# data[].attributes.headline
Great article by Gar Demo on Digital Front Porch

# data[].attributes.subject
Great article by Gar Demo on Digital Front Porch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Early in the pandemic, I attended a meeting when we could barely accept the realities that we would not be having in-person church for the entirety of Lent and likely Easter. After a discussion about moving services toward online options, one of the leaders in that meeting said, "that isn't real church." Perhaps she was right on some level but missed the ministry opportunity lying right before us.

We are a denomination that loves our traditions. We have held on to candles as a lighting mechanism far beyond their useful life. Gathering in person with fellow Christians to have fellowship, break bread and continue in the Apostle's teaching is central to our understanding of our faith. However, what do we do when that in-person gathering becomes potentially a vector of deadly disease? This old traditional denomination pivoted to a new reality or caught up to it.

The Digital Front Porch has been a reality for a long time. The internet made its way into the academy and research communities first with email and listservs. It was then morphing into new and exciting neighborhoods, from AOL to MySpace to Facebook and everything in between. Our communities around us thrust themselves into this new reality sometimes reluctantly. The church did, too, in many ways, but sometimes we still argue over who doesn't have email and how they will get the newsletter.

The pandemic shifted everything. Almost every church I know has a digital presence with some streaming capabilities. Now the work of figuring out the community and living in different spaces simultaneously begins. We now have a Digital Front Porch and a Real Church online. What next?

The first is learning who is meeting on the front porch. During the most difficult moments of the pandemic, it was pretty much our only gathering space. Now, as in-person services restarted, what is happening, and who is gathering in that space?

The congregation I serve has done a couple of surveys and listened to our members about these new options. We were surprised by some of the feedback, and others seemed intuitive:

Potential new members used the digital community as the first threshold to cross when considering joining our community.

Our more feeble and shut-in members found joy in still being able to feel a part of worship and community.

Young parents found they could still get spiritual nourishment on their schedule.

Travelers feel more connected when they can't make it to service by participating in the online community.

People could return to aspects of worship during the week to relisten or consider the sermon and readings again.

The most surprising thing was more than 60% of our respondents reported their participation in the church had increased substantially. Some said that they were participating in in-person or online church weekly for the first time in their life. AND that they felt more intimately connected to their faith community.

This old, traditional church has a lot of work to do as we continue building our new digital spaces. The pandemic has shown us new ways to gather in fellowship, break bread, and continue the Apostles' teaching. It seems the Digital Front Porch is certainly Real Church, and while many of the old ways of gathering will continue- the blending of the two is creating new and vibrant community.
Learning Forte's Digital Ministry Initiative, in partnership with LEAD, with funding provided in part by a leadership grant from Trinity Church Wall Street.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early in the pandemic, I attended a meeting when we could barely accept the realities that we would not be having in-person church for the entirety of Lent and likely Easter. After a discussion about moving services toward online options, one of the leaders in that meeting said, "that isn't real church."

# data[].attributes.headline
All Saints' Episcopal - Corpus Christi, TX

# data[].attributes.subject
All Saints' Episcopal - Corpus Christi, TX

# data[].attributes.body
By offering online the Daily Offices each weekday, Morning Prayer and Compline. A new community was created.

# data[].attributes.body
St Bede’s has learned to do many things over Zoom- service, book discussion, inter generational sessions, Bunco.

# data[].attributes.body
https://buildfaith.org/digital-faith-formation-7-practices/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Faith Formation: 7 Practices for Intentional Gatherings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Seven practices for creating intentional faith formation Bible studies and other offerings in digital spaces.

