What is your church doing for services during the COVID-19 outbreak?

[steve-in-kville]

Everything's been cancelled. Offering tithes are to be mailed directly to the treasurer.

[MaxPC]

Everything's been cancelled. Offering tithes are to be mailed directly to the treasurer.

We have an automatic giving system set up in Catholic World. In normal circumstances I feel ambivalent about this because it removes the personal act of tithing. Not everyone uses it however we do because of our traveling.

During a contagious pandemic it’s much more sanitary than a personal check or cash plus it continues the cash flow to pay church employees. Parish employees make a fraction of what they could in the secular world. They do it for the love of God but they still have to eat.

[Neto]

For those who will be streaming services, maybe you'all could post the internet sites here.

Here's a couple of the ones in our area, our own congregation (Gospel Haven), ant two of the 'outreach' congregations that started with people from GH.

Gospel Haven Mennonite Fellowship
https://gospelhavenchurch.com/live-stream/
Pastors: Sam Yoder, Joe Hershberger, Mike Yoder, (Pastor Emeritus: Dennis Mullet)

Christian Life Mennonite Fellowship
https://www.facebook.com/Christianlifemennonite/
Steve Miller ~ Lead Pastor; Joe Heatwole ~ Assistant Pastor

Providence Christian Fellowship
https://www.facebook.com/ProvidenceChristianFellowship/
Pastor: Dr. Marcus Yoder (also exec. Director of the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center)

To meet the 'pedegree' requirements listed in the other thread, it would also be good to give the pastor's full genealogy back at least 5 generations, if you have that information available.....

[Ambassador]

We will be breaking into 4 smaller groups meeting in homes. Our groups will be close to 25 people each so we will see how long we can do that. We will not live stream anything between the groups. The one in charge of each group will preach or pick a recorded sermon to listen to. We will try to stay connected to each other as much as possible via phone and email to keep the connection. It was pretty important that we all remember that we are not 4 separate churches, but are 1 church meeting in various locations for the time. May God grant us all mercy and wisdom.

[Josh]

In reality, we are becoming many smaller churches, with existing ministers effectively becoming bishops overseeing multiple churches.

[Ambassador]

In reality, we are becoming many smaller churches, with existing ministers effectively becoming bishops overseeing multiple churches.

Yes, and so how do we keep the unity and community of the larger church during this time?

[Josh]

In reality, we are becoming many smaller churches, with existing ministers effectively becoming bishops overseeing multiple churches.

Yes, and so how do we keep the unity and community of the larger church during this time?

I don’t know.

A better question is why we couldn’t keep unity between different churches before this crisis - and why it matters to keep “unity” now.

[queserasera_2]

In CA, we just got a shelter in place order so we are at home, not even supposed to have people over! I suspect we will use Midwest Conference Line and a minister will preach from his home...

[Ambassador]

In reality, we are becoming many smaller churches, with existing ministers effectively becoming bishops overseeing multiple churches.

Yes, and so how do we keep the unity and community of the larger church during this time?

I don’t know.

A better question is why we couldn’t keep unity between different churches before this crisis - and why it matters to keep “unity” now.

I agree that is a very good question, but its a different issue. How to keep unity in a church that is meeting in small groups for several weeks or months and then comes back together, is different than how to keep the unity among separate churches. Maybe the answer of how to do it is the same but the reason for it is different. Am I thinking straight?

[Ernie]

Our church plans to have its own "Zoom service".

In addition, I plan to give a public message/sermon at 11:00 EDT, via Zoom, for anyone who doesn't have options with their local church. Perhaps we can open it up for discussion afterwards???? Not sure yet about all the details.