The Apostle Paul Handles “Church From Lockdown”

How would Paul handle a Covid 19 lockdown? Covid-19 right now is changing the way we do church all over the world. Paul the Apostle has a lot of experience with lockdown. Paul was arrested for preaching the gospel and ultimately spent years in prison before his martyrdom. So what happened to Paul’s ministry during this lockdown? What happened to the churches during Paul’s prison time? Let’s look at how St. Paul handled church during his “lockdown”.

1. Paul stayed busy for God. “Lockdown” was never an excuse to lay back and pause on the mission of the church. Paul handled church discipline, theology disputes, church splits, fund raising, outreach- all from prison. And this was way before texting or email. This was super snail mail- a letter carried from church to church. These letters were passed around and read over and over. In fact, during those long prison years, Paul ended up writing what is now 2/3 the New Testament! Talk about a productive lock down!! As Christians and and the worldwide Church, are we continuing the mission of the church during lockdown? Perhaps God is going to do some of the most amazing ministry we have ever seen, beyond what we could imagine, not after, but in the middle of this tough situation.
2. Paul kept praising. No matter what. Paul’s ministry partner became horribly ill with an unknown illness that lasted for months (Phil 2). Sometimes Paul and his supporters were beaten, shipwrecked and falsely accused (Acts 24). Paul was out in the cold and rain at times. He was cold and hungry. He was even bitten by a snake. (Acts 28) And yet, time and again, Paul worshipped God anyway even in the middle of his tough lockdown situation. In one famous situation, Paul and Silas are singing in prison at midnight, after being severely beaten and locked in chains. The other prisoners were listening to the worship songs. God used that situation for Paul and Silas to preach to the whole prison, including the jailer and the staff. Many came to Christ and were baptized (Acts 16:25). It is so powerful for us too, as Christians, to worship God right now, not just AFTER the pandemic, but in the MIDDLE of it.
3. Paul was always looking for ways to spread the hope of Jesus Christ. Paul was in chains but the gospel was NOT chained. Paul used his lockdown to share Christ with officers, soldiers, rulers, governors and finally even with the Emperor (Acts 25:11). Paul’s overarching goal at all times was to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in ANY way possible to ANYONE who would listen. How many churches are being forced to find new ways to minister right now? The gospel is going out by Facebook live, Youtube and so many more online sites. The message of Jesus Christ has not changed; but our methods of delivery do need to change from generation to generation. For example, someone first printed the Bible. Someone first translated the Bible into English, into Spanish, into Mandarin etc. Someone first began using a microphone and speakers to preach. There must have been a first person to preach Christ over the radio, and then later over television. The whole Bible is now on the internet and readily available in so many languages. How will we use the tools we DO have to keep preaching Jesus, perhaps to new audiences?
4. Paul used his lockdown time to continually encourage others. He shared his own struggles, but constantly encouraged faith, hope and worship in all of the churches. Paul was concerned that others would not lose hope in those tough times (Philippians). I have found that on my toughest days, it helps everything if I can lift someone else up, if I can make them smile. Who do we know that needs encouragement today? How can we make our brothers and sisters grow in their faith right now? How can we offer hope to our larger community when so many are so very sad and afraid?

What about YOU? How are you staying busy for Jesus during this pandemic? How is your church reaching out, preaching and building community? Who will you encourage this week? God bless you and all you do for Him this week!

Love Trisha

How Will YOU Handle Christmas This Year???

AHHH! Talking about Christmas in August is bad enough, but Christmas plays in a pandemic? We children’s pastors are usually deciding on what the kids will do right about now for Christmas. Now there are so many extra factors to consider. Can we do a kid’s Christmas play this year? Will our church even by open this December for in-person services? No one knows what the future may hold. When I wrote “Finding Hope,” my first kid’s Christmas outreach, I never could have imagined how Covid-19 would impact all of our lives. And whatever your ministry is looking like right now, we are all doing the best we can under different state and local laws. Some churches are still proceding with a kid’s Christmas play, hoping it can be done in person. Other churches are already planning to do a children’s Christmas play virtually. So I decided to release this Christmas outreach anyway. I explain in the instructions for the play that it can be done in person or virtually! The goal is for “Finding Hope” to be a fun, impactful kid’s Christmas outreach with a powerful yet simple salvation message. A few awesome children’s leaders volunteered to preview this fishy take on the Prodigal Son parable. And here is just a taste of what they had to say:

