Several months ago when I was invited to be part of a brainstorming group around “resourcing the post-COVID church,” my first thought was, “What? Are we anywhere near the ‘post-COVID’ church?”
After all for the last year, I had stopped by the church office just a few times to pick up or drop off a book that I needed for a sermon. Since we share the building with another church and a busy day care, I felt far from ready to be there for what used to be my regular office hours. At the time, our congregation was still worshiping online only. Our province was still in a COVID-19 state of emergency.
Even now, months later, we’re still not exactly post-COVID. While the provincial COVID-19 state of emergency has ended, we still have capacity limits on large indoor gatherings, a vaccination mandate is now in place for health-care workers which has led to staffing shortages, and vaccination passports are required for table service at restaurants, entry to gyms, and other venues. Clearly we’re still learning to live with COVID.
The suite of resources that grew out of our brainstorming group reflect this still shifting landscape. Rather than focusing on some post-COVID version of life that’s yet to emerge, the resources have been released as What Now? Leading Churches Through COVID. These include:
- Strategies for Pastoral Resilience
- Profound Disorientation to Radical Reorientation: A Three-Part Worship Series with the Psalms
- Rituals for Grieving and Lamenting, Honouring Partnerships and Celebrating Discipleship
- Helps for Defusing Polarized Thinking
- Retreat Resources for Pastors
- and much more.
The resources started rolling out in August, and the entire suite is now available to download for free from MennoMedia at What Now? Leading Churches Through COVID.
Different parts of the world and different parts of the country are at different stages with COVID, so churches are at different points too. None of us knows exactly what’s next, but all of us are needing to figure out how to address where we are and move forward. So check out these free resources for some encouragement and practical help from MennoMedia: What Now? Leading Churches Through COVID.
A Prayer from What Now? Leading Churches Through COVID
by April Yamasaki
May the steadfast love of God
guide your path in the week ahead.
May the sure presence of Jesus
be your comfort and joy every step of the way.
May the Spirit see you through every challenge,
and grant blessed rest at the end of every day. Amen.
_______________
For more encouragement and resources on doing ministry better:
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