General Resources

Pulpit Fiction Document - Online Resources for Churches during Coronavirus

Weekly Coaching on How to Do Church Online with Rev. Jim Keat

What Will Happen To Our Churches? A Conversation with National Faith Leaders by FaithLead

A Faithful Response, with Worship, to the Coronavirus (Google Docs) from the UCC

Wisconsin Council of Churches - Preparing for Safer at Home

Online Worship Resources from the North Carolina Conference UMC

Resources for Congregations and Ministers from the Presbyterian Church (USA)

From the ELCA:

  • Advice on Online Worship (PDF)

  • “Comfort Food” liturgy for gathering to break bread!

  • A webinar for online Holy Week and Easter

  • FREE downloadable worship experiences,

  • Easter Season series based on RCL Year A called “Heart of the Matter” ready for online leader-led or at-home self-led adaptations. 

 

Talking with Kids

General ideas for pastoral care:

  • Hold drop-in “office hours” via zoom. Offer times to schedule in with people 1::1. Sometimes people are more apt to sign up for a call then indicate otherwise, so consider apps like SignupGenius for days, or Calendly for scheduling (there is cost involved).

  • Offer a daily prayer or meditation for folks to receive via email or facebook, and to commit to doing at some point in the day as a way of staying connected feels important.

  • the Calm app has been helpful for some: https://www.calm.com/

  • Encourage preparation. Have members draw up a cheat sheet for caregivers listing meds, allergies, doctor’s name and number, preferred hospital, location of insurance cards and license, or anything else they may need. (Davida Foy Crabtree, a UCC leader, recommends this book.) 

    • This can be done as a spiritual practice, or a webinar where it is prayerful, giving thanks for each of the ways these collective pieces and people intercede in our health and well being. 

  • Set up small groups with people and prayer partners. 

  • Remind people of small self care practices - go for a walk and get fresh air, video chat with family and friends, etc.

  • Offer conversations and questions for spiritual gathering.

    • Where did you see God today? 

    • Where have you felt connected to your community today?

    • What do you need prayer for, today?

General Ideas for grieving families:

  • Pastoral Care for Grieving Families (Google Docs) from the UCC

  • Send cards, often, or organize people to send cards to families.  Utilize USPS. It’s familiar to people and will be appreciated if they are isolated. 

  • Scheduled daily phone calls for a family in grief, in a phone tree. Websites like SignupGenius can make sure that a family is checked on as many times as would be helpful for them. 

  • As delivery options are available, meals can be delivered.

  • Age appropriate care packages for family members

  • Zoom “drop in” hours. You can set up time for the family where they are digitally present and people can “drop in.” A proaccount, which has some cost attached, is needed. Things to consider:

    • use the chat box for people to add thoughts, in addition. Think of it like a guest book.

    • set the meeting to automatically record in the cloud. This will save the chat box as it goes. 

    • Use the USPS! Send cards. This is a method of pastoral care that older members will recognize and appreciate.