“I am in love with this musical! The story covers sin, shame, grace, reconciliation, and more in a play script that is not complicated, Biblical, entertains, includes humor, and most of all: shares the Gospel message…The author has provided many tools to help ease the workload from beginning to end, leaving little to be desired with checklists, forms, practice schedules, advertising suggestions, music lists, costume and prop suggestions, and more. There is even a follow-up letter template to use to reach out to those that attended the program. I also have to add, this former Media Team leader is especially impressed with the Sound/Tech/Lighting template that marks everything down to the minute. Worried about possibly being in a Covid-19 lockdown this Christmas? That’s okay, she even has tips for how to still hold your Christmas Program online and how to host a distance production online. Trisha Peach has thought of everything! This production can also accommodate a small or large church with a few minor adjustments, whether in person or online. If you are looking for a Christmas production for your Children’s Ministry that shares the Gospel, is anointed, fun, super cute, entertaining, and will help keep you organized, I highly recommend that you purchase Finding Hope as soon as it is made available.”- Angie Schott, editor of “Raising Sticky Hands to Heaven”

“It’s REALLY cute! It has a whole Finding Nemo feel. I love the audience participation. I think the kids would be so engaged with it. Love the prodigal son story (not sure if I have ever read one from a fish perspective!~)- Leann Woelk, 20 year children’s ministry veteran and author of “The Finish Line” Family Discipleship Series.

“I have reviewed your “Finding Hope” script. It is very well done. Story is great, message of Jesus comes across well. It would definitely be worth trying out at some point.”- CP Aimee Meinema, Children’s Minister, aimee@westportalchurch.ca

“As a Kids Pastor who was also a theatre minor in college, reading through this Christmas musical was a delight. Finding Hope, written by Trisha Peach, from http://www.kidmin.ninja, is a wonderful musical based on a the parable of the Prodigal Son mixed with a hint of Finding Nemo (beloved animated movie). One of the best parts of this musical is that the music is designed to be used completely copyright free. However, it is adaptable to use modern versions and recordings of the music. Just be sure you have the appropriate permissions to have children perform this music, especially if you make a video version of it with your kids. In a nutshell, I think that Trish’s ideas are brilliant, and this musical is a fun way to present the Gospel this Christmas with music and quirky fish and sea creatures. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.” Jeffrey Hunter, Children’s Pastor, Blogger

Want to check it out for yourself? You can order Finding Hope here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GLKD89L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_btf_t1_OhbrFbZMET5WN

I highly recommend you swim on over and read what these 2 bloggers had to say in full:

http://raisingstickyhands.com/review-finding-hope-childrens-christmas-production/

https://themarkministries.com/2020/08/20/finding-hope-a-bloggers-review/?fbclid=IwAR3HNVI9F9eAwuplMxTqlg5nlhC6eqAYSXrROcZURYQry98oenMw4pXOnW8

In a few short days, the musical outreach Finding Hope will be released. Included with the musical book are director’s notes, costume and makeup ideas, free customizable forms, prop lists, set ideas and so much more. Perhaps we all could use a little HOPE this Christmas of 2020! I hope this helps lighten the load a bit. God bless you as you continue to bring His light into a tough year.

Love Trisha

Covid-19 Changes are Especially Tough for Special Needs Kids and Their Families

Photo by Polesie Toys on Pexels.com

“He just won’t wear the mask,” the mother pleaded. “It irritates his skin. He just starts screaming and melting down.” I listened as the mother of a 6 year old boy with special needs explained her frustration to the dentist’s receptionist on the phone. Even from my spot 6 feet behind her in line at the grocery check out, I could hear the emotion in her voice. “I can’t go back there with him anymore?? I do not think he will go without me. What can I do?” My heart went out to her. On my way home, I kept thinking about the challenges that our children are facing now as some of the restrictions lift for Covid-19 and yet some changes have stayed in place. And how may some of these changes be especially tough for special needs children and their families? As some churches have been opening across the country, families are adjusting to changes at church as well. Here are some ways that special needs children and their families may be especially struggling right now, and what we as kidmin leaders may be able to do to help.

1.Schedule and Routine- Many children with special needs thrive on schedule and routine. They do not usually handle change well or adjust rapidly.  Their entire schedule has been completely upended. School schedule (learning from home and then off for the summer) was completely different from anything we have ever seen. Their sports, therapists and even church services were cancelled.  These conditions are stressful for a neuro-typical child. But for a child with special needs and for their parents, the disruption of schedule is disorienting, upsetting and nerve wracking.

How can church leaders help children and families that are suffering from the effects of a chaotic new schedule? Church leaders need to do everything in their power to establish a routine even if it is a newer routine. This routine should be as consistent as possible. Be patient because it will take time for the child to adjust to the “new normal.” Try not to keep switching the schedule and the rules from week to week. And EXTREMELY important- if you promise something you need to deliver on your promise. God always keeps His word. A special needs child will often remember exactly what you said was going to be happening. They need to know that they can count on what you say, even if it is a small thing in your opinion. So if you said that each child would get a coloring sheet next Sunday- make sure to make it happen. In a world spinning with uncertainty, each child needs to find their church community to be a place of love, grace and stability.

