COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR ALLIANCE NEW ENGLAND CHURCHES
As we gather information and resources, ANE will add links and information here for churches and leaders to references as they adapt to the COVID-19 situation.
COVID-19 News & Info
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
State Departments of Public Health:
Alliance Benefits
First Stop Health is the telemedicine service offered for Alliance health plan subscribers where you can speak to a physician for free.
Letter from Curtis Farmer – Alliance Benefits: Important Health and Retirement Updates
CAMA Grant Funds
Is your congregation finding ways to serve your community during the COVID pandemic? If so, grant funds from CAMA may be available to assist with the expenses of doing so. Fill out this short form and email it to the district office.
On-Line Giving
The C&MA has an agreement with tithe.ly, with some lower negotiated fees. More information available here.
PayPal.Me is another service which is similar in price and some churches have started using.
Encourage Members to Look Into On-Line Bill Pay: Congregants should check to see if their banks offer a “Bill Pay” option. They can set up the church as a regular payment they make, and the bank generates an electronic check and sends it via USPS (United States Postal Service). Many banks don’t charge for this, and some even cover the postage!
C&MA News & Updates
Perspectives on a Pandemic (John Stumbo Video) – Part 1, Part 2
Technical Links / Help To Go Virtual
How to be the Church Online During A Pandemic
Tips on Preaching to an Empty Room
How to Host a Small Group Online
Providers of Online Meetings, Video Chat & Livestreaming:
Audio Only: Free Conference Call
Streaming Services and Copyright Laws
Please be aware that permission is needed to stream copyrighted material including worship songs, music and projected lyrics in a livestream or broadcast of your services. Your current CCLI license may not cover streamed content, and if so you will need to purchase an add-on CCLI Streaming License. The cost is very reasonable. More information is available here.
CMAllianceU
As of today, we’ve developed and launched a new course on CMAllianceU designed to help those churches who are struggling to stay connected while not being able to meet on Sundays. This course is simple. Right now, the curriculum educates churches on how to record a sermon and upload it onto a digital platform using free resources. Soon, we will be adding additional resources that will help churches navigate connecting digitally for discipleship, giving, and pastoral care. But for now, we wanted to get this out ASAP.
This course is FREE for anyone. Individuals will need to open an account on CMAllianceU to access the course. We’ve created a simple website that gives registration and access to this course here. We’ve also attached a PDF with login and access instructions for this course.
Questions or Concerns? Please reach out: grusendorfs@cmalliance.
8 STEPS TO EMBRACE FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE STREAMING OF YOUR SERVICE
BY: JAY KRANDA
- Focus on how to move “Watchers to Attenders” and think through how it works [ASSIMILATION].
- Welcome those online personally on video during the service and drive viewers to complete a response form, send email/text, or DM the page [NEXT STEP IS KEY!].
- Put in place a chat host, kind of like a digital greeter, who can say hi to those online and answer questions during the stream.
- Launch an online follow-up team to handle response forms, emails, texts, and DMs. Care for people one-on-one and connect back to a physical location.
- Empower a volunteer to oversee your stream. Find someone who owns their own business because they tend to be social media savvy.
- Launch a Facebook Group for those online to be in the community during the week. Think of your Facebook Group as a patio experience digitally.
- Explore launching online groups if people desire to gather, but can’t meet in-person [VIDEO COURSE: How Online Small Groups Work].
- Get classes up online with a Learning Management Software (L.M.S.) like Teachable.com, YouTube.com, or Thinkific.com.
4 GUIDELINES FOR DIGITAL YOUTH MINISTRY
Dan Boal, Alliance Youth Director, shares a video on 4 guidelines for digital youth ministry.
Glimpse Videos
Glimpse is a highly visual presentation that works on the concept of show and tell. Short films that point people to Jesus.
- Share them on social media, instigate conversations online that point to Jesus.
- Sunday messages/online services made easy.
- Small group resources.
YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC2Q8xi6IL6eN2Ql_XD-xSHw
Facebook: facebook.com/glimpseseries
Instagram: instagram.com/glimpseries
Visit sixthday.co.uk/glimpse to watch Season One and find out more