Reflections on Livestreaming Church
By Jon Lindsay, 22 Mar 2020
Praise God for this morning's first livestream: it worked!
It's been very encouraging to see people's messages and receive phone calls (turns out phones still work!) about this morning's time 'together'. We've also heard news of various family and friends, some believers, some not, tuning in from all over the place. While people can't get to their local Church, it's wonderful to be able to serve others in this way. You are so so welcome to be with us! Do get in touch. if you visited us this morning; we'd love to hear from you.
The sermon is online if you missed it. Here are Jon's reflections...
Reflections on our first livestream
by Jon Lindsay
There's a lot of beautiful stuff going on at the moment. The first buds of spring starting to blossom; birdsong every morning; the longer evenings. All of them a timely pointer to the resurrection.
But the thing I've enjoyed the beauty of most this week has been how our church family have rallied around, supported and prepared for church in this unusual format.
So, how was it for you?
We loved it at this end.
Ben started off with reflections on the word "church", and that was a bitter-sweet moment for me: a reminder that we should be together, but extreme circumstances mean extreme measures. "Today shouldn't be normal," Ben said. "It's right to be sad. Gathered on livestream is as gathered as we can be given the current situation."
And we were gathered! Across Morecambe, Heysham, Lancaster. And people across Lancashire. And the North West. And England. And even some from the US.
I thought it was a joy that all the elements we know and love were there. We want this. We want this because each element is a means of grace to our family. The kids' slot, the prayers and reading, the confession, the singing. They all matter, and we will make every effort to make this format work for everyone.
I don't know about you, but it was particularly good for us because we were watching our church, not someone else's. (And so you know, there are some people in our church family who have given days to make this happen this week)! I loved that Amelia was talking back to Caz in the kids' slot: her families' worker in her church in her church building. This was a wonderful reminder that we don't just need a church. We need our church.
We will continue to try to make the livestream work for you, better and better each week. It is not perfect - we want to be with each other. But while we can't, we want to keep improving what we do.
Please do let us know your comments about how well the technology worked - if it's something that we need to change at production end then we will do what we can. As Ben said, and Sean prayed, this is our new normal for now.
But doesn't it make you want to get back to the normal?
It does me.
Yours in Christ,
Jon
Prayer Points
Thank God
- for Jesus who was alone, afflicted, arrested, accused and abandoned so that we might be 'cured' from judgement.
- for all the hard work that went into this morning.
- it all worked without too many issues.
- that many people tuned in to the Church livestream.
- that people heard the gospel preached.
Please pray
- God would in his grace use the message by His Holy Spirit about His Son the Lord Jesus for his glory and to grow his people.
- for unbelievers who tuned in to see the real problem they have and the only cure in Christ Jesus.
- we would be amazed afresh at what Jesus Christ went through for us, and how we really do contribute nothing!
- for wisdom for Wednesday's Bible teaching.
- for us all to enjoy 'church in our homes' without becoming comfortable with it.