How has your Church Responded to COVID-19?
After three months of lockdown, we asked Christians around Ireland to tell us about worship, fellowship and outreach during the pandemic. With responses from all over Ireland here are a few of the key findings and some of the highs and lows people experienced.
(From the July - September 2020 issue of VOX)
Worship Services
68% have used pre-recorded videos published online
48.5% Live Streamed
74% Gathered on Zoom for prayer and fellowship
41% Live service on Zoom
Pastoral Care
93% Supporting members through phone calls and texts
64% Running small groups on zoom (or similar platform)
63% Running prayer groups on zoom (or similar platform)
Caring for the Wider Community
47% financial support or donations in kind to community groups (e.g. Meals on Wheels, Food Banks, etc.
42% Financial support for Christian charities providing a response
43.5% Volunteers from church helping with community response
What you said about lockdown:
This has been a very special time to interact with people and God has been busy working in the lives of people.
Minister and others provided daily reflection at noon. Home Groups continued to meet on Zoom. Each elder kept in touch with people in their district and met on Zoom to pray every week. As a result we stayed connected and people from all over the world are tuning in.
I was disappointed my priest did not organize some kind of meeting or chat on social media.
I have been in shielding and to be honest I have been so lonely and isolated. It was eight weeks before I got a txt and ten weeks before I got a phone call.
We had a lunchtime prayer online four times per week. We also set up a new Bible study group weekly online for those who live alone.
In particular, the feedback about the prayer meetings, which are still going, has been really encouraging and people have said how it has helped them personally during this time.
Our denomination had 40 days of prayer and worship online for 13 hours a day.
It was very difficult to maintain community with a congregation that is spread out over the city. Hard to get people to commit and engage on regular basis.
I live in the countryside and, not being in work, have been very isolated. I have noticed that as the lockdown progressed there were fewer and fewer communications from friends.
Having Zoom meetings as an interactive service, rather than a received service, resulted in greater involvement of the congregation.
There are some of us who do no longer associate with an organised church but still follow Jesus. We have been involved in shopping for elderly neighbours, social support of family, transport for someone medically vulnerable and donating to a wide range of charities. My aspiration is that these things become the new normal for every believer, even when Covid-19 is gone!
We ran the 24-7 Prayer Course on Zoom. Old and new people experienced growth. We also started a prayer list, contacted front-line workers we knew and asked if they would like to be prayed for during this time. They really appreciated it.
We already run a CAP centre and we have been supporting current clients along with new referrals from social services and local councilors. We have delivered over 300 hampers in the local area.
The church focus seems to be on self-service within the church family via Social Media platforms and WhatsApp groups. Notable was there was no church initiative on caring for the wider community. I believe the church can be internally focused... and is failing in its mission.
I think the real work for the church begins now as we deal with many people who are struggling with trauma, and other side affects of the pandemic.
“I am so enjoying the prayer buddy time and it has enriched my friendship and fellowship with my friend.”
“Pastoral care, especially in times of serious illness and death has been incredibly difficult and frustrating. As a pastor I’ve felt very isolated and my mental health was unstable.”
