Please mute your microphone!

At the bottom left of your screen!

DIGITAL MINISTRYWhen everything is insanity!

A few ground rules

◦Connection is key right now!◦But, all of our contexts are different. ◦We will talk ‘in general’ here in both presentation and Q&A.

GOALS

Goals◦To offer means of digital ministry connection for your church during this time. ◦To offer an opportunity for Q&A and brainstorming. ◦To gather information about what you need information about.

Overview◦ Sunday Morning Worship◦ Recorded◦ Livestream◦ Engagement◦ Copyrights

◦ Social Media◦ Facebook◦ Instagram◦ Pages vs Groups◦ Content◦ Facebook Live

◦ Non-Social Media Connection◦ Your Website◦ Meetings

◦ ZOOM◦ Google Hangouts◦ Free Conference Call

◦ Online Giving◦ Email◦ Text Messaging◦ Non-Tech Ideas◦ Keep being the church◦ Don’t forget the kids!◦ Schedules—Be Normal◦ Random thoughts

Digital Ministry

There are 168 hours in every week!

Typically only 1 is spent in worship

Sunday Worship◦Make worship happen. ◦On Sundays. ◦As close to your normal time as possible.◦Tell people about it beforehand. ◦Engage with people during it. ◦Share it and tell people about it afterwards. ◦This will look different for all of us.

Livestream vs Recording◦ It doesn’t matter! Do what works best for you!◦You can post a recorded video onto Facebook as a Premiere and folks can interact live. ◦Doesn’t have to be perfect. ◦Can be in your living room. ◦Can be recorded/livestreamed from your phone.

There are 168 hours in every week!

Typically only 1 is spent in worship

Engagement MATTERSWe wouldn’t want a visitor to our sanctuary to not be welcomed—your livestream folks should be welcomed.

This requires a moderator or host.

Host/Moderator duties

◦ Welcome folks◦ Comment/like/say hello to all who

participate◦ Ask folks to register attendance ◦ Ask if there are prayer concerns or

requests◦ Post prayers or words if not on

screen

◦ Post link to online bulletin◦ Post other links as needed—

announcements, etc. ◦ Post online giving link. ◦ BE HUMAN◦ Offer a goodbye at the end of

service

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

A word about copyright

Back to BasicsWhat is Social Media?

• so·cial me·di·a• noun• websites and applications that enable

users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

How Does it Work?

How to Facebook as a church:1. Be social2. Share helpful content

3. Offer Prayers4. Share Stories5. Recognize Volunteers

6. Respond to Tragedy or Community7. Tag Partner Ministries/Missions/Organizations8. Be Human

9. Encourage Engagement10. Use EVENTS11. Use Facebook LIVE

12. Use Groups13. Advertise on Facebook14. Encourage People to Tag the Church

Page•Your social ‘front door.’

•What folks can look for, ‘drive past’, SEE.

Group•Your living room.•A place for deeper, personal connection. A place to be KNOWN.

Group Suggestions

◦ Prayer Group◦ Bible Study Group◦ Choir◦ Moms/Parents◦ Ministry Specific—Knitters, Women’s Circles, Young at Heart◦ New Groups– Running/Walking club? Lunch and Learn?

Instagram•Share Scripture or quotes from your sermons•Go behind the scenes•Invite people to your services and events•Celebrate baptisms and communion•Highlight a volunteer or community service•Share images or videos of your worship service•Lead people to your church’s website•Advertise an upcoming sermon or sermon series•Get involved in Instagram conversations

Instagram

Instagram

Stories

Feed

IG TV

DMs(inbox)

Your WebsiteDo I have to hunt for your changes or COVID-19 ‘stuff’?

Inside Pages• Make sure information is

dated.

• Make sure it is easily siftable—can I distinguish what is for “me” with ease?

• Most recent at top

Meetings◦ZOOM,◦Google Hangouts,◦Free Conference Call,◦Skype,◦GroupMe,◦WhatsApp,◦Facetime◦Slack!

Online Giving◦ What does your current church management database system have?

◦ The VAUMC recommends VANCO for online giving. Reaching out to them may help you get that set up. They’ve waved CC processing fees until 4/15

◦ Some additional options of varying scope and price structure are:◦ Tithe.ly◦ Pushpay◦ Continue to Give◦ Easy Tithe◦ Kindrid◦ Secure give

Remember the WHY!

◦ Staff◦Good work of the church—keep ministry going and connect us◦Help in our community!◦ Some of us actually have MORE income now!◦ Let folks ‘off the hook’ who are hourly or struggling—name it!

Email & Texting

◦Don’t forget to use these means of communication◦Use Mailchimp or Constant Contact—track opens, be in line with CAN-SPAM laws, send on a schedule◦ Text your people!!!◦Church Database Add on?◦ Remind, EZ Text, Simpletexting◦Now it is more important than ever! CONNECTION!

Non-Tech Ideas

◦Snail-Mail– letter writing by leaders, kids ministry pen pals (electronic pen pals?)◦Actual Phone Calls!

Keep being the Church!!!

◦How can we help?◦What can we share?◦What can we do?◦Cans in a bin outside your door? Put on porches? Neighborhood captain to collect? Amazon Wishlist for your partner organizations? Pen pals with nursing facilities?◦Do it! (then SHARE it!)

Don’t Forget the Kids!

Random Thoughts◦Schedule!– these days are crazy and lonely—have something we can look forward to. ◦Don’t forget to update your events on calendars, websites, social media as they change!◦Think about guests—first timers– don’t forget them esp. on Sunday mornings.◦Be smart about your videos—don’t have to be perfect but think through what folks are seeing on camera

Random Thoughts◦Ted Talks? ◦Lunch and Learn? ◦Prayer meetings? ◦Sermon Prep thoughts? ◦Sermon follow up discussion questions? ◦Spotify playlists. ◦APP Games– Words with friends? Online Uno? ◦Think outside the box!!! CONNECTION

REMEMBERThis is all new to ALL of us.

CLERGY ZOOMSArlington: Thursday 3PM

Alexandria Wednesday 7 PM and Friday 10 AM

FACEBOOK GROUPSClergy Group, Communicators Group

QUESTIONS?What Else?