In the January newsletter there was an invitation to think about joining a workshop on Practical Technology Possibilities for Rural Churches.

While doing some planning in preparation for such an event, it was decided to have a mini workshop.

It happened that, in our local Colleagues in Ministry group, those involved in developing and presenting online worship were noting that often, in joining webinars offered to help with technology , they usually wind up focusing on issues of big churches with tech teams that are beyond our possibilities.

So I said to these colleagues, and a few others, would you like to get together to talk about our experiences? Opening with this prayer: Creator and Holy Wisdom, Today we gather to seek your path. The skills and knowledge of humankind have given us the gift of technology, this tool for communication and community and gospel. Be with us as we share our thoughts and hopes for the service of your church. In Jesus’ name. Amen

So on Monday morning, 6 of us gathered by Zoom, from 4 provinces from PEI to Alberta. Three of us are involved in pastoral ministry and have experienced leading our congregations in online worship. One of us has only done services by Zoom, one has services on Facebook, and the third videos his service during the week, goes on Zoom in the morning for congregational time, then runs the video for them all, and it is available on Youtube. (One of the beautiful gifts suggested was that a service on Youtube means that it can be shown in the local nursing home when we are not able to go in for worship- phone them up and offer it to the recreation director!)

Then a couple of retired ministers who have had extensive prior experience in ministries that have used tech responded to the issues they had heard and shared useful ideas.

In his article, Rural Route Delivery, in the August edition of UCRMN newsletter, Martin Dawson shares a number of the useful and inexpensive hints that we talked about that morning. He also showed us a tripod with a torpedo (or shotgun) mic and a holder for a phone for filming, inexpensive equipment useful for any congregation.

Peter Chynoweth said, “a lot of what’s been happening in the church over the past nine months falls squarely within my vision for the church. Never in the history of worship has there been an opportunity for new wine in new wine skins like the present.”

We talked about the importance of bringing community to the online worship. We heard about congregations individually filming Christmas greetings to be shared in the service, telling the story about memorials in the church, and getting photos of cemeteries, the Legion cenotaph, or the community Fire truck to keep community celebrations going even if people can’t gather.

God has granted us a creation that allows us to maintain community by many means, but especially by being empowered by the Holy Spirit.(quoted from UCRMN Newsletter, August, 2020, Rural Route Delivery)

Register to join on March 18, 1 – 3 p.m. (Toronto time) for a Zoom workshop to share our learnings and challenges, and get some useful pointers from those who have been ‘techies in ministry’ for a long time. Cost is $10.