, camera and perhaps a video editor can make this grow into a viable new way of reaching people.

     For smaller worship events, like midweek Lenten services, you may find that the best platforms are more interactive. For example, both Zoom and Skype are major services that provide interactive videoconferencing for groups. If you have smaller midweek attendance, it may be that a videoconference approach even increases your attendance. And in these cases, if you prepare people, they each have a microphone and can be unmuted at will to lead a prayer, do a reading, or read in unison or in a responsive reading.

     The key in both cases is not to treat these experiences in too casual a way. Plan ahead, develop a written “bulletin” with helps and cues for people, and think about how something would work online instead of in person. Done well, these problems may be opportunities in work clothes!