 

2. Loss of crucial socialization- Some children with special needs struggle to make and maintain friendships. And yet socialization is so important in helping every child reach their full potential. A parent of a special needs child may have enrolled their child in sports, clubs or playgroups in order to promote better social skills. With all of these resources temporarily gone, and school friends may be online only at this point, children with special needs may be especially impacted by the lack of live human interaction.

How can the church help?- As churches are beginning to reopen, they are confronted with the difficult task of keeping people safe and encouraging community interaction. Some churches have done a fantastic job of “being the church” even during lockdown, offering online kid’s church services, door step ministry baskets for kids and calls from their pastor. In churches that are now back to operating live, some are using a family service model, keeping kids in the main service and families 6 months apart. When families are worshipping together, families with special needs children need our understanding and patience. Yes, their may be “noises” or distruption of services. As adults, we need to learn to welcome children into services and minister to them there- even if they seem distracted or loud.

It is very controversial as to whether it is yet safe to reopen kid’s ministry, kid’s ministry small groups or AWANA. A lot of the safety issues depend greatly on WHERE your church is located and what your local governing bodies recommend. I believe we can balance hand washing, social distancing, hand sanitizer etc. while acknowledging that kid’s thrive when in community with their friends. I encourage parents of children who are at high risk for Covid-19 complications to stay home and continue to use our online church option. But I am seeing a lot of parents coming into our church, eager for their children to see their friends again. Each church needs to use wisdom to balance children’s safety with their need to grow in groups.  Some kid’s churches are meeting in tents on the lawn of the church. Others are using their kid’s church rooms but spacing the chairs or carpet squares six feet apart. I think we all will face a battle here however- kids are huggers, and are very touchy with their friends…

3. Loss of specialized help for children with special needs- A child with special needs in a public school may have a specialized learning plan, an aide, specialized diet lunches, a strategic routine, regular occupational and speech therapy etc. With all of these resources temporarily on hold, parents of special needs kids may be feeling the pressure. Where is the support system for children with special needs and their families?

What can the church do to help?- Church leaders need to reach out to families of special needs kids and express their love and support, letting them know they are welcome at church. Again, the parent may decide to keep them home for safety sake. But all parents needs to know that their church is still there and still cares about them. If you are offering family services, work with your congregation to be patient and understanding.

4. Fears- Covid-19 has been a big fear for adults too! But for a child that struggles with anxiety, depression or cognitive issues, their fears may be amplified. A child may look at the loss of schedules, beloved teachers (in person), aides, therapists, clubs, friends etc etc and be sincerely wondering, “Who or what will I lose next?” Children may or may not express these worries. But deep inside they are looking for traces of normalcy, and for people, places and routines that they can count on.

What can we as Kidmin Leaders Do?

All of our kids need strong examples of calm right now and a lot of reassurance. They are looking to parents, God, teachers and church leaders to show faith and stability. This is a good time to focus on and remind our kids of what will be staying the same- your love for them, the goodness of God, the promises of God, HOPE.

What about YOU? Are you a family of a special needs child, adjusting to this new life/schedule? Tell us what life has been like for your family.  How is your church approaching ministry right now to children and families with special needs?

Thank you for what you do for Jesus and His kids! You are making a difference in uncharted territory!

Trisha  http://www.kidmin.ninja

My Covid Diaries- Feb and March

Here are my personal diary entries showing just a glimpse of the impact of Covid-19 on our little area of WI. This is a peek at our lives in Feb. and March. Watch how quickly the whole world just FLIPS. How could I have underestimated Coronavirus so much???

