On behalf of our Global Interaction state team and national office, thank you! We’ve had a fantastic May Mission Month, highlighting and celebrating our cross-cultural workers as they join God’s mission throughout the world. We’re especially grateful for your partnership and encouragement during these difficult weeks and months. Baptist churches from across Victoria and Tasmania have hosted Zoom calls from Global Interaction cross-cultural workers, included our web resources in their online services, and checked in with people and projects they support from Mozambique to Cambodia, from Thailand to Yuendumu.
This year’s theme was centred on our commitment to remain in step with Jesus, in step with others, and in step with God’s mission. Acts 15 provided the framework and anchored our reflections on the challenge to keep faith, not religion, at the heart of our Christian witness. We were especially excited to release the beautifully produced short film, In Step, which narrates the story of three Yawo believers in Malawi and how God is using the Global Interaction team in that place. If you missed out, go and check out In Step and explore the treasure trove of other excellent videos at our online resource hub – https://www.globalinteraction.org.au/mmm.
As you can imagine, it was a different kind of May Mission Month. We sorely missed the joy of sharing, in person, the work of Global Interaction. However, our discussion tools, children resources and themed sermons were adapted and produced in a way that made them easy to incorporate into online church services. We were also grateful for the technology that allowed our staff and cross-cultural workers to appear live in online church services. We provided over 40 videos to choose from including messages from State Baptist leaders and many of our cross-cultural workers who, despite COVID-19, remain in the places God has called them. We also launched our podcast “Missioning” and will be adding more episodes throughout the year.
We appreciate your ongoing partnership throughout 2020 as we equip, send and support the remarkable people God calls for this specific, cross-cultural ministry. Even though May has come and gone Global Interaction’s important work continues across the year and through time zones, so please check out our resources online and stay tuned to learn about the ways God is at work around the world.
Peace and Grace,
Geoff Maddock State Director VIC/TAS
Global Interaction
As the Government’s restrictions are slowly easing and as we begin to settle into a new normal, we want to provide you with the ABC’s of what you should be doing to ensure a COVIDSAFE church, community and Australia.
Along with easing of groups to 20 people at home or outdoors, from 11:59pm on 31 May, restrictions on gatherings at places of worship and ceremonies will be eased:
Places of worship can open for private worship or small religious ceremonies for up to 20 people in a single undivided indoor space, subject to the four square metre rule plus the minimum number of people reasonably required to perform the service or ceremony.
20 people in addition to the celebrant and couple being married can attend a wedding. If a wedding is held in a home, a maximum of 20 people is allowed, including the celebrant and the couple.
50 people can attend a funeral in addition to the officiant and funeral staff, subject to the four square metre rule. If a funeral is held in a home, a maximum of 20 people can be present (including the officiant and funeral staff).
Please note:
Limits will be placed on entry to ensure compliance with total gathering numbers and separate space density requirements – one person per four square metres.
Venue operators or the celebrant are required to keep records of each person attending the wedding, funeral, or ceremony, for contact tracing purposes.
Attendees should keep 1.5 metres between themselves and others not from their household, practice good hand hygiene, and stay home if they feel unwell.
Multiple services or ceremonies can be held on the same day, but cleaning should occur between services or ceremonies. At least one hour should be allowed between services or ceremonies to reduce the risk of crowds at entrances and exits. The four-square metre rule applies, which limits the number of people who can be in each separate space.
Places of worship can continue to be opened for the purposes of hosting essential public support services such as food banks, help for the homeless or other essential activities, ensuring appropriate physical distancing is maintained by keeping at least 1.5 metres between those from other households at all times.
Ceremonies and services can still be recorded or broadcast live from the place of worship for viewing online. You are allowed to have people on site to record and live stream services, however, you must ensure those people maintain physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres between those from other households at all times.
Update 22 May 2020
Click on link below for this week's updates:
Weekly message from DOMM, Rev Daniel Bullock – Thriving through knowing your identity
May Members Update Video and Annual Report – by email today
Did you receive your Annual Statistics form?
Updated Government Restrictions
State Government Business Grants
Free Church Health Resources – New PSW & Building Resilient Teams videos
Under new arrangements to come into effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday 12 May, all places of worship, of all denominations can now open for re-arranged worship or small religious ceremonies of up to 10 people as well as the minimum number of people reasonably required for the service. This includes baptisms, wedding and funerals.
