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Digital Tools for Churches during Coronavirus

There is an excellent resource for Digital Tools for Churches available. It is being updated all the time.

It is reproduced here, but for the most up-to-date version please click on the link above.

Starters Guide

Where to start and what to consider.

  • Digital Platforms for Churches During Coronavirus [Mark Crosby | article] - link
  • The Impact of the coronavirus on Church Comms [Digital Church Toolkit | video] - link
  • Free Consultation with Digital Church Toolkit to help implementation in your church [calendly form| - link
  • Latest Advice from UK Government [gov.uk website] - link
    • UK government advice on religious gatherings not meeting [16th March | YouTube] - link
  • Taking Church Online in a Coronavirus Age [Gospel Coalition | Article] - link
  • COVID-19 and your church [article from Sunday Mag] - link
  • The New Church [article from Sunday Mag] - link
  • Alpha Online | Running Alpha During Coronavirus Outbreak [Article & Webinar] - link
  • The Ultimate Coronavirus Guide For Churches - [Church Marketing University | article] - link

Prayer

Prayer is not our only response, but it should be our FIRST response

  • A guide to praying for Coronavirus #PrayToEndCov19 [SIM] - link
  • A coronavirus prayer and other resources [Pete Greig | Article/slides] - link
  • 24/7 Prayer virtual prayer room for the coronavirus pandemic - link

Webinars

A number of groups are hosting webinars in the coming days to help and support churches and ministries:

Live Streaming

Guides to setting-up live streaming

  • A beginner’s guide to going live with your service or event for free [Church of England | article] - link
  • Livestream to Youtube with just a phone [7 step Tutorial]- link
  • Licences to live stream worship [Vineyard Worship | article] - link
  • The most affordable live streaming cameras for churches [ProChurchTools | Podcast] - link
  • Recording, streaming and podcasting your services [CCLI | Article] - link
  • How to Livestream Your Church Service: A Practical Guide [Gospel Coalition | Article] - link
  • How to stream your Church service on Facebook Live - [CBN | article] - link
  • A note about live streaming and song licensing in churches - [James Doc | Article] - link
  • Songs in the public domain - [CCLI | list] - link
  • Best practices for going Live from a Facebook Page [Facebook Article] - link

Crisis Management

What to think through for your church

  • All Things Coronavirus [Northshore Church | Google doc] - link
  • Guidance for churches [Church of England | Article] - link
  • Communicating your response [CPO | Google doc] - link
  • Templates for Public Statements; emails, social posts, etc [Google Doc] - link

Facebook Groups and Resource for Church Comms

Places to go for support and advice from experienced Church Comms teams.

  • Church Tech UK - [Facebook] link
  • The Church Comms Collective UK [Facebook] - link
  • CMG / Visual Church Media [Facebook] - link
    • US-based, lots of feeds about live streaming and tech setup for churches
  • Coronavirus Tech Handbook [directory] - link
  • Leveraging Facebook for Online Church During COVID-19 from Nona Jones (Head of Global Faith-Based Partnerships at Facebook) [Facebook Post] - link



Mental Health & Community

Resources to point your church to in this unprecedented time.

  • Coronavirus and Anxiety - [Will Van Der Hart | Article] - link
  • How to stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic [live Q&A via Sunday Mag] - link
  • 4 Ideas to be FOR Your Community During COVID-19 [article from Sunday Mag] - link
  • Joy - Support for people self-isolating [service] - link

Church Responses

Best practise examples of how churches, key leaders and networks have responded to the coronavirus, either continuing services, cancelling services, sharing encouraging words, direction or providing language around this pandemic.

  • Living Rock Church - Continuing with caution [Instagram] - link
  • Vineyard Columbus - Historical context for pandemics [article] - link
  • CFC Belfast - Continuing with caution [Instagram] - link
  • Causeway Coast Vineyard - Services postponed [article] - link
  • Evangelical Alliance - Coronavirus: a Christ-centred response [article] - link
  • Gavin Calver - Responding well to the coronavirus [Instagram] - link
  • Andy Crouch - Love in the Time of Coronavirus - [article] - link
  • Trent Vineyard - Continuing with Caution [article] - link
  • Should Your Church Stop Meeting to Slow COVID-19? How 3 Seattle Churches Decided [article] - link



Free Resources

Easily accessible resources to use in your church communications

  • Coronavirus graphics [Sunday Social] - link
  • Updates and cancellations graphics [Pixel Preacher] - link
  • Coronavirus photos [Unsplash] - link
  • Viral kindness neighbourhood print-out [PDF download] - link
  • Love our street print-out [PDF download] - link
  • Viral kindness postcard [print at home or professionally print | PDF] - link



Apps, Software & Other Useful Tools

Digital tools that will be useful for churches in this season (and beyond!)

For live streaming

  • Church Online Platform free link
    A platform to show a live streamed video or a pre-recorded video with a link. Includes online chat, prayer request and integrated YouVersion Bible App.
  • OBS free link
    Free & open source broadcasting for live streaming. Connect to Facebook, YouTube, Twitch etc.

Remote working for teams

  • Slack free link
    Messaging, file sharing, group chats, video calls
  • Facebook Workplace link
  • Microsoft Teams link
  • Google Drive free link
    Free for charities to use team drives with unlimited space

For Small Groups

  • Google Hangouts link
  • Bible reading plans [from YouVersion Bible App] link
    Idea - ask others in your small group to join you in a Bible App reading plan. You can share a plan with friends and read the Word together. There’s lots being highlighted at the moment about fear & anxiety!
  • Prayermate Share enables you to keep your small group updated with prayer needs link
  • iknow Church - The team at iKnow have made their platform completely free for churches until September 2020. link

Running Alpha

Content Creation

  • Canva free link
    Easy to use graphic design templates, pre-made sizes for social media platforms

Video calls

Podcasting

Remote work

It is possible that you will have to work remote, or support those who are…

  • Four tips for staying productive working from home [Google | Article] - link