Presbyterian Church reaches out to congregations over midweek meetings and Sunday school

The Irish Presbyterian Church has already set about reaching out to its 500-plus congregations across the island who would normally be restarting their mid-week meetings and Sunday school activities after the summer break, along with youth ministry and outreach programmes.

Sunday gatherings for worship effectively ceased in late March, resuming tentatively in July, with many congregations only now returning within strict government guidelines. Much of church activity, including children and youth activities, went online where possible.

Senior Presbyterian clerics have now issued guidance to its ministers regarding youth work and children’s ministry in a new resource titled ‘Blended’.

The Rev David Thompson, secretary to the Presbyterian council for congregational life and witness responsible for supporting and resourcing youth and children’s ministry, highlighted a phased approach over the autumn/winter months.

“Churches are very much part of society and life of their local communities, with our congregations providing much needed practical support throughout this pandemic,” said Mr Thompson. “As life edges back to greater normality, an important part of this process has been the enabling of a safe and successful return to school, which began for many families this week. If this can be managed successfully, it will be a significant step towards a return to regular routines in many areas of life, including church activity.”

Mr Thompson said this approach would allow children to settle into school during the first half of the new term, enable congregations to prioritise their patterns of Sunday worship, take stock of overall activities and reduce the pressure on youth and children’s leaders.

“For the church to play our part in this effort we strongly recommend that the kind of regular, through the week programming of physical meetings for children and young people should not begin until October at the earliest,” he said.

All of this need not mean that children’s and youth ministry should be put on hold, but he acknowledged that while challenging, there were also opportunities. “Every congregation will be different in terms of its routines and activities and the new reality that we find ourselves in will require a different approach.

“Many teams will already have had the experience of having moved from regular face-to-face meetings, to digital contact with children in the early days of the pandemic and over the summer months, when restrictions prevented the usual holiday Bible clubs and other activities,” he said.

Moving forward, Mr Thompson said they had recommended a blend of ministry activity, predominantly through digital contact, supported by a limited number of physical gatherings, which maximise opportunities for being together and keeping in touch, while respecting the necessary restrictions..

“Hopefully, as the threat of coronavirus subsides, we will be able to build children’s and youth ministry activity back to more frequent and regular patterns of church life.”

To help and support congregations, the Blended resource, which can be found at www.presbyterianireland.org/blended, offers both advice on crafting this blended approach to programming, along with video clips showing what some congregations have already done in developing digital ministry and safe, socially distanced gatherings. While stressing the need to stay safe in the ‘real’ world, guidance is also provided on safeguarding in the virtual world, as the need to stay safe online is just as important.

“The next season of children’s and youth ministry will be different. As we plan and prepare for it, I would like to pay tribute to everyone who has continued to find ways to bring the gospel and fellowship to young people and children over the last six very challenging months and encourage those who are just about to start to plan.”

Mr Thompson added: “In all that we do and plan, it is important that we remember that God goes with us and ahead of us as we set out on this ongoing journey.”