Multiple ceremonies can be held on the same day, but cleaning should occur between services or ceremonies. At least an hour should be allowed between services or ceremonies to reduce the risk of crowds at entrances and exits. The four square metre rule, which limits the number of people who can be in a building, applies.
Ceremonies and services can still be recorded or broadcast live from the place of worship for viewing online. You are allowed to have people on site to record and live stream services, however, you must ensure those people maintain physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres between each other at all times.
Places of worship may be opened for the purposes of conducting weddings and funerals, but there are strict limits on the number of people who can attend.
For weddings, and under new arrangements to come into effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday 12 May, 10 people can attend in addition to the couple, and the celebrant.
For indoor funerals, no more than 20 mourners may attend in person as well as the people required for the funeral, such as the officiant or funeral company. Funerals held outdoors can be attended by a maximum of 30 mourners in attendance. If a funeral is held at a private house then only 5 people, in addition to people who live at the household, can attend.
Places of worship can continue to be opened for the purposes of hosting essential public support services such as food banks, help for the homeless or other essential activities, ensuring appropriate physical distancing is maintained by keeping at least 1.5 metres between everyone at all times.
Premier Daniel Andrews, has announced the first stage of restrictions easing. At this stage, as of 11.59pm Tuesday 12th May:
1. Indoor Gatherings – Allow up to 5 visitors at home in addition to the normal residents of a household. This includes the outside and inside of a premises – so the total number at a residence is 5 additional people. This will be an additional reason that people can leave their home – this will be to visit family and friends in group no more than 5 people.
2. Outdoor Gatherings – Allow public gatherings of 10. Groups of no more than 10 people can gather for exercise and outdoor activities – Includes household members and other people but a max of 10. A person cannot organise or knowingly attend an outdoor gathering of more than 10 people.
3. Private worship or small religious ceremonies will be permitted with up to 10 people, plus those required to perform the ceremony. Please note – an additional requirement of religious ceremonies is to keep records of contact details of each guest, to assist in contact tracing if required.
4. Funerals – Allow 20 mourners indoors (people required to conduct the funeral are allowed in addition). If held at a priavte residence, only 5 people max allowed. Please note – an additional requirement of religious ceremonies is to keep records of contact details of each guest, to assist in contact tracing if required.
5. Weddings – Allow 10 guests in addition to the couple and the celebrant. Please note – an additional requirement of religious ceremonies is to keep records of contact details of each guest, to assist in contact tracing if required.
6. Community facilities (eg – Youth Groups., community centres, foodbanks etc) Allow 10 people for a support group plus the minimum number of people reasonably required to operate the facility or groups – Density quotient applies – does not include the use for Sport. Please note – operators must keepof contact details of each person attending the group to assist in contact tracing if required.
7. Schools – Information to be announced later in the week but a probable gradual return before the end of Term 2 – at least 2 week notice to be given for parents.
Presumably social distancing (outside of family groups) and hygiene requirements still apply for all of the above.
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the team at Dandenong Baptist Church have adapted to the challenges of these unexpected times, and have come up with some new and creative ways to care for our members and the broader community.
Each week, our church runs a program called Nourish. This involves an accessible and interactive service followed by a community meal, which has been operating for the last five years. This service and meal program is attended by many people who are homeless or socially disadvantaged. As the coronavirus restrictions began, our Pastor for Community Engagement Naomi Paterson was hesitant to close the meal program down, aware that the homeless community in Dandenong would be hard hit by the social effects of the virus, along with the challenges posed for the community by mass closures of local organisations that provide material aid.
Our team serving take away meals while practicing social distancing measures
Pastor Naomi liaised with the Material Aid Co-ordinator from the City of Greater Dandenong Council, and put in place procedures to serve the meal as takeaways, with both our volunteer team and our guests practicing social distancing measures. Along with meals provided by Cornerstone Contact Centre, a local organisation which serves meals to the street community that also runs from Dandenong Baptist Church, Nourish was identified by local and state levels of government as a key provider of material aid in Dandenong. As social distancing lockdowns came into play, Pastor Naomi was visited by local police, who assured us of the importance of keeping the meal programs running and continuing to care for the marginalised in Greater Dandenong. They helped to work out the safest way to serve the meals while observing the distancing laws, and have visited the programs several times since to lend their support.
