Virtual Church and Faith Formation

As we all learn to cope with the new normal as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are learning new ways of conducting worship online, offering remote faith formation, and using audio/video conferencing for council meetings, prayer circles, and other small-group activities. This collection is continually updated. Please share resources you are aware of using the form below.

Preparation

• I pastor a church near a COVID-19 outbreak. This is what churches can do.
• ELCA: Worship in Times of Public Health Concerns
• Five Ways to be the Church When Church is Cancelled 

Virtual Church Tech Resources

• LEAD: Resources for Leading Digital Worship (webinar recording and resources)
• Digital Literacy Toolkit
• Alyce McKenzie: Preaching to an Empty Room
• ELCA: How to Stream Your Worship Service — A Starter Guide
• COVID-19 Lockdown: Creating Live-streamed Worship in 3 Days
• Rev. David Hansen: Worship in Times of COVID-19
• VIDEO: Zoom Meeting to YouTube and Facebook Live
• Sample Service: Redemption Lutheran, Phila.
• Video: Zoom Tutorial From Pr. Rob James, ELCA churchwide staff
• Video: Zoom Worship Preparation  Bruce Reyes-Chow and Sarah Stonesifer Boylan
• How to Take Your Church Virtual (Fast): The Ultimate Guide to Church Live-Streaming During Crisis
• Creating Live-streamed Worship in Three Days
• Streamlining Service  Wisconsin UCC
• Learning About Live Streaming For Your Church  Church Communications.com

Tools (For information, not endorsed by SEPA Synod, although we use some of the tools.)

• 2020 ELCA Technology Discounts for Congregations
• Zoom Video Conferencing (free with 40-minute meeting limit)
• Mevo Live Stream Camera

Virtual Church/Remote Worship Ideas

• One License Offers Gratis Streaming License Through April 15
• Temporary FREE license for Augsburg Fortress Liturgies
• Lent 4 worship outline by Pr. John Carlson
• Epidemic Preparation: Cultivate Online Church  Caffeinated Church

News (May be behind paywall)

• Coronavirus changed how Philly worshipers observed Sunday services
• Across faiths, religious rules bent as virus alters worship
• Coronavirus and spirituality: Preserving the faith at a safe distance l Opinion

Learning Opportunities

• Digital Worship Workshop   LEAD+ March 19
• Gracious Community in a No-Touch World  Kaleidoscope Institute March 20

Faith Formation Resources and Ideas

• “In This Together” coloring book by Rachel Gucwa, of Welcome Church
• Pandemic Hope daily family devotional
• Dollar Store Kids Sermons (RCL and Narrative)
• LWF: Intercessory Prayers in time of COVID-19

Action/Service Ideas

• Tips for Responding to Hunger in a Pandemic  ELCA World Hunger

Generosity

• 10 Ideas For Church Financial Leaders During COVID-19  UMC
• Tithely online giving – ELCA Preferred Vendor
• ?registrantKey=5739103656914763531&type=ATTENDEEEMAILRECORDINGLINK">Three Mobile eGiving Tools  VANCO
• https://www.vancopayments.com/egiving/elca 
• https://get.tithe.ly/elca 
• https://www.paypal.com/us/non-profit/fundraising/fundraising-online 

Learn how synods and congregations are discovering How Mission Support Adds Vitality to Congregational Life.   Watch these videos from last weekend’s StewardCast 2020 hosted by ELCA Stewardship. The first link is the complete 70-minute event.  The following links are individual presentations. You can also download the videos to watch offline.

Stewardcast 2020

• Watch: https://youtu.be/z7mOYpwuVCQ
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/398671672.source.mp4?s=31727ecebcdd2ece7710a063251bbf0e8af038ba&download=1

Stewardcast 2020 – Nick Kiger – Mission Support

• Watch: https://vimeo.com/397499182
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/397499182.source.mp4?s=d046ebff998bc01812a6c1abf90325351a2eb938&download=1

Stewardcast 2020 – Faith Simonieg – WND

• Watch: https://vimeo.com/398666273
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/398666273.source.mp4?s=5a2ad48918132fff9478bbd84f0f5eca7fed92de&download=1

Stewardcast 2020 – Rob James – Congregational Vitality Team

• Watch: https://vimeo.com/397462485
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/397462485.source.mp4?s=5745451ef6c02e6b330c06b5961c0dd6353908dc&download=1

Stewardcast 2020 – Danielle Denise – North Carolina

• Watch: https://vimeo.com/397499068
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/397499068.source.mp4?s=854d91d0cff18d058fc6825f6c673587a21b77b5&download=1

Stewardcast 2020 – Dana Dutcher – Global Mission

• Watch: https://vimeo.com/397486302
• Download: https://player.vimeo.com/external/397486302.source.mp4?s=da402d816fea46c9147f88f0a9d2b25b5ea24928&download=1