2/02/2020- Such a beautiful sunny day! It’s even warm today, 45 F. Poxatani Phil predicted an early spring! YES! Eliana’s friend stayed over this weekend. They baked cookies and did some art projects. I think we all are battling a cold. My new semester for my doctorate starts here in three days. I have been subbing almost non-stop, which probably means this cold is hitting the other teachers too. So far I have avoided all the nastier flus going around the school. I’m washing my hands constantly. I gotta tape 2 sessions for my webinar tomorrow. I am worried about the kids I teach online in China. On the news it says that Coronovirus is getting pretty bad there. I am hoping that none of the children I teach or their families get it.
2/9/2020- Major snowstorm going on right now. I’m watching the snowstorm out the window here at church (shhh don’t tell!). Small crowd in church today due to the storm. Had a wonderful dinner last night with Mom and Dad at our place. Work and school going well. I need to get back on my diet. 😦 Grandma, Aunt Reda, my sister Erika, her husband and all 4 of their kids are down with a nasty flu. It sounds awful. I would really like to avoid that. They had better recover quickly- before Dad’s birthday part with everyone.
2/16/2020- Dad’s birthday party went great. Everyone was there and they all seemed to be feeling better. Mom and Dad ended up catching flu A as well. Soooo glad we four haven’t gotten it yet. We all did get flu shots this year, but so did Mom and Dad. Mom was still so weak today. It has been bitterly cold this week. It’s -9 today. I am subbing so much lately, which is good for us. I’m hoping to put money down on a Disney vacation soon- maybe for the end of the summer or the fall? Next week I have to be in St. Paul all week for intensives for my doctorate program. As always, I’m hoping Scott and the kids do fine while I’m out of town.  God is so good and I see how He provides every single day.
2/24/2020- First day of classes here in St. Paul, MN. One of our classmates has joined us all the way from South Korea! He assured us that he doesn’t have coronavirus. He let us know that South Korea is getting hit with it very hard. He cannot even go home to visit his family now. That’s awful. The classes are going well. It has been sunny and 40 degrees for the most part. I have  been taking walks and meeting up with old friends and eating out! Learning a lot this week.
2/28/2020- Heading back home to New London later today! It’s been a great week. I hope to hit the cheese store in Thorpe on the way back. Tax return came in, so I’m looking forward to getting the kids their yearly glasses upgrade and making a payment on their braces. Next week it’s back to life as usual. Glad I have so much subbing work coming up. Life is good. The news is non-stop about Coronovirus in China. So far none of my online students there have caught it. I’m so glad. Now if they are late to session, I hold my breath just a bit. Please God, protect the kids I teach and their families. Help the people of China…
3/8/2020- UGH. I’m not a fan of ‘spring forward’. We are all tired today. I am working all 5 days this week at the Middle School. Eliana and I had a lot of fun watching movies last night. Scott’s birthday is this week, and we are taking him out to the Chinese buffet in town. I had a bit of a cold last week but at least I shook it fast. Logan has been doing table top games with all his friends (most of whom are seniors) two nights a week at our house. They are having a great time. It looks like I may be going full time March 30-May 14 to cover one of the 8th grade teacher’s paternity leave. I accepted that today; it’s in English and I love teaching English. Scott just hit his 3 year anniversary at his job, and he is loving it. Getting excited for the New Dublin parade. Mom and dad are coming up for it this year!
3/15/20- Every single news channel and newspaper is now all about Covid-19. Nothing but the virus. Church attendance is way down today because people are scared. Our family has kid’s church in a few minutes. Scott’s birthday was so fun- a party out at his parents farm with all his favorite foods like soda bread, corn beef, and Angel Food Cake. We four then went out to the Chinese buffet and gave him the gifts from us. As we were leaving, the owner told us that she is shutting down completely for at least a month and not sending her child back to school for a month either. I was stunned. We went over to Family Dollar to get cat treats. In a moment of shock, we realized that people had made a run on the store and had taken all of the toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer. This made my husband nervous and he began to search for these items. They were sold out all over town. This is scary. What is happening??? No one seems to know. I remember Swine Flu and Bird Flu- this can’t be worse, can it? We are hearing now that the parade is cancelled. Also, school may be shut down and operate online only for 2-3 weeks. I just can’t believe it. I’ve never seen anything like this. I have been staying calm especially around the kids. My children and their friends don’t seem to be fazed at all!
3/20/20- This is mayhem. I still cannot believe this is all happening. All schools are shut down across the U.S. All learning is now online. The goal, I think, is to ‘flatten the curve’ or slow down the spread of the virus so that our hospital can keep up- have enough beds and ventilators. Already there are 400 infected in WI and 4 people have died. Stores are still bare of toilet paper/hand sanitizer/paper towels. You cannot even buy them on Amazon. In fact, I cannot even get the ingredients for hand sanitizer on Amazon because so many people are making it at home. Our pastor closed the church for the next 3 weeks due to the virus. At least this may force us to do more online services? The governor has ordered now that everyone must stay home for 2-3 weeks to slow the spread of the virus- unless your job is deemed “essential.” Scott’s job is essential BUT- since he works IT for a car rental, their business is affected. No one is allowed to travel. Scott has now been cut down to every other week at work. The kids start online school tomorrow. We are going to file for unemployment. But so many people are filing this week that it is WAYYYY overloading their system. I am trying to do baking and home improvement to stay occupied. I know God is in control. It is amazing how quickly all your plans go straight out the window. I know God’s plans are not cancelled.

3/24/2020- Still on lockdown. The whole nation is on lockdown. Everything. Can only go out to walk the dogs or for essential food/medicine. The elderly members of our church are not allowed to leave the assisted living home or have any visitors. I was pretty down yesterday. I miss people already. Scott and the kids (introverts) are loving the time at home. We have been making special meals, playing “escape room” games and watching movies. We try to do one “spring cleaning” project every day. When this is over, our house is gonna be looking pretty awesome. We power washed all the windows, started painting the kitchen, sorting through all the kids clothes, decluttered the garage….etc. I just need to keep moving. I’m hoping this is over soon.