In the early weeks of March, Naomi contacted local fruit and vegetable stallholders at the Dandenong Market and secured twice-weekly donations of fresh produce from two different stalls. She also secured a donation of bread three times each week. In mid-March, local Council began to provide Nourish with both fresh and non-perishable food, along with important items such as sanitizer and gloves. Alongside the hot meal, we have been able to provide our community with boxes of fresh produce, non-perishable food hampers and fresh bread. As well as serving these to our guests at the community meal programs, our pastoral team have been visiting church members who are in isolation and delivering these hampers full of goodies, showing practical care in a time when social distancing poses such unique challenges to the way we provide pastoral care.
Senior Pastor David Talathoti with a box of fresh produce ready to be delivered to someone in isolation
The Sunday morning service is being broadcast weekly via Facebook livestream and is well attended. Pastor Naomi is missing the Nourish church service but is glad for the opportunity to wander down the line as guests’ queue for the takeaway meals, stopping to chat to all our regulars along with newcomers. Many from this vulnerable community already struggle with mental health and have mentioned that they are feeling anxious or depressed at the moment. We are aware that there will be huge social and economic implications in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, and that vulnerable members of our community will need care and connection more than ever. It is such a privilege to be able to share the love of Jesus with our neighbours in practical ways during this challenging time.
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the team at Dandenong Baptist Church have adapted to the challenges of these unexpected times, and have come up with some new and creative ways to care for our members and the broader community.
Each week, our church runs a program called Nourish. This involves an accessible and interactive service followed by a community meal, which has been operating for the last five years. This service and meal program is attended by many people who are homeless or socially disadvantaged. As the coronavirus restrictions began, our Pastor for Community Engagement Naomi Paterson was hesitant to close the meal program down, aware that the homeless community in Dandenong would be hard hit by the social effects of the virus, along with the challenges posed for the community by mass closures of local organisations that provide material aid.
Our team serving take away meals while practicing social distancing measures
Pastor Naomi liaised with the Material Aid Co-ordinator from the City of Greater Dandenong Council, and put in place procedures to serve the meal as takeaways, with both our volunteer team and our guests practicing social distancing measures. Along with meals provided by Cornerstone Contact Centre, a local organisation which serves meals to the street community that also runs from Dandenong Baptist Church, Nourish was identified by local and state levels of government as a key provider of material aid in Dandenong. As social distancing lockdowns came into play, Pastor Naomi was visited by local police, who assured us of the importance of keeping the meal programs running and continuing to care for the marginalised in Greater Dandenong. They helped to work out the safest way to serve the meals while observing the distancing laws, and have visited the programs several times since to lend their support.
In the early weeks of March, Naomi contacted local fruit and vegetable stallholders at the Dandenong Market and secured twice-weekly donations of fresh produce from two different stalls. She also secured a donation of bread three times each week. In mid-March, local Council began to provide Nourish with both fresh and non-perishable food, along with important items such as sanitizer and gloves. Alongside the hot meal, we have been able to provide our community with boxes of fresh produce, non-perishable food hampers and fresh bread. As well as serving these to our guests at the community meal programs, our pastoral team have been visiting church members who are in isolation and delivering these hampers full of goodies, showing practical care in a time when social distancing poses such unique challenges to the way we provide pastoral care.
Senior Pastor David Talathoti with a box of fresh produce ready to be delivered to someone in isolation
The Sunday morning service is being broadcast weekly via Facebook livestream and is well attended. Pastor Naomi is missing the Nourish church service but is glad for the opportunity to wander down the line as guests’ queue for the takeaway meals, stopping to chat to all our regulars along with newcomers. Many from this vulnerable community already struggle with mental health and have mentioned that they are feeling anxious or depressed at the moment. We are aware that there will be huge social and economic implications in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, and that vulnerable members of our community will need care and connection more than ever. It is such a privilege to be able to share the love of Jesus with our neighbours in practical ways during this challenging time.
In lieu of being able to physically gather for our biannual Members Dinner tonight, we've create a Members Update Video for you. In this video, you will hear from Jo-Anne Bradshaw, Union Council Chair, from Daniel Bullock, Director of Mission and Ministries, on the year so far and strategic direction, and from Debbie Uy, Director of Finance and Administration on the Financial info. In addition, we will welcome some new churches and faith communities to the BUV and will hear briefly from our 3 Ordinands.
Its a great 30 minute video update and we encourage you to make time to watch it sometime over the weekend.
When people talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, the word “unprecedented” often comes up. But for Karen Baptists who grew up in Thailand or Burma, there is a lot about the pandemic that is familiar.
