Top COVID-19 Ideas for Churches

Top COVID-19 Ideas for Churches 1. Offering – use your database to determine givers that use cash and checks and mail them 8 prepaid envelopes and an encouraging letter.2. Elders – read Psalm 91 each day and share what God is saying to you.3. Statements heard this week: The churches that survive and thrive will be the ones that engage their people and community Crisis breeds creativity 4. Morale/engagement idea – Family Dance Challenge – have people dance to a common upbeat song and video a clip. Send it to the church. Compile a bunch of mini clips and show it during your Sunday service.5. Create a new invite to your online services that your congregation can send to friends.6. Start “Zoom Café” meetings. Call a friend for coffee and meet over Facetime or Zoom.7. Start a Zoom Café with specific “hour(s)” your café is open. Give out the link on Instagram/Facebook and have people drop in be part of the conversation, prayer, other.8. Plan on small groups going through the summer to maintain the connections and community9. How can you activate people who normally travel and have hesitated being a small group leader to step up now that Zoom-type small groups are the norm?10. Use your database to identify those over 70 and form a team of callers to phone them. Each person commits to call the same group of people each week and start new relationships.11. Leadership book recommendation – Boundaries for Leaders by Henry Cloud. It has a great section on how leaders foster connection and unity.12. Tips on how to handle possible layoffs. How you communicate is key – face to face it best, even via zoom. Start the conversation early. Let the staff know that this may be a possibility down the road. Have the conversation, don’t put it off, if needed. Share as much information as possible. Share how difficult the decision is for you. Have compassion and empathy. Is there a way to help them in the transition? (money, job leads, other) Stay connected with them after the layoff. More Ideas... Digital Engagement Weekly video update from Senior Pastor Mail out a “7 things you can do” postcard to every household (to put on refrigerator) Launch a COVID-19 webpage for the latest updates from the church Post a daily Lent devotional Launch a weekly guided prayer chat event Use the Church Online platform for worship services which allows for live chat and live prayer rooms Community Service Partner with Meals on Wheels and a local food bank to serve as a key drop-off site for non-perishable goods; recruited drivers to make deliveries Drop off flyers in neighborhoods for people to leave food on their porch and we’ll pick up on Saturday Connect with public school system to see how we can support meal distribution Care/Prayer Make proactive outcalls to everyone age 70+ in the congregation Ask who in the congregation needs food delivery Prepare our staff and Elders to assist with heightened prayer needs Ask all serving team leaders to reach out to serving team members Re-assess our “congregation help” financial policy (do we expand the allowable amount and/or expand to broader audience?) Small Groups Ask all open small groups to go virtual; will be advertising the virtual groups Provide small group leaders with ideas for connecting with group members Launch multiple new virtual small groups post Easter to reach newcomers Assimilation/Connection Develop a new experience for those guests who text us Develop a virtual version of our “First Step” experience for guests/those newer to the church Staff Ensure we pay hourly workers’ budgeted hours to alleviate any financial hardship Re-direct staff who facilitate weekly programs to other areas (local outreach, online services, care/prayer, communications, etc.) Children’s Ministry Create a blog with lessons, activities and videos for families to do right after the online services Student Ministry Continue weekly program (worship and message) virtually