Why Easter could be a WIN WIN for the local online church

On Tuesday, Pete Phillips, Premier's Head of Digital Theology spoke at a webinar for the St Padarn's Institute of the Church in Wales. He was asked to speak about why hybrid church remains a crucial missional opportunity for the local church and then to look at some resources for Easter.

Key points in the webinar talk included:

• We're in the groove - we've all learnt so much about digital engagement this year

• We know people are engaging more with online church

• We've spent time with people online

• Younger generations are keen to engage

• The Church has been active in society helping people get through the pandemic

• 34% of non-Christians now appreciate the work of the local church

So how do we re-imagine Easter for an online congregation?

We need to reimagine Easter for an online experience:

• An online march of witness on Palm Sunday? Google Maps or filmed solo walk

• Stripping the Altar - do we ask people to strip the living room?

• Maundy Thursday - foot-washing replaced with hand sanitizers?

• Maundy Thursday - seder meals on zoom?

• Good Friday Service/Tenebrae Service - in black and white?

• Easter Sunday - decorating living room, floral crosses, stained glass windows?

• Garden Gate Easter eggs and colouring

• Messy Church Bags to takeaway or deliver?

Core question: How do we re-invent Easter celebrations for a digital age? How do we transfer the core themes and values from physical church to online church?

Three highlighted resources

1. Busted Halo Stations of the Cross. Station 1:

2. BibleGateway's Holy Week Timeline:

3. Lego Easter Story:

Here's the video of the full talk with Pete Phillips:

Here's the list of potential resources shared with those who attended the webinar.

General Resources

• Mixed resources on http://energize.uk.net/pages/easter - see Holy Week Timeline\

• Easter Resources: Diocese of Norwich: https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/resource_category/easter/

• Together At Home Resources: https://www.tath.co.uk/easter-resources

• Messy Church: https://www.messychurch.org.uk/tags/easter

• Resources at Easter for St Mark’s - http://smch.org.uk/lentandeaster

• Easter Resources from Simon Rundell on http://www.agnusdei.org.uk – e.g. https://www.agnusdei.org.uk/?drawer1=Events%2AHoly%20Ground

• Beer&Hymns event (like Greenbelt’s Jesus Arms) – contact @saintarnold on Twitter or http://fb.me/e/d4eZgGk7T

• L R Hay’s “Easter Story by Jairus Daughter” http://youtu.be/YzKpBCkDsRc

• Emma Major: A meditation for Good Friday afternoon: John 19:28-30 and http://youtu.be/tm4NIhPOFpA

• Emma Major: Easter Poems: http://llmcalling.blogspot.com/2020/04/easter-poems.html

• Steve Fogg, International Church Summit Seminars on Easter Resources: http://churchonlinesummit.com

• Missional Generation's Augmented Reality Easter: https://www.missionalgen.co.uk/easter-interaction/

• Christian Vision video resources: http://resources.cvglobal.co

• (German) Gottesdienst Zeitglich Seminar: http://www.michaeliskloster.de

Highlights:

• Busted Halo: https://bustedhalo.com/video/virtual-stations-of-the-cross

• Lego Holy Week: https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/resource/a-lego-journey-through-holy-week/

• Holy Week Timeline: https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/04/holy-week-timeline-visualization/

Stations of the Cross:

• Cafod: https://cafod.org.uk/Pray/Prayer-resources/Stations-of-the-Cross with powerpoint and leaders notes

• All Hallows by the Tower: https://www.ahbtt.org.uk/lent-2021.php

• Busted Halo: https://bustedhalo.com/video/virtual-stations-of-the-cross

Tenebrae Services

• Tenebrae Online: https://www.rethinkworship.com/category/tenebraegood-friday/

• Tenebrae Online: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=563753267582569 (Hills Church, Australia)

• Tenebrae Online: https://www.trinitywallstreet.org/video/tenebrae-3 (Trinity Church, Wall St)

What resources are you using - please add them to the comments below