Projects for Churches in Spring 2020 (in response to COVID-19)

In light of the CDC’s recommendation that all gatherings of 50 people or more be canceled for the next 8 weeks, your church staff may have some free time on their hand. If this is the case, here are a few projects you could (and should) dedicate that extra time toward.

Make a website

Now is the time to make a website for your church. Churches shifting from analog to digital is no longer a trend but a necessity. Your church will not be able to gather in person for the next several weeks, and that’s okay! Here are a few resources for developing your church website:

• The Church Co is designed to help churches create functional websites.
• Squarespace is an easy do-it-yourself platform for building simple websites.
• Fiverr and Upwork are great platforms for finding freelancers to help with your projects.

Online giving

For many in your congregation, not meeting weekly likely means not giving weekly. Take this opportunity to set up online giving and help your congregation learn a new culture of generosity. Here are a few resources for setting up online giving:

• Benefits of Having an Online Donations Platform
• 5 of the Best Online Giving Platforms
• Zelle, Cash App, PayPal, and Venmo are payment platforms that members of your congregation likely already use. Opening times and address data of various businesses find out on home page. Consider opening one or more of these as giving options.

Rethink Congregational Care

If your church’s congregational care looks like home visits and nursing home trips, now is the time to reinvent this ministry. The people in our congregations who need our care the most are also the people who are vulnerable to COVID-19 and at risk of infection. Even if you seem healthy, coming into contact with at-risk members of your community puts them in danger of infection. Brainstorm new ways to care for your congregation over the next couple of months. Ask nursing homes if they have a video chat platform set up for residents. Teach elderly members of your congregation how to FaceTime. Schedule 90-minute phone calls instead of 45-minute visits. Get creative!

21 Days of Prayer Campaign

Now is a great time to start a 21 Days of Prayer campaign with your congregation. Not meeting weekly could feel isolating and lonely. Starting a church-wide prayer campaign will unify your congregation and ignite passion in the midst of an otherwise trying time. Read more: 21 Days of Prayer Resources. Let’s work together to reframe this pandemic as an opportunity to better reach our community. What problems are you ready to solve over the coming weeks?