Catching a disease that will potentially kill you? For the Karen living in refugee camps in Thailand or the mountains of Burma, malaria is almost an annual occurrence. There is no vaccine for malaria and malaria parasites have mutated to become resistant to anti-malarial drugs. While for most Karen people malaria is akin to getting the flu, every monsoon hundreds of people in Burma and Thailand die from malaria.
Walking through empty streets? Curfews in refugee camps in Thailand or free fire zones in Burma mean that deserted streets are familiar, and the risk of catching a virus seems less immediate than being shot or treading on a landmine. At the start of the restrictions, a Catholic priest friend who lived through the civil war in Sri Lanka sent a message to my wife: “Don’t worry – we survived war – we will survive this too”.
But for younger Karen who were born in Australia or who came here when they were young, COVID-19 has been unprecedented. For many it has been difficult and stressful. Karen primary and high school students have had to change to online learning. Many Karen students did not have laptops and received them from their schools, and newly arrived Karen parents do not have the English or digital technology skills to help their children with online learning.
For two years I have helped lead a youth bible study group that meets on Friday nights in the Wyndham area. When social distancing restrictions were introduced we suspended the group, but then started again using Zoom.
Moving to Zoom wasn’t easy. In Karen culture physical contact is the glue of relationships. A handshake can last a conversation. A hand on the shoulder while talking to someone is normal. The traditional Karen greeting is “Ner Aw Mee Wi Lee Ar”. Have you finished eating? To meet together without sharing food and drink seemed unthinkable. Adjusting to meeting online was a cultural as well as a technological challenge.
Even before COVID-19 we had been planning to use Fuller Youth Institute’s “Faith in an Anxious World” program. But as life changed in ways we could not imagine, a program that teaches youth to use their faith to deal with stress and anxiety could not have been more relevant. The youth learn about their faith at church, and learn about mental health at school, but this was the first time their faith and mental health came together in this way.
One of the advantages of the program is that our youth have been able to present and lead each session. At a time when youth are being disempowered, having 13-year old and 14-year old youth present each session was incredibly empowering.
As we learned the importance of connecting, we have started meeting online at other times. During the week the youth met on Zoom to watch K-Pop videos. We have had a Saturday night film night. The youth have started an Instagram page, Teen Gospel Paradise, to spread the message of Christian faith and mental health online.
What’s next? Our group has a strong missional focus and before the pandemic we had built relationships with Muslim and Sikh communities. So in May we are doing Global Interaction’s May Mission Month. We don’t know how long restrictions will last or when we will be able to meet face-to-face again, but until we do we can continue our fellowship online.
For pastors in Victoria and right around the world, let me just come right out and state the very obvious… Things have changed dramatically in recent times! I know it’s not a new piece of news but it needs to be said. And for pastors, there have been so many significant changes to the way we minister, that it is important to stop for a moment and acknowledge this.
You can most likely identify with the following…
I have not been able to meet personally with the people I pastor
I have had to learn new ways of communicating to the church, and to do it more often
I have had to change the way I prepare for Sundays in order to adjust to online services
I have seen what other pastor are doing online & there is the opportunity to compare like never before
I have been at home more and my routines, disciplines and boundaries have needed to adjust
I have had to work harder to collaborate and have had to make more decisions on my own
I have started to think about what I need to do differently when the restrictions are lifted
These changes are real and have left many pastors feeling fatigued as a result of all the decisions they have had to make, emotionally drained as they feel like they are always trying to catch up, and physically tired as they wonder how long they can sustain this level of challenge. This is the reality for many pastors.
So now, perhaps more than ever, we need to hear anew the call of God’s word to us through the writer of the letter to the Hebrews…
“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
While the events threatening to stop the recipients of the letter from persevering were persecution and the trials of life in their day, we face challenges and changes that can cause us to feel like we are unable to go on. But God wants us to persevere, to keep going, to run the race marked out for us.
Now is the time for pastors to have resilience more than ever. It’s the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, from challenges. Just like the “slinky” toy many of us had when we were growing up, resilient pastors spring back and resume their original form after stretching. They don’t give up, they endure, and they prevail in the midst of adversity. How can we ensure that we are resilient in these times?
Remember – God got you into this!
God has called you to run.
It is God who got you running this race. You believed the gospel, you responded by faith and began the journey as a follower of Jesus. You surrendered your life to him. And now you are a pastor and you are running this race. People are looking to you. God called you and has equipped you. You must persevere. Until God makes it clear you have completed the race, keep running.