# data[].attributes.headline
email link to facebook video of weekly worship for parishioners who cannot watch service livestream and don't have or want youtube

# data[].attributes.subject
email link to facebook video of weekly worship for parishioners who cannot watch service livestream and don't have or want youtube

# data[].attributes.headline
Some of what we've implemented at Holy Trinity...

# data[].attributes.subject
Some of what we've implemented at Holy Trinity...

# data[].attributes.body
Monday - Friday morning devotions livestream on Facebook Live
Tuesday afternoon "Prayers for All People" - a livestream virtual prayer meeting on Facebook Live
Wednesday Bible studies - 11am and 7pm via Zoom
Friday "Faith Five Check-in" - a Zoom gathering for mutual support, conversation and prayer

Plus...
Men's and Women's Zoom Bible studies
Sunday evening Story Time via Facebook Live
Because we are a Lutheran parish: "The Luther & Lager Hour" - a Thursday evening conversation on theology (BYOLager)

And, of course...
Sunday morning liturgy that is livestream/in-person hybrid

# data[].attributes.body
From the get-go, we knew we would continue with an on-line presence.  We had nothing..we started with the knowledge of our new Priest and the knowledge of a media assistant our Priest added to the staff.  (That is me).  The two of us worked, failed, tried again and got on Facebook Live.

I will say we still need to work more on keeping up with the comments. I like this idea.

# data[].attributes.headline
Love this new tool! Have enjoyed learning church communications with Caffeinated Church out of Diocese of Colorado & Canon Mike Orr. http://caffeinatedchurch.org

# data[].attributes.subject
Love this new tool! Have enjoyed learning church communications with Caffeinated Church out of Diocese of Colorado & Canon Mike Orr. http://caffeinatedchurch.org

# data[].attributes.body
thanks!
Andrea Meier
Office Coordinator at Redeemer Lutheran, ELCA, McLean, Virginia

# data[].attributes.body
A woman with health and mobility issues who can no longer worship in person signs on to the on line worship 15 minutes ahead of the time and personally welcomes each person who comes on line. It's her new ministry!

# data[].attributes.headline
Online Connection Button at St. Michael's, Austin, website

# data[].attributes.subject
Online Connection Button at St. Michael's, Austin, website

# data[].attributes.body
These are our technolytes at St. Anne's. The young folks have learned and expanded our tech quickly. They want to come to church, now- which is very cool.

# data[].attributes.body
We started a blog during both Advent and Lent, with parishioners posting their reflections and an/image or picture related to  the reading for each day. We posted on Facebook and website. Fortunately, others in the community became involved and asked to participatre.  stlukeseg.org

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.techsoup.org/
This company makes hardware and software available to nonprofits at discounted rates. Might have something that would help with streaming or online presence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TechSoup Community
Forums, Events, and Libraries

Get answers, meet like-minded nonprofits, and share your stories at our networking events, at a locally hosted TechSoup Connect event, or in our online community forums. Learn about the content, products, and resources we provide specifically to U.S. libraries and much more. No need to be a nonprofit to participate.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Apps4Change
Caravan Studios

We bring the #Apps4Change community together to generate opportunities for development, design solutions, and demo the great products that have already been built.

LEARN MORE

ED Made Easy
NGOsource

Our equivalency determination repository and related services are transforming international giving for U.S. grantmakers and donor advised funds.

VISIT NGOSOURCE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
TechSoup - Technology for nonprofits, charities, and libraries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TechSoup Community Get answers, meet like-minded nonprofits, and share your stories at our networking events, at a locally hosted TechSoup Connect event, or in our online community forums. Learn about the content, products, and resources we provide specifically to U.S. libraries and much more. No need to be a nonprofit to participate.

# data[].attributes.body
Recruiting a Junior Warden for technology has raised the stature of our online ministries and helped to facilitate internal change as well as external engagement.

# data[].attributes.body
We post a full service bulletin on our web page so that folks can download it and participate with responses (and the like) from their own home while participating through social media.

# data[].attributes.headline
What do you do when you have an elderly congregation and none of them have adequate technology skills?

# data[].attributes.subject
What do you do when you have an elderly congregation and none of them have adequate technology skills?

# data[].attributes.body
Recruit from neighboring high schools or college.