3/28/2020- Scott is on half time now and the kids are doing online school. We are still on lockdown. Everywhere, certain things are  being rationed, such as TP etc. People made a run on eggs the other day and now you cannot get eggs anywhere. They do not know when they will have eggs again. On TV, they are predicting a “disruption of the food supply chain” and a “meat shortage.” I hope they are wrong. I am working on my 45 page paper for my doctorate course, which ironically is on “emotional health.” lol….All of Scott’s doctor appointments have been moved to June. I know if Grandma catches Covid, she probably would not make it with her weak lungs. I am praying that Grandma does NOT catch it. In WI today, 1000 are infected that we know of (we do not have enough tests, so only the most critical patients are being tested) and 17 people have died. One of those who died worked at the airport where my husband periodically works. Also, one of Scott’s friends is down now with Covid-19. They were hanging out up until the 16th lockdown, so he may have been exposed. All we can do is pray. I do not like that Scott still has to go into Appleton from time to time to fix things that simply cannot be fixed remotely. Scott’s friend is expected to survive, but is quarantined to his house for 3 weeks! It’s like the whole world was stopped, turned upside down and then began spinning backwards…still none of the children I taught online in China have been affected. WHEW. Thank You Jesus. So far, Waupaca County has had only 2 infections. I hope it stays that way. I feel so blessed that all my family is still ok- Erika, Ken and their 4 kids, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Aunt Reda, my brother Shawn and his kids…my aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

NEXT WEEK: April and May…

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

The “Reopening” Wars

Revenge of the Sith? Rise of the Rebellion? The Empire Strikes Back? This war was beginning to sound like a movie. The whole issue of churches “reopening” after such a long time of online only, was blowing up all over my feed this week. Several ministerial sites had Christians at each other’s throats on both “sides” over when to start assembling in person again and under what conditions. The whole term “reopening” offended some pastors, because, “the church never left- it is just now in our homes.”

I quickly became just a bit discouraged seeing Christians, Churches and pastors kinda ripping each other over reopening.

For example, one side would passionately argue: “If you begin assembling in person at all, you want everyone to die. You especially want all the elderly to die. How can you call yourself a Christian if you don’t ‘love one another’. Obviously, if we love one another we will wait as long as we can to ‘reopen’. The Bible says to obey our leaders (Romans 13). The church is supposed to be in homes anyway. Maybe it is better if we keep it this way. The pastors who have reopened are obviously selfish, careless and want to make all Christians look bad. This is why people do not trust Christians.”

After those posts got a lot of likes and social media applause, each church would declare in turn that they were definitely opening later than anyone else because they loved people more and were definitely more like Jesus.

Then the “other side” would start to respond with posts like this: “If you don’t assemble in person this Sunday then you are disobeying God’s Word which commands us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 10:25). Also, when the authorities told Peter and John to stop preaching, they didn’t hesitate to say, ‘Should we obey God or you?’ Then Peter and John continued preaching, facing beatings and imprisonment (Acts 5).We must make a point of publicly defying our government if we are to prove that we obey God over the state. So if you are not assembling in person right now, you are obviously not really a Christian and you have “sold out” to the world, and are choosing to abandon the “church.”

This led to a firestorm of people from both sides viciously posting on each other’s posts about how awful, hateful and evil they were to reopen-or not reopen-immediately. It all started to make me very sick to my stomach. Then came the whole argument over whether or not online services counted as “assembling together.” I had to walk away from social media for awhile after that. My take?

Is this whole thing a competition to see who is more virtuous? We are all trying to figure this out. Can’t there be a balance of safeguarding lives and working to still be the Church? Doesn’t it make sense that the “reopening” of churches in New York City (the city that has been the hardest hit by Covid-19) will have to look very different from the reopening of churches in Montana (which has some of the smallest infection rates)? My own church in Wisconsin has not gone back to assembling in person yet. But I am not looking down on my brother in another state that is just trying his best to slowly reassemble. Maybe that can look different in different areas where the virus is hitting more or less? I simply dislike how this has become a holiness contest. Whoever opens first/last is holier, more compassionate? Can we just make “You are the Holiest, Most Loving Ever” buttons, give them to everyone and then try to move on supporting each other as Christians? Even if their church is approaching “reopening” differently than we are????

During this whole crisis, I have been hearing GREAT ideas for the future of the church, including- having more family services, being more germ conscious at churches, continuing online service options even after “reopening”, having a seating section for 60+, etc. etc. Each state is offering different guidelines. In some cases counties and cities are giving different (even conflicting) advice. I do not believe in throwing ourselves off a building and demanding that God catch us before we smack into the ground (testing the Lord our God). We can listen to scientists, experts and our local authorities. “Going back” is going to look different for churches in different areas of the country.  The way we “do church” is going to change. And this may not look exactly the same for churches everywhere. Can’t that be ok???? I think church politics can get even nastier than secular politics.

