Online church & transitioning to the ‘new normal’

The last three months have been unprecedented for all churches around the world. We have had to get used to ‘online church’ as we obey the government restrictions that have been put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. These restrictions are now starting to be eased (see latest summary), so we are in a position to plan our return to physical meetings over the coming months.

To help us make the transition we’d like to get your feedback on:

1. The positives and challenges of online church for you
2. Your thoughts on transitioning back to physical meetings

The bumpy road ahead and our great God

The transition to the ‘new normal’ will not be easy and without challenge. The return to physical meetings may in fact to be a more testing time for us than the transition to online church. As we are currently learning in our series in the life of David, God wants to use all our adverse circumstances to shape and nurture our hearts. We are repeatedly told that God wants to use challenges and trials to refine us (1 Peter 1:6-7), prune us (John 15:1-8), discipline us (Hebrews 12:1-12) and mature us (Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-6).

The good news is that God has promised to give us all we need as he leads us through the ups and downs (Philippians 1:6, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 and Jude 24-25). Our trust is in him and not ourselves (Isaiah 40:27-31, 2 Chronicles 20:12 and Psalm 123:1-2) and we remind ourselves that when we are weak, he is strong (2 Corinthians 4:7-18 and 2 Corinthians 12:9-12). Hallelujah for his grace and power in our lives!

So as we transition back can I ask you to consider a few things (postures of the heart) that come from our new identity in Christ and as a response to what he has done for us:

• Look out for others interests above your own (Philippians 2:3-4)
• Seek to please your Christian brother or sister who you disagree with (Romans 15:1-7)
• Be humble, gentle, patient, bear with each other and make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:2-3)
• Be aware of the devil’s schemes; he loves to bring condemnation, division and fear (Ephesians 6:10-21)

When we discussed our transition to the ‘new normal’ we discussed some guiding principles and gradual steps to ramping back up. We share these here so we can get your feedback and thoughts. We know we cannot please everyone and there will be divergent views, but we want to move forward together and draw on the wisdom God has given us all.

Guiding principles

• Obey government guidelines.
• Practice good physical distancing, hand washing and cleaning protocols.
• Each person decides what they feel is appropriate for them, so no pressure is put on people to re-engage with physical meetings earlier than they feel comfortable.
• Be learners and not leaders as we transition back, not rushing back so we avoid needless mistakes. This article has some examples from the US.
• Ensure what we do is sustainable for staff and volunteers and therefore avoid burnout.
• Continue to value community in smaller contexts (church is not just about the Sunday gatherings), particularly ensuring we care for those who are more isolated and vulnerable.
• Look to have a mix of physical and online (stream our physical gatherings for those who cannot attend in person).

Practical Steps

Here are our steps to ramping back up with potential dates for each step (these steps can be sped up or slowed down, as we are directed by the government and learn together).

1. Church Survey (receive feedback by Monday 22nd June)
2. Speak to and follow guidelines given us by Synge Street School (June)
3. Stock up on sprays, wipes and masks (June)
4. City Groups to do informal socials over the summer (July-August)
5. Have a physical Prayer & Worship night in the building and online via zoom (Wednesday 5th August) – https://www.christcitychurch.ie/sunday-church-booking/
6. Learn from other churches and organisations, and updates from the Government (July)
7. Relaunch Sunday Services with a ‘soft launch’ with restricted numbers per service (sign up required) and feels more like a prayer & worship night. Everyone to be able to attend 1-2 Sundays, with City Groups given priority on different Sundays (August)
8. Gradually ramp up all normal Sunday set up and activities – kids work, band, sound systems, teams, communion, refreshments etc (September onwards)

CCC Survey – Online church and return to physical gatherings

With all that in place, here is the survey we’d like you to complete by Monday 22nd June. There are 20 questions and it should take around 10 minutes to complete.

The survey has now closed. Thank you for filling it out.

We will gather all the information and feedback, discuss it as a leadership team and then present a final plan of our next steps (after our next meeting on Monday 29th June). We know that our plans will not please everyone and there will undoubtedly be areas that with hindsight we wish we had acted differently, so we ask for you to be gracious towards us as we move forward.

Acting out of faith not fear

Finally, it’s important that we do not give in to fear. Even though the path ahead is bumpy we know that God is for us, that God is holding us and that God will provide for us. His goodness and love follow us all of our days (Psalm 23). As Jehoshaphat prayed when facing an army far too big for him to handle on his own strength, so as we face the next three months we pray:

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

(2 Chronicles 20:12)