Ballarat Church leaders and members have been on a steep learning curve as we have not been able to meet in our church building since the COVID-19 restrictions came into force. We are so grateful to God and give glory to Him that we have Zoom and other social media platforms for keeping connected.
Meetings via Zoom have become a real means of connecting with as many church family and friends as possible. This started for us at the beginning of April. Our pastoral team, Pr Andrew Kapusi and Marius Jigau, have continued to be faithful and busy, ensuring we have the opportunity to dig deeply into the Word of God several times a week even during this time and we are thankful.
It’s been a real pleasure to many of us to see our older and less tech-minded members also willing to embrace this technology and connect with church family and friends; with a little help with learning and the provision of tech support as needed. Nevertheless, some still find technology difficult or not possible for them, so other means are being used to keep connected with those isolated from church attendance. Our email lists have been updated and are used, along with phone calls, personal visits occurring when permitted, and church members making every effort to keep in touch with each other by all means possible.
REGULAR MEETINGS
Our weekly Adult Sabbath School, Worship Services, Wednesday evening Bible study, and a newly introduced Friday evening opening Sabbath program, have all been made available via Zoom, with each also live-streamed to our Facebook group Ballarat SDA Family and Friends.
The number of homes linking into the meetings each week started at around 10 but has increased markedly since then. Usually at least 35 homes (involving up to 70 adults and children) join in for the Worship service on Sabbath, 20-25 homes “attend” Adult Sabbath School, and 15-20 join in Wednesday Bible Studies and Friday Opening Sabbath programs.
Many people have particularly appreciated the opportunity for in depth discussion following the presentations. This being particularly novel and new after the Sabbath sermon. The discussions have provided a way for people to share and to get to know other church members more closely than before. It is also becoming a regular thing to join meetings early to just have a catch-up chat!
Intercessory prayer after Sabbath worship has also become a regular part of Zoom, with requests made, noted and published in Chat, and each week answers shared and thanks given to God. Weekly lists are then published on Facebook, in messenger and emailed out, increasing our prayer warrior reach.
While children’s stories have often been videos sources from YouTube or occasionally from storytellers like Pr Daron Pratt and Pr Dave Edgren, some of our families and church members are now bravely embracing story telling online in various ways. For example, recently we all got to draw one of Daniel’s lions after being ‘scared’ in the lion’s den by lions Isaac and Heath during the videos telling of the story by mum Nerolie!
LONG-DISTANCE ZOOMING: We are pleased that not only our Ballarat church family and friends are joining with us, but also former members join us from different parts of Australia. We’ve connected with friends from Sydney, Canada and Brazil – invited by our members to join us. Recently a young Pakistani Christian man (who leads a Sunday-keeping group in Pakistan) has joined us as well.
RECONNECTION: Several people who haven’t been able to join us at church in recent years have also taken advantage to reconnect through the Zoom meetings. Our regulars continue to invite others to join us.
We give glory to God that our field of influence has opened up this way.
Zoom has played an integral role in helping the members stay connected
MARYBOROUGH CHURCH JOINS IN WORSHIP: It is to be noted that before Stage 3 regional restrictions came into force, our intern pastor Marius Jigau regularly brought the worship presentation to our Zoom screens from the Maryborough church where he also pastors. Being small in number they were able to ‘meet’ with us from their church and we love that we are able to come together this way.
ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL: Under the leadership of Sabbath school Leader Don McConnell, our Zoom Bible study time has also continued with discussions lead by a number of members across a range of age groups.
CHILDREN’S SABBATH SCHOOL AT HOME: During COVID-19 it has become the responsibility of parents to provide a Sabbath School program at home each week for their children. Though this has been a real challenge for some they have risen to it. To assist parents and families at home, our Children’s Ministry leader Sheri van Egmond has been coordinating the distribution of activities via a dedicated Children’s Ministry FaceBook group. Activities and program outlines are prepared weekly and provided by the leaders of each of the children’s Sabbath School divisions to families this way each Friday, ready for use next day. All are enjoying their activities. Mum and Sabbath School teacher, Nerolie Just, has been producing an engaging weekly video for the children in her division, which she uploads to the FaceBook group.
CHILDREN’S AFTERNOON ZOOM PROGRAM: Thanks to Children’s Ministry leaders Sheri van Egmond and Nerolie Just, children and families have been able to enjoy their own special action packed Zoom program each Sabbath afternoon. Children have enjoyed stories, songs, special activities and most of all seeing and talking to each other and their Sabbath School leaders during these programs.
A highlight of the children’s Zoom time has been exploring Bible stories. For the Good Samaritan story everyone was involved in a scavenger hunt to find costumes and props for the story. For the story of the boy sharing his lunch everyone at home had bread and had to tear it into as many pieces as possible. (Altogether they ended up with 1000 pieces!) For the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea everyone did an exciting science experiment. They had to put pencils through a bag of water, without leaking water out of the bag! Very tricky and somewhat stressful – fitting in with the overall a focus on how God can help us when we are stressed.
EVEN MORE ACTIVITIES: Children have learned to draw Cecil the sheep and had other stories from this favourite series of books. They have played Bible charades, having to guess what the other families were acting out. The children showed their acting talents in some great skits from Cain and Abel, Mary and Elizabeth, Balaam and his donkey, Elijah and the fire from heaven, Adam and Eve eating the fruit, just to name a few.
AND TIME FOR PARENTS: After each “formal” program has finished, parents have also appreciated the opportunity to talk with each other and to share news about how everyone is getting along in isolation.
PATHFINDERS AND ADVENTURERS: Since late July the first monthly Saturday evening Pathfinder meetings since COVID-19 restrictions have also resumed via Zoom, along with a mid-week meeting. Our Adventurers have also resumed their monthly meetings this way too. Facebook groups have also been established for the Pathfinders and Adventurers.
MAINLY MUSIC OUTREACH: Community families who have been part of our Mainly Music outreach for a number of years in Wendouree have been able to continue this wonderful program at home, thanks to videos produced by the Mainly Music providers. Our Ballarat leader, Nerolie Just, has been keeping in touch with each family making sure they receive their video each week – though our dedicated Mainly Music Facebook group.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION CONTINUES: During Covid food distribution services have continued, and even increased as need rises amongst community and church members. Elder Robyn Cunningham continues to pack and distribute the regular food parcels, sometimes from her home, and the Good Samaritan Centre’s weekly food distribution work continues from the Wendouree complex with a smaller team led by Carolyn and Rod Swanton. As well, Food Bank continues its monthly distribution of food to Ballarat’s needy from our complex there, attracting local media attention.
CHURCH LEADERSHIP TEAMS: Even during isolation, the pastors, elders, lead deacon and deaconess have been busy holding regular Zoom meetings to keep abreast of issues within the church family and planning for future events and getting back to normal again. The church board meets via zoom regularly too. Week of Prayer was delayed for us this year to see if we might be able to have some meet in the church if restrictions allow – Zooming out to others. Failing this, plans were set in motion for a full-Zoom series with a 24-hour prayer and fasting conclusion.
THE FUTURE: Ballarat Church leadership has been excited about the possibilities opened up to us during this time – despite the learning curves we’ve experienced. Going forward with the return to the church buildings there is much we will retain about the use of digital technologies like Zoom to keep our connections with church members and the wider community open and appealing. In what we have been able to achieve so far, we continue to and always will, praise God for his provision, guidance and enabling.
Sandra England
Church Clerk and Zoom Coordinator
Aleah with her home Sabbath School Rainbow promise chain, and Zachary and his mum Katie, having home Sabbath School in their tent.