Perhaps we as American Christians are not always great at balance. I believe it will be difficult, but possible, to balance the safety of our congregants and our mandate to preach Jesus. I know I have been guilty of generalizations in the past as well.  But if we Christians are truly known for how we love one another, then some of our social media posts are contradicting what we claim to believe.

For those of you cautiously starting to reassemble in person- God bless you, and I pray for safety and blessings on your ministries. For those of you waiting and continuing with online services only- God bless you, and I pray for safety and blessings on your ministries. Let’s not be so hard on ourselves or each other. This is new territory that we are still figuring out! What about YOU? What surprises have you had as you approach being “the church” in the next few months? What fears do you have? What do you think will need to change moving forward? God bless you and all you are doing for His Kingdom in a dark time! Trisha

What Your Pastor is Worrying About MOST During this Lockdown!

We all know the verse “Trust in the Lord and don’t be afraid.” (Psalms 56:11) But pastors are human beings too (shhh don’t tell!!) This is an unprecedented time for everyone. And your pastor probably has one or more of these worries that they are battling against right now:

1. “What if some congregants do not come back?” I have heard this worry voiced out loud from more than one pastor now. What if too many congregants get out of the habit of getting up and going to church? What if our church members get used to watching services online and what if they even like those online services better? What will happen to the sense of community we have been working so hard to grow and nourish? On the other hand, a few pastors have been hopeful that people will be so “starved” for community after the lockdown that they will gladly flood their churches when they finally can. I personally do not believe that online church could ever take the place of that face to face interaction, at least for me. There is such power when we are gathered all in one place (but right now that has to wait!) However, several churches are discovering the power of having online services too. Truly necessity is the mother of all invention. How many of us do not change the way we do ministry until we are forced to? The gospel and the church are not “cancelled”; they are going forward everywhere in a new “language!”
2. “What if we lose congregants or their extended family to Covid-19? How will the church support these grieving families?” The news has been full of horrifying stories of churches losing congregants to the coronavirus. Some churches are so close, like a family, that one loss is devastating. How are churches coping that are losing many of their members to the virus? And they cannot even meet together to comfort one another? Usually, the pastor would be visiting people in the hospital, visiting the family, setting up meal deliveries and scheduling grief counseling.  For churches facing the loss of beloved members to COVID 19, they will probably be facing a lot of the grief and loss AFTER they come back together to empty offices or an empty pew.
3. “What about the funerals?”- This one came up this week at my dad’s church. A long time church member passed away. But funerals are not allowed right now during social distancing. I believe the plan is to do cremation/freezing the body and scheduling the funeral for some time after the lockdown is over. I wonder how many families are waiting on a funeral? Are families having to grieve at least somewhat alone? My heart broke watching the news today, as two sisters had to say their last goodbyes to their mother through a walkie talkie. Their mother was dying of Covid-19 in the ICU, while they were forced to wait down in the parking lot. When this is over, there will be a cue of grief that we will still have to face.
4. “What about all the couples on the verge of divorce, the people I’ve been discipling, and the brand new Christians?” During a typical week, a pastor meets with a variety of congregants. One of the best parts about being a pastor is watching someone grow, get closer to Jesus, see marriages being healed, addictions faced etc etc. During this time, pastors worry about losing progress. I’ve seen some pastors keeping up with their “flock” on Zoom meetings, Skype and Facetime. That is awesome to be using any tool available to keep helping people!! This time will pass. “And it came to pass…” A lot of these situations, we will have to leave in God’s hands. It is humbling to release it all to God, to realize our helplessness and His sovereignty.
5. “Will the church be able to pay the bills- electric, heat, mortgage, insurance, missions, help out so many hurting people and…make payroll? As you know, your local pastor is NOT at all like your TV evangelist, with a Rolls Royce, their own plane and a diamond ring on each finger. Just like you, your local church still has to pay its monthly mortgage, electric, water, sewer, trash, insurance (which is usually pretty high). The church also has commitments to missionaries around the world. And as people begin to lose their jobs everywhere, due to coronavirus, many are turning to their local churches for help. In my town, the local churches are distributing lunches to children and helping those impacted by COVID-19. Already, the Wisconsin unemployment site has been overloaded- swamped with applications from those who have lost their jobs. I know most pastors and churches WANT to help. But any pastor will tell you that when the church doors are closed, giving typically plummets. If a church cancels for a snow day or a storm, usually that giving is never made up. Part of this comes from our American cultural mindset “Pay to Pray.” If something happens and we can’t see a movie, then we get our money back. So if we can’t “go to church” we may feel that we no longer need to tithe. In America we often reduce “church” to a building, “pastor” to a paid employee/evangelist and ministry to “goods and services rendered.” It is understandable right now for families that have lost their jobs and incomes to be hurting. But if we do have income during this tough time, our local churches still need our support. And your local pastor still needs your prayers and possibly a word of encouragement!

