Marks of a Post-Covid Transformed Congregation

 Implement an ALL Congregational Calling Campaign TODAY (Phone, Mail, etc.)

As the Vaccine becomes more available to those 65 and older, their desire to gather again will grow. 

What are you doing to remind them that you are there for them and will be there to help them in the near future?  

Begin getting in personal touch with your whole church directory / contact list with as many volunteers as you can muster! Emphasize that this is a an upbeat, "we're with you" type of call. 

• Call EVERYONE you have a phone number for, using a simple script like this to make a connection:

“Hi, I’m _____________ from the ____(church name)_____ United Methodist Church. How are you today? 

I see you’ve been connected to our church and I’m calling to offer our help in ending this pandemic.

Are you needing any food or other help? 

Perhaps transportation to the doctor? 

Are you planning to get a vaccination? 

Do you know how to schedule an appointment to get one? 

(By the way, the websites have been swamped with requests so it may take some time.) 

Do you need a safe and socially distanced ride?…..

{Take down any pertinent information, needs, concerns, report to calling captain.} 

May we call your again in the future?”

[NOTE: Keep a careful log of all the information shared with you.  We’ll be calling them again in a few weeks and will want to know what you discovered.] 

• Make plans to call and check in with ALL your calling and contact list often (WEEKLY?) just to make sure they are all ok. 

(We know that many of you have and are continuning to call the elderly and shut in. 

Now is the time to start calling and renewing your connection with ALL your contacts. 

It will be the foundation for future invitations such as a “Post Covid Grand Re-opening” Event, as well as encouragement them to rejoin the faithful community of Christ.

You will also discover the needs and concerns of your community to revise and restructure your ministries around.  

Clarify Your Mission / Renew your Vision 

Clearly, if we do nothing, we are assuring the further withering and eventual death of our local churches, and by extension, our denomination.  We are not alone in this.

 All the other “old mainline” churches are in the same boat.  Even the newer, evangelical churches (many of whom are larger and have more resources) are likewise facing the coming “calm after the storm” with similar uneasiness about a “new normal.”  

(In addition, they will likely have the legacy of being tied to a political movement as well that will surely effect their future.)  A few “missional” guidelines are in order.....

• Above all, the church must be a place of spiritual vitality as well as “ministry.  Too often ministry has devolved into “busy activity” with no intentional spiritual component.  People get burned out and church becomes more a duty, a “chore” rather than a calling. 

• Networking and Teamwork not only gives a seat at the table for various viewpoints but assures that they come to the table to work together, and not to simply disrupt or dominate.  Such horizontal connections (as opposed to vertical) catch the spirit of the times and return us to the deeper social character of the Christian movement. 

• The pastor will need to develop the role of the “mid-wife” in many areas, if they have not done so already. From Personal Spiritual journey/Faith Building, to shared leadership in the congregation, to communicating an environment of humble wisdom and knowledge, the pastor needs to beckon the faithful forward, out of their comfort zone and not be a standard bearer expecting followers to fall in line. 

Gather your leaders and lay out the timeline / vision of the next few months:We've given a golden opportunity to get everyone on the same page regarding the purpose and mission of the church. 

The World is hungry for meaning and exceptionally lonely after this time of enforced isolation. 

What can we say to them about the Gospel that will transform their lives? 

In Mark 1:15 Jesus says: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God/Heaven has come near!..." 

Heaven then becomes a reality for us with the Resurrection. 

We are all invited to the banquet, RIGHT NOW! 

We are given Citizenship in Heaven. (Phil 3:20) 

The Church, the "body of Christ", is the physical presence of heaven in our world. Granted, it's not a prefect representation, more like the "porch" of Heaven. 

 God's gracious, forgiving and unconditional love has granted us "citizenship" even now.  

Everything we now do is shaped by that awareness that we are living with one foot in heaven even as we continue living with one foot in our world. 

So, gather your leadership and go over the core values of the church and remind them that they are already Citizens of Heaven (Phil. 3:20) so that no matter what fears and dangers they face, we belong to a higher reality than our physical world around us.  

A time of shared Visioning is essential guided by theological ideas and processes. This can be a time of challenge to all church leaders and a time of rebuilding the faithful covenant community around the core strengths of the Christian faith.

Start planning  "Welcome Home / Grand Re-Opening" Events: 

Stores will be having "Grand Re-Opening Events" as opportunities to rebuild their loyal customers. What are you planning?

Can you have a series of "Grand Openings" each geared to a different demographic?

• Bring together a team of your most "radical hospitality" oriented people and identify at least one, and perhaps two or three events as celebrations of Spirituality, Fellowship and Renewal.  

• Celebrate the Gospel/Good News of Christ’s “Heaven with us” and all the ministries and people who have kept the “doors” of the congregation open.  

• Lift up opportunities for growth, action and love within your congregation  

• Have plenty of time to mingle, renew old friendships and make new ones.  

• Easter, Mother’s Day and Pentecost are, of course, easily idenable, but don’t forget Dinners (with seating arranged by neighborhoods?), “Talent” nights, Picnics and Sing alongs. We have a role in rebuilding the community. 

• Don’t over schedule the agenda, leave lots of time for socializing!

COMMUNITY NEEDS ENGAGEMENT

There are always many opportunities for important long-term engagement with the neighborhood around you.