You have a call and a sense of purpose, so remember that “the one who called you is faithful and he will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24) It might just be the right time to retreat and spend a half or full day in prayer. On this day, why not reflect on how God called you initially into pastoral ministry, give thanks and praise for all that he has helped you through in the past, and ask God to help you, to strengthen you, to give you wisdom, to empower you and to fill you in the light of this current challenge. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient, and that when you are weak, you are strong in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
Remember – Comparison Kills
God’s has marked out the race for you.
“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
As churches have started streaming their weekend services online, many pastors have had their very first opportunity for a long time to see what other churches are doing and to compare themselves with other pastors & churches. It’s possible to see the sermons other pastors are preaching, how they pray, how they lead. We can end up feeling all kinds of regret, inferiority and inadequacy. But the writer to the Hebrews says that we are all in a race, but it is one that he has marked out for each of us. We don’t run the race in the same way as someone else does. Run your own way in this race, the way marked out for you. Run with the unique gifts, skills and experiences he has given you. Craig Groeschel has said, “The fastest way to kill something special is to compare it with something else.” Don’t waste time comparing yourself or your church with others. If you keep looking around, you’ll run off course. Run your race with all that you have for God’s glory. Be yourself, everyone else is taken!
What are your strengths? Build on them. What gives you joy? Work toward those things. What are the unique needs in your church and your community? Ask God to help you meet them. The race is before you. Run your unique way. You have something special as a pastor to offer the people God has entrusted to you. We’re cheering for you!
Remember – Look to Jesus
“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Look to the One who called you to run.
When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can experience the fullness of God’s grace poured out on us. We may have failed, stumbled and fallen so far short of our hopes and expectations, but at the cross as we see Jesus, we can declare with boldness, “I am forgiven, I am accepted, I am redeemed, I am called.” This fills us with joy.
When we fix our eyes on Jesus we see his example of how to persevere. The cross of Christ reminds us of the terrible suffering Jesus faced which was not only experienced physically but also in taking upon himself the sin of the world. Still, the promise of future joy provided Jesus with the strength to suffer. We are called to help pastor flourishing churches. What a joy it will be to see lives changed and communities impacted. Keep your eyes on Jesus as you run and don’t give up!
Resilience Resources
We need resilient pastors who persevere in the face of great challenge. Now is the time to build your resilience. The BUV has great resources to help you and I want to point you to a number of them.
Rev David Devine has presented a Professional Standards Workshop that can be completed online for maintaining your accreditation. It is called Resilience for Pastoral Leaders and is very helpful.
Maintaining supportive relationships is a key to building resilience, and the most significant relationship that many pastors have is that with their spouse. That is why the Marriage Course is being offered to pastoral leaders with Rev Dr Bill and Julia Brown hosting the course. This course started last Wednesday (6th May) but if you are quick you can still join in and catch up on the first episode. Sign up here…
Pastoral Clusters are operating right across Victoria using ZOOM to connect, encourage and offer peer support. Contact your regional pastor for information about when the next one is happening near you.
I attended the online The Resilience Webinar hosted by Partners in Ministry with Mark Connor and Psychologist Dr Grant Bickerton as guest speakers, the full webinar is available here on demand. I found the webinar very helpful and would recommend it to you.
Life Therapies Victoria, an organisation founded by psychologists and members of New Community Ringwood Baptist Church, has a number of video and PDF resources on wellbeing and resilience – http://www.lifetherapiesvictoria.com.au
Together as Baptists on mission we can not only persevere through this time but I believe we can prevail. Remember that God got you into this, that comparison kills and that Jesus is the one to keep looking to at every step of our race. There will be great joy when we meet Jesus face to face one day and we celebrate together!
As with many other churches across the world, Box Hill Baptist was thrown into the deep end ofa digital revolution by the coronavirus crisis. This is a brief telling of our story and some of the learning that we’ve had to (quickly) acquire!
In late 2019, Jim Barr, our minister, was having a chat about this newly appeared coronavirus which he’d heard about in the news. In this lengthy and detailed train of thought (which Jim is prone to!) he considered the potential implications for our society – Not just a flu-on-steroids impacting a few of our people and requiring a few extra hygiene measures – but one which could result in the entire church, in all churches, being shut down. Where gatherings of people together in places of worship, or even their homes were banned and our members sent into separation and isolation.
