Beth Kirby, Servants of Christ, Gainesville "I can't breathe." This phrase has reverberated through our collective national consciousness in the last few months. The brutal death of George Floyd has led to numerous protests, as well as many participants wearing masks emblazoned with the words, "I can't breathe." I was struck by the confluence of three things: Covid-19, a ...

How does it feel to be a deaf in a hearing world? Helen Keller, both blind and deaf, compares her experience of each, "Blindness separates me from things; but deafness separates me from people." Deafness is not the actual problem; deaf people can do anything hearing people can do, except hear. Communication barriers create the primary issues, with relational isolation bein...

Phased re-entry has begun by now and many churches are already rolling out phase 1 and perhaps even phase 2. According to most guidelines, children's Sunday school is feasible for phase 3 and beyond. If you have read the most recent CDC guidelines for schools, however, you will quickly realize the implications for children's Sunday school programs are significant. Re-entry...

10 Considerations for Building Online Church Communities When the pandemic closed Sunday services, churches quickly (and adeptly!) moved online. Everyone I know has been immensely grateful for the work that pastors and church leadership teams have completed, enabling the people to be part of their worshiping community while safe at home. But how has this pandemic changed...

Those of you considering hybrid ministry following re-entry, consider how your plans might help to build an online community, rather than just offer online programming. For more about this distinction, read here. 10 IDEAS FOR HYBRID MINISTRY Here are 10 specific programming ideas for hybrid ministry, aimed at building an online community: Regarding live-streamed event...

We've already outlined the need for each ministry to have its own online ministry coordinator in and the importance tobuilding online communities, andnot just entertaining kids. Specific to family ministry, it is the church's role to come alongside parents as they are uniquely called to disciple their children. 15 IDEAS FOR HYBRID FAMILY MINISTRY Here are 15 ways to move...

One of the concerns many churches faced mid-March when the global pandemic shut our doors, was how to keep connected to those who do not utilize technology on a regular basis. This concern continued as families sought to be discipled without their children being exposed to unprotected technology, as well. As a result, here are a few ideas to help keep your households conne...

by Rev. John Wallace, Apostles By-the-Sea, Rosemary Beach, FL When Apostles By-the-Sea was a new church plant, we knew we wanted to serve our community in ways that were bold, but never self-promoting; ways that focused on God's Kingdom, not our own; and ways that cared more for our community than for credit. We have held to those values these last eight years. During th...

by The Rev. Craig Brown, LMHC, LMFT Fear. In all its forms from slight concern to sheer terror fear is perhaps the most potent emotional force in the world. Certainly, with the onset of the Coronapocalypse, fear itself has become, dare I say, a pandemic. Fear is the body's gift to us in times of crisis. It is there to help us flee a deadly threat. Faced with danger, ou...

by Rebecca McCallister These are dark times, aren't they? Most of us haven't experienced anything like this coronavirus and the complete upheaval it's causing in our lifetimes. And beyond the inconveniences of sheltering in place or not finding toilet paper, there is serious fear and uncertainty, real suffering, devastation, loss, and death. There are many things we coul...