Church without walls

I’ve been noticing how local churches have been at the centre of many initiatives during the pandemic.  Here are a few highlights from my own experience, and you’ll know of many more across the country.

 Church without walls

 Going to church regularly and meeting as part of a physical congregation creates in me an uplifting sense of community and togetherness. I miss it!  Being tightly packed in and singing at the tops of our voices has always been a joy.  Recently of course we’ve had to spread out and haven’t been able to sing. And now with lockdown returning it’s likely our actual church building will be limited to opening for individual prayer and maybe small gatherings. In my own church and others I visit I find those quiet places provide solace and I appreciate being able to sit on my own, reflecting on how much the same spot has witnessed and comforted others over hundreds of years.

 Here are just a few ways that stand out to me as I think back over the last months and notice where the church has stepped up to take part in the survival of our local community.

 ●      The virtual church. Although there is no substitute for the real life interactions that come from being together in church, we recognise how important it is to keep connected and find ways to worship during this time. And so, the virtual church has been created; zoom is very popular, as is live streaming on FB, all sorts of social media platforms, text messaging and email of course. We’ve had drive-in services and particularly recently drive-in Nativity plays which have been really creative. Pre-recorded singing and personal stories have been woven into broadcasted services which have kept us in touch with each other as has having virtual coffee after each service, and using break-out rooms to meet a few others at a time. We’ve linked up with churches across the world and been able to ‘go to church’ with friends all over the globe. It’s become a lot more interactive and accessible without walls. 

●      Practical outreach. Churches have often been the first to respond in times of crisis and this has frequently been the case during the pandemic too.  We’ve teamed up with other local churches and together have used spaces to help support essential local need, such as hosting food banks, distribution centres for hot food delivery, and basics banks for clothing and other essentials. The long standing Good Neighbours Network has been growing and many other volunteer schemes such as Mutual Aid have sprung up, all there to help people in whatever way is most needed. 

●      Looking to the future. The church is also playing a role in helping people to get back on their feet, especially given the widespread financial hardship and redundancy that has affected the country. We’ve set up The Winchester Job Club under the umbrella of the church.  This is for people who have lost their job during the pandemic, giving them the support they need to be ‘job ready’, and to move forward and create a brighter future – the first course was full and others are being planned.

 There’s no doubt we have more difficult weeks and months ahead but we have found ways to contribute to the much needed comfort, practical support and emotional and spiritual nourishment we all benefit from especially in these often dark times.