Church Online: Best and Worst Moments
I'm sure everyone has heard by now of the vicar who set himself on fire while making his first attempt at a livestreamed service (including what seems to most of us outside the UK like the most stereotypically English response imaginable: "Oh dear, I've just caught fire.")
Hopefully there won't be too many more self-immolations during self-isolation, but as churches all over the world are moving from in-person worship to recorded or livestreamed sermons and/or services, I thought it might be fun to start a thread to share some of the best and worst of what we've seen. This could include online worship done incredibly well, that we'd like to share with others because it's inspiring, or moments that are more like the poor vicar on fire -- mishaps and bloopers that did not go as planned. Or just a general report on what you're seeing done well, done poorly, or done ... oddly, in your own place of worship, if they have moved to the online experience.
Hopefully there won't be too many more self-immolations during self-isolation, but as churches all over the world are moving from in-person worship to recorded or livestreamed sermons and/or services, I thought it might be fun to start a thread to share some of the best and worst of what we've seen. This could include online worship done incredibly well, that we'd like to share with others because it's inspiring, or moments that are more like the poor vicar on fire -- mishaps and bloopers that did not go as planned. Or just a general report on what you're seeing done well, done poorly, or done ... oddly, in your own place of worship, if they have moved to the online experience.

Comments
We don't have the technology, but our neighbouring charismatic-evo church does. I've just watched part of their first live stream, and I have to say they've done it rather well.
I wondered how they would arrange it, and found that there was a cast of four (AFAIK - I didn't watch the whole hour's worth) - leader, and three members of the 'praise band', all spaced at least 2 metres apart.
I've advised FatherInCharge to speak with their tekkies...
Earlier today, I watched the C of E's online service led by ++Justin from Lambeth Palace Chapel, recorded earlier in the week. Again, an excellent job, with a thoughtful little homily, and the Gospel reading we at Our Place usually have on Mothering Sunday (Mary at the foot of the Cross).
I do miss being in 'real' church, though - and it's only Week 1...
Right now I'm watching the livestream from a local Anglican church where both the priests are friends of mine. They are doing it from the church and trying to have as full a service as possible, only without a congregation. The one thing that's making me laugh is a bottle of hand sanitizer on the altar. Before either one of them comes up to the pulpit to speak they stop at the altar, pump the hand sanitizer, and rub it on their hands in a way that looks very ceremonial. I wonder if many churches who are streaming services are making this part of the ritual?
Here is Wales we had a good service from St David's Cathedral, led by the Dean and interspersed by hymns recorded last year for "Songs of Praise". I hope that other denominations will be asked to lead future services.
This morning, I went over to their house to set it up. It worked well, except that the church was empty and echoey. Dad still couldn't understand. Maybe they need to fill the pews with pillows?
(This is me host-posting on myself, since I started this thread and then realized there was a similar one on Eccles).
The most moving moment for me was when the chat feature was enabled during the closing Hymn. One person posted "The peace of the Lord be with you," and many more of us responded appropriately. That's when my tears started.
*I was going to say they were spaced out but realized that didn't come out right!
OTOH, the ease of sharing during joys and concerns was liberating, and people shared for a good deal longer than our usual service, where the pastor runs around with a mic to allow people to be heard who wish to raise something up. The logistics of that is disruptive and, I think, makes people want to share less.
The singing was awful. In part, we didn't have our usual organ or piano -- just a guitar that was not always easy to hear. But mostly, people failed to mute their mics (despite being asked to do so), so the echo from the delay of singing coming back through other peoples' computers made the multiple echoes turn the singing into noise. Something like that happened with the responsive readings, too.
All in all, it was much better than no church and a welcome break from the isolation of sheltering in place. As they used to say (more or less) on American Bandstand, I'd give it a 75. It had a beat and you could worship to it.
Would the singing be improved if you used songs designed to be sung as rounds ?
Thanks, Nick. This is all new to us, so there's definitely a learning curve. I'll pass your point along. Again, thanks.