How about you? Are you in ministry? What are you concerned with right now during lockdown? How is your church staying connected while separate? How is your church trying to reach out? Please comment below and let us know your thoughts! God bless, and let’s keep praying for the END of this virus and for the health and recovery of all those impacted by COVID-19.

Love and prayers for you all- Trisha

Family Activities in the Time of Social Distancing- a Few Ideas

I, like you, have been experiencing the new reality that is life during coronavirus lock-down. My kids are both home right now because all schools in Wisconsin are shut down. Most churches are going entirely online with their services. Our governor has banned all gatherings over 10 people. My husband sent me pics and video of the massive Walmart in Appleton, WI, with its shelves nearly bare- no toilet paper, no hand sanitizer, no wipes, and almost no canned goods or cereal left. I have never seen or imagined anything like this in the United States. Extroverts like myself are going to have a tough few weeks here! My introvert friends seem to be doing better than i am 🙂 But without any further ado- here are a few things to remember and a few ideas to try during these next few weeks of home isolation.

1. Keep an eye on mental and emotional health. During this time that all eyes are on physical health, don’t forget that this change can be tough-especially for children that already struggle with mental health or are on the ASD spectrum. ANY change can be tough to adjust to. This is a great time to talk to your children about what they need during their time of change. You probably should expect a bit of frustration, acting out, withdrawal. This is a lot of upheaval! Their whole schedule has been upended. Each child will cope with this in different ways. Encourage your kids to talk to you about their fears and frustrations. They may be afraid to ask certain questions, and they need to know that you are open and willing to answer those questions as best you can.
2. Be a positive voice of faith, not fear. Our children often follow our lead. If the adults around them are testy, frustrated, panicking- the children will probably follow right along. This is an opportunity to show our children how a Christian keeps their eyes on Jesus and trusts God. We are not perfect, and I’m sure we all deal with fear and uncertainty. Be honest about that. But let’s do our best to walk out that balance between trusting God and doing our part. I told my kids this morning that there must be a balance. We do our part and God takes care of the rest. We wash our hands, practice social distancing AND we trust God to do what only HE can do. We know that God loves us and He is still in control.
3. Practice gratitude- It is so easy right now to focus on all that we may be missing-school time, work time, vacations, income? toilet paper? Everything shifts when we choose to focus on all that God has given us. Today I told my family how grateful I am that we are all healthy, and have what we need. During this tough time, it is so important to remember all of the ways that God has blessed us in the past and even right now in the middle of this.
4. Switch to an outward focus. How can we HELP someone today? Can we donate to a food pantry, write letters to shut ins, make online content for others (singing, dramas, a dance), skype or text an old friend? Our problems seem so much worse when we are only focusing on ourselves. The challenge is to focus on Jesus, and on helping others in need. Then, amazingly, our problems seem much more manageable. Our church is working to get a list of who needs what in our community and start collecting donations. Three churches in our town are assisting the local public schools to distribute meals to children. People have been checking on their neighbors for the first time ever. I have been so encouraged and inspired at how people are wanting to help others in need. This is certainly the time for the church to find new ways to BE the church- the salt and the light.
5. Get a schedule/routine going. Children still NEED a routine- especially children that have special needs. For my own children, during this home school time, they will start their day with getting their school done (online). When that is done, we are completing ONE spring cleaning job per day- fixing deck paint, deep cleaning the fish tanks, repairing the outside shutters etc. By the end of this, I’m hoping that our home/yard will be looking SWEEEEEET for summer. They still will have their 1 regular house chore to complete as well. Children really do feel more secure and less vulnerable when they know the rules and what they can expect.
6. Add some fun activities- I highly recommend board games, card games, family scavenger hunts, family movie nights, living room “camping” and baking together. Perhaps make a very special meal and eat together by candle light. Family walks are invigorating, healthy and FREE. Now is a great time to try that trail you’ve been wanting to explore. Remember that these are moments that your kids will probably remember for the rest of their lives, because this is so out of the ordinary. It is a great time to even start some new habits as a family.
7. Pray for those who are infected, may be infected, those at highest risk and their families. Pray for the end of the virus. This is so vital that we teach our children empathy for those around the world who are suffering.  We also reinforce to our children the power of prayer. We are NOT powerless. Our God still does amazing things every day.
8. Play, “Ask a tough Bible question”. We just started this- they think of the toughest Bible question they can think of and I try to answer it as best I can. Last night was, “Why did God strike Herod with painful worms that ate him from the inside out? Is that what that song “inside out” is all about?” Yikes. Well, starting with a bang I guess. Now they are bringing harder and harder questions each night! If you do not know the answer, be honest with your kids and then try to find that answer together. Explain that many things in the Bible are hard to understand, but God invites us to seek after Him through His Word.
9. Let’s not stop “doing church.” We know that the church is the people, the followers of Christ, not a building. However, in this time of social distancing, most of us are going to have to find new ways to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” Most churches are providing online options for watching the services at home. If your church does not provide that option, here are a few great suggestions for online streaming church this Sunday for families with kids or for a kid’s pastor to recommend to families in your church!-  http://www.gominno.com    http://www.kidology.org  D6Family.com/splink    Set the example that “church” goes on, even when it seems like the world has shut down. One family I know is doing the service in their living room themselves- just like the early church. Each family member comes ready with a song to lead. One person brings a Scripture and shares what God is showing them through that passage. Children love to get involved in planning a special service!

