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45% of the responses highlighted the social side (seeing each other) |
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40% of the responses highlighted fellowship (doing church together) |
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34% of the responses highlighted sung worship |
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“Physical interaction with others, to encourage/empathise. Opportunity to share and pray 1-1.” “Meeting people face to face! (Zoom is great, but it's really not the same!) General 'catching up' with people (Zoom inevitably has to be more focused, and you can't talk one-to-one in a zoom room full of people listening in!) Being in the church building - because even though the church is the body of people, the place where we meet is special, and has been a focus of prayer and worship for centuries, and there is something good and important about that!” “Social contact zoom is not the same and I will often choose to phone rather than face to face as I find it easier to think / communicate that way.” |
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“Fellowship (physical) with other Christians. Being able to pray in the presence of those who ask for pray. To be honest I have really missed the hugs and handshakes, to me, these two activities initiate a bonding/friendship/understanding when greeting people.” “Participating in live worship especially music.” “I have really missed communion and sung worship. I have also missed physically meeting with people, especially the children. Opportunities for prayer ministry.” |
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“We are on a journey through a pandemic, not knowing our destination, but aware we follow in a line of saints of old, who have set off before us in the footsteps of Jesus, walking the way. Like those before us, we may travel with faith and doubt, hope and fear, and, perhaps, have a holy encounter along the way. That we travel at all will mean that we are changed. Pilgrimage is about taking and risking such a journey, faith is knowing that we are accompanied by God, hope is in a Kingdom destination, and love may be experienced with companions.” United Reformed Church paper: Ready for the new normal. |
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We are actively working on a phased-return which will open up opportunities for fellowship and contact which people have missed so much. Priority will be given to gathering for prayer (in different forms) and to people in need such as those who attend the wellbeing café. We are also taking the opportunity to refocus around some key priorities so that we don’t simply return to how things were before. |
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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2: 42 - 47 |
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