Worship Arts April May June 2022

How have you adapted your preaching to an online audience/congregation?

“ As youth minister and “back-up,” I’ve found that I am far less likely to be a “talking head.” That has never really been my style, but I think the online aspect has made it more important to relate personally when you’re not in-person. Carla Hale Stroud UMC Stroud, OK

I’m not the preacher. We tried to make the online services short er. As days and months went by, the sermons got longer which elimi nated the point of brev ity. We discovered that those watching at home would often watch the opening music and then log out! ToddWilson Germantown UMC Germantown, TN Direct preaching to the camera, using a tele prompter . Douglas Grove DeJarnett Munsey Memorial UMC Johnson City, TN

Our pastor has a sign on the pulpit to make sure she looks at the camera at least some of the time. She also makes sure she uses inclusive language for both the in-person and online worshipers. Karen Booth

I am not the pastor, but I did preach a few ser mons. I delivered these sermons from my living room, but fortunately I had an audience of one (my husband) so it didn’t feel quite like talking to a computer screen.

Our pastor has made more of an effort to include the online audience . Janice Hinnant Earle Street Baptist Church Greenville, SC

Lake Harbor UMC Norton Shores, MI

Eileen Johnson El Sobrante UMC El Sobrante, CA

What will you carry into a post-pandemic ministry with worship that is new to you?

Hybrid worship is here to stay.

Not my primary responsibility, but overall I think we need to be more in tentional about offering worship in as many different ways as are practical for our setting. Carla Hale Stroud UMC Stroud, OK Not sure. We are always making small changes in how we do things from one series to the next. We never, ever, ever want to hear “but, we’ve always done it that way,” and probably haven’t heard that for the past 10 or 12 years. Karen Booth

Eileen Johnson El Sobrante UMC El Sobrante, CA

Awareness of what is being seen on camera and thus streamed. Our sound techs have done a better job of hitting marks and being pre pared since we have paid attention to streaming. We’ve gone back to review services , we’d only talk through review on occasion in the pre-COVID past. ToddWilson Germantown UMC Germantown, TN

Lake Harbor UMC Norton Shores, MI

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