And the MissionInsite website, contracted by the Annual Conference, can provide the key concerns and struggles of the people around you.  Whether it's Financial, Educational, Social or Aspirational, the local church can become a "Community Center" to provide the resources they need. 

Anxiety and worry may pose significant challenges to the community around the issues of hunger and poverty, depression and family stress, and police and safety. 

Helping the community develop Vision and capacity, training and empowering people to see Hope even in the midst of devastation and helping them to take greater ownership of their lives and their environments are special gifts a congregation can give. 

The goal is to put communities that have already suffered into a position where, in the event of a continuing struggle or future disaster, they won’t fall back quite as far.   And the church will then also be seen as a place of safety, information and support.  A place to find God and God's heaven.

Lay the foundations for 

a renewed Small Group Transformation: 

The small group has been at the core of the Early Christian movement and inspired the “Wesleyan reformation” of the last 300 years. You can begin to train Small group leaders right now via a ZOOM training class and discussion.  

Discover the various “callings” God has placed on the hearts of lay leaders. Challenge them to think of birthing new groups once the pandemic shut down has lifted. 

Give them the tools and ongoing support to help them grow, nurture and birth new small groups from their efforts. 

Explore our "Resurrection Families" for a 21st Century way to make small groups work without the administrative overhead of most small group ministries.

Evaluate your efforts:

Churches that can adapt, be informed of evolving resources and help people be connected to God will see a rebirth of spirit, unconditional love and faithfulness.

Virtual Worship, Prayer Groups, Studies will likely continue in some form, but will never replace the need for face to face, physical presence learning that is for the faithful as well as an entry point for newcomers. 

Always think of what your follow up steps will be for both groups.  

Have a specific invitation for everyone you will be meeting.  

Make sure your church leaders are offering such invitations regularly to all they meet as well. 

Prune off the deadwood:

It's important to identify the activities and ministries that no longer help your live out your mission and fulfill you Vision. 

They need to be ended by direct action or by simply not putting in the energy to keep them going. 

Questions:Has your church council reorganized in the face of the many crisis’ we have before us and is it operating in “faith based”, led by Christ mode?
Have you invited newly motivated members of your congregation to join in the leadership discussion?

Follow up:

Perhaps the most critical and often overlooked part is your follow up, especially with new people. 

This is especially critical now because many people may have watched your online presence, but never though of themselves going beyond watching the screen it's on.  Church has become just another entertainment opportunity.  It's soon forgotten in the crush of daily living. 

Is your leadership team planning Adult classes, Community forums, Fellowship activities for those within walking distance (20 mins)? 

Do you have teams of at least 2 people placing Door Hangers with helpful information, community events and activities your church offers? 

Are you addressing the spiritual needs of loneliness from God and questions about God and the Pandemic? 

  Your ministry team needs to evaluate and plan around what is working and what is missing in your efforts and take steps to rectify the situation.

Question: Who can you invite in to help your leadership? (Inside the church /outside the church?) 

Who is starting to get burned out from the stress?

 How are you caring for them?

MEDIUM TO LONG-TERM RECOVERY

During medium to long-term pandemic recovery, the work of building long term changes to the social fabric continues. 

When can children return to school? 

Will Adults have renewed opportunities to improve their livelihoods and restore their family economies? 

Can life begin to feel stable once more? 

Continue Multiplying Small groups:

 A critical part of medium to long term growth and renewal is starting 2-6 new groups a year. 

Leaders can be trained, new "issue oriented" small groups can be formed, all on line. 

"Seed groups" can reach out to new people as they can gather in groups of 10-25.

(see next article to the right)

Question: 

Can the church contribute a sense of spiritual insight and interpretation to the events that have effected so many people? 

How can the church mentor new leadership in the midst of the recovery?

WHERE IS GOD LEADING YOU IN 3-5 YEARS? 

Are you making your long term planning part of your normal cycle? 

Leaders are changing more rapidly as older leaders age out and newer members are invited, trained and begin to take decision making roles

An important part of Planning is "Pruning." 

Are you looking at EVERY activity your congregation is involved in and asking the hard questions?

• Is it effective in it's particular mission?

      (Does it have a mission statement?)

• How does it contribute to the "mMakin of Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the world? "

• Are the fruits of it's actions in line with the most recent Vision of where God is leading your Congregation? 

Thought about your church gatherings and  your response to the pandemic of 2020?  

Read / Download / Share this resource below. 

Recently released guidelines can be found here.

Bishop Hagia's message plus other resources

(based on Psalm 23, 27:3; Isaiah 41:10, 43:1-3; Luke 12:32; John 10:11)  

I am the Good Shepherd. Fear not for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your Lord. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will hold you up with my right hand.   
Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod for protection and your staff for guidance, they comfort me.   

I am your Shepherd. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, you shall not drowned. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned.  
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me. Lord You stretch out Your hand against the wickedness of my enemies, and your right hand saves me. 

  
You are the sheep of my pasture, I have created you, formed you. Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.  
Though many should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. You, Lord, are the Shepherd of my soul. You are my light and my salvation., You are the strength of my life. How great is Your goodness toward those who trust in You!   

I am the Good Shepherd and I say to you “Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. He has determined to give you the Kingdom.”  
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  
— from Jeanie Rose’s Pray the Scriptures website. 

A simple hand out to help neighbors help neighbors.

Excellent guidelines for COVID-19 and other Emergencies.

Very comprehensive