So many of the incredible things that we take for granted today were born out of a terrible trial in history. “Necessity is the mother of invention”- Plato. Already during this COVID-19 crisis, I have seen some really creative and inventive ways that churches are reaching out to their congregants. Christians are learning to spread the gospel more than ever in effective ways DIGITALLY and around the world. The Church is NOT silenced- she is just learning to speak a different language. How can our families come through this time of quarantine closer to God and to each other? What new skills will we learn and bring into our non-quarantined future?

How about you? How are you and your family doing during this “at home” time? How is your church approaching “doing church”? Is your church doing anything unique to reach out during this tough time? Please let us know!!!

Love always, Trisha

What’s WRONG with Our Family Services?

 

So, in the time of Covid-19, you decided to do a “family service,” which is a church service that includes all generations. Instead of splitting up the family into age segregated classes, the family sits together and worships together. The benefits to a service like this are many- parents showing spiritual leadership in their family, children are a part of the church as a whole, and all of the family can talk about the same things on the ride home from church and for the rest of the week! And by the way, FAMILY events are big right now, even in the secular world and in our culture. Want proof? What were the highest attended and highest grossing films of the last few years? Shrek, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Frozen etc….These are all movies that the entire family can watch together. The kids love it, but there are funny “gems” in the storyline and dialogue for the adults too. Family restaurants are making more money than ever. Family night at your child’s school will probably be totally packed out. Family services and events are well attended and going strong- everywhere but the church at times.

So why do churches not try to do family services more often? And when they do, why do family services sometimes fall flat? With so much potential benefit, what could possibly go wrong? Well, here are a few real life responses I’ve heard to the idea of having a family service:

“Nobody told me there wouldn’t be childcare. If I had known I would have stayed home.”

“Our pastor doesn’t want to try a family service, because he is afraid parents will just go down the street to a church that has children’s programs.”

“I’m with my kids all week. I absolutely must have a break.”

“I cannot worship with the distraction of my children.”

“Our pastor cannot preach with infants or children making noise. Our ushers are trained to immediately remove any child making noise. It’s even in our bulletin.”

“I do not believe it could work to have  my special needs child in the main service. She would be too disruptive.”

Have you heard any of those responses? When you are trying to change a paradigm and a culture, the above responses can be frustrating and discouraging. And I do understand that we must change the mentality of parents from “I drop my kid off at childcare. You lead them to Jesus and disciple them. I’ll be back in a hour” to “I am the spiritual leader of my child.” Remember, it took time to train parents to become that way and it will take time to change things now. We cannot give up. But what I want to propose here is this: Before we go blaming the parents for not wanting to sit with their children, have we done all we can do to truly create a “family service”? Well, what is a family service?

Most of our problems with having a family service would be resolved if we understood what a family service is NOT. A family service is NOT:

1. A service just like all the others, with no difference in the lineup, themes or preparation. It is really geared for adults, decorated for adults, with songs, sermons and illustrations for adults only.
2. A service that “allows” children to be in the sanctuary, as long as they do not interfere with the “adult” service. Children are not engaged. In fact, they are told to sit silently, color on the back of the bulletin. No one is really concerned whether the children take anything away from the service. The only goal is for the adults to like the songs and the sermon. So the goal for the children by default is silence, and not to distract adults.                                                                                                                                   A service that ALLOWS children is miles away from a service that WELCOMES children and families.
3. A service as “punishment.” I’ve actually heard of churches having a family service because “no one is volunteering to work in children’s ministry.” The thinking goes like this: “If the parents have to suffer through having their children in the service with them long enough, eventually they will give in and volunteer.” AHHHHHH! Family ministry services should never be used as punishment. In fact, I cringe when I hear kid’s ministry leaders threaten a child with “If you don’t stop acting up, you’re going to Big Church. I mean it! You’ll sit with your parents! God have mercy on your soul….” We are making a family worship service, (sitting in the main sanctuary with their parents) the worst of all punishments, reserved only for very bad behavior. This has got to stop!

So, how can we completely revision our idea of a “Family Service”? What should it look like? What COULD it look like? How do we intentionally craft a dynamic worship experience that will minister across the generations and not just one age group?

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week “Family Services: the ReBoot, Strategies for Crafting a Better Intergenerational Church Service.”

How about you? How have your experiences been with having family services at your church? How would you like to see the family services at your church improve?

love Trisha

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