On zoom, the meeting host can mute people. Or mute everyone with one click. Everybody has to be muted for singing, reciting in unison, or anything of that nature. As you noticed, otherwise the delays kill you.
Wasn't that when Father Dougal was behind the wheel of a runaway milk float? The best thing they could think of to stop him was to say a Mass...
Re Zoom - I have my first 1:1 Pilates session (!) via Zoom tomorrow. I hope it works (I've got camera and mic ready, I think), but it occurs to me that we might be able to set up something at, and for, Our Place.
That was wonderful. I've seen some lovely videos of virtual choirs, but this was absolutely amazing. I think my favourite thing is the intense concentration of the man with the shaker egg.
I also like the end as the individual pictures switch out - reminds me of Haydn's "Farewell" symphony.
Now all I have to do is to work out how we might use Zoom at Our Place, given that Father is almost completely computer-illiterate, as he himself says.
He can manage emails, and sending Word documents, but that's about it (and I'm not much better, either).
Facebook's algorithms clearly know my yearning for higher church traditions so suggested for me a(A-C) Deanery in Denbighshire who are streaming a daily Eucharist from one of their churches (different one each day). I have been watching these daily :just the priest and a (mostly off camera) person to provide the responses. The service is in Welsh and English - I know no Welsh but it feels good to be part of the same worship. Today the responses were provided by a voice that sounded like a child (I wonder if it's the vicar's daughter? I thought). She also had the job of ringing the tinkly bell during the communion prayer (sorry, I so rarely encounter it in my usual church life that I've forgotten its name!) but clearly had the bell on her lap as it tinged in a couple of places that it shouldn't have done! But it all added to the sense of place and occasion and I felt communion with this father and daughter in their little country church praying for us all. As the service ended there was a brief shot of the child : yes a girl of about 11. :-)
Edited to add: I see Mirfield is still live streaming their offices.
Now and then, one of the Munx would nip in, and do something, but if you blinked, or sneezed, or yawned, you missed it...
Thanks, Lamb Chopped. I did have a quick scan through the old Ship's Limbo but couldn't find it.
The actual wording is "Places of worship should remain open for solitary prayer", which I think they might want to revise.
And "Live streaming of a service without audience [sic] would be permissible." [the concert equivelent stresses social distances]
What this means in practice, or will mean by Sunday, I don't like to guess.
[The CofW as stricter clearly is to be followed in CofW places.]
*As in linked by the BBC in this article and referring to the events of yesterdays announcement. Obviously that would depend on the situation, and may have been superceded.
I suppose from the point of view of the government a theoretical slight risk of a single transmission into isolation is acceptable (they won't get it perfect anyway, and it's the people involveds fault and problem), from the point of view of the bishops it's not. And actually ensuring that it is the suitably sized church with crazy preparations that does it and no one tries to follow the example would be challenging.
Here you are! forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000623
Thank you so much! I'll have to have a read-through later.
scotland.anglican.org/broadcast-sunday-worship/
FInC will need to (a) make space in his home for a temporary 'private chapel', and (b) learn how to use a borrowed smartphone.
(a) will be easy enough - I'm not so sure about (b)!
I'm not dissing FInC at all, at all, but he himself admits to being NOT computer-literate. Neither am I, but I'm hoping that our schoolmaster churchwarden may be able to help.
We had a mix of feelings and views. Some (like me) were uncomfortable with the idea—not because the Spirit cannot blow where it will, but because the physical aspects of community and the sharing from the same bread and cup are missing. Others felt like it would help reinforce the congregation’s communion/community when that is needed. One person expressed the sense that it is a witness that God is more powerful than COVID-19, that the pandemic doesn’t “win.”
Ultimately, the decision was to move forward with “virtual Communion,” leaving it to the minister (who will consult with others) to think through how to do it with the most integrity. There was agreement, I think, that it’s not ideal, and that under “normal” circumstances we wouldn’t consider it. But these are anything but normal circumstances. The services at which it is done will be streaming live, not recorded.
We also discussed a festive Eucharist on the first Sunday we’re able to gather again in person.