Of course, as a good administrator I nodded and patiently amused the pastor’s wild train of thought… Well, who’s laughing now?
Of course, none of us are actually laughing. Millions of people infected, hundreds of thousands dead, and the livelihoods of the majority of the world’s population severely disrupted. And in the midst of this, we continue to try and bring hope and love to our local community in new and challenging ways.
I have spoken to theological colleges which implemented 3-year digital strategies in the space of 3 days to deal with this challenge. It’s fair to say that Box Hill Baptist Church didn’t even have a digital strategy! In mid March, as we were aware that some vulnerable members of our community may choose to stay away on Sundays, we had our very first experimentation with livestreaming a service. Using nothing more than Facebook Live and a phone, we took our first steps into delivering worship online. Despite such humble beginnings it was very well received, with many views from our congregation and beyond. Feeling pleased with ourselves we took notes on what tentative steps we might take next.
But as we all know, only a few days later our entire world had changed and we soon realised that it was all or nothing. For the first time in Box Hill Baptist’s 118 year history, worship would not take place together physically (Even the Spanish Flu and both World Wars hadn’t been able stop that!) But now, we were needing to go 100% online delivery.
So, what are we learning?
That the skills, knowledge and technology needed to go fully online are, surprisingly, not that hard to come by. Smartphones, free video editing software, cheap websites and the ubiquitous social media platforms make going online surprisingly barrier-free. Skills and knowledge are a different matter of course, but a ‘learn as you go’ approach, supported by the endless availability of online tutorials and help guides meant that we were able to stitch our first digital online service together in less than 3 day – with just what we had lying around.
Flexibility and creativity are key. We realised at the beginning that just attempting to put the same kind of service online was not only challenging when you need to be social distancing, but was missing the opportunities that the new medium presented. So from week one, we took our services out of the usual format and out of the building. Sermons by Blackburn Lake. Reflections whilst walking. Interviews over Zoom. Bible readings from peoples’ homes. This not only made it safer and easier to get our community involved, but created intrigue and enthusiasm as we discovered new ways to share God’s message and worship together. Thankfully we also have a congregation who are very open to new ways of doing things and never demanded ‘the same’!
Deliver less, more often. We knew that an hour long online Sunday service would be missing the point, so have instead spread out our content across the week. Using a mix of video and written material we pop small chunks of inspiration into the lives of our community and beyond. This has included weekly devotional reading guides, video tours of some of our members’ extraordinary backyards, in-depth blogs from Jim, and twice-weekly Zoom gatherings for those keen to get together, chat, and pray.-Look beyond your own buildings and borders. Ironically, all of this segregation and isolation has encouraged us to more deeply engage with our neighbour churches. With Easter approaching we realised how powerful it would be to have many of the churches in Whitehorse share greetings with each other – and with this new online world we had the perfect medium to share that. And so utilising the existing networks of Whitehorse Churches Care we hijacked a pastor’s breakfast and quickly recorded each pastor sharing a few words. This super-easy and quick video was incredibly well received and was shared & viewed more than any other piece of video we have developed – showing the power of working together. As this pandemic continues we are looking at more ways to share our content and others across our church networks, and hope that will continue beyond lockdown.
It’s felt like an age, but we know it’s only the early days. And while doing this was largely forced upon us, the direction we have taken is already having positive results. Foremost, we are continuing to keep our community engaged and encouraged, and are hearing many of them appreciating the opportunity to stay connected and hopeful when they might otherwise be quite isolated. We are also seeing our content being shared across churches in Melbourne and beyond (including internationally), and are expanding our community to new people across the globe.
This is now leading us to consider what church will look like when we all return from isolation.We have no doubt that it will not look the same, nor should it – and are very excited by that potential. We are already beginning to explore how church can continue to engage digital audiences and bring them and our ‘physical’ congregation together in a hybrid community and blended worship. The coronavirus has taken it’s toll on our community, as it has on all communities. But in that it has brought new people into our community and created opportunities for us to share the love of God and bring hope, encouragement and practical support to people who would likely never graced the doors of our physical buildings. In that, God is bringing light through the darkness, and we’re excited about the journey that God is now taking us on.
Our team serving take away meals while practicing social distancing measures
Senior Pastor David Talathoti with a box of fresh produce ready to be delivered to someone in isolation
Our team serving take away meals while practicing social distancing measures
Senior Pastor David Talathoti with a box of fresh produce ready to be delivered to someone in isolation