Church Online: Best and Worst Moments

TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
edited March 2020 in Heaven
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.
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Comments

  • FatherInCharge has asked about the possibility of live streaming, presumably himself celebrating a solitary 'private' Mass.

    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... :grimace:
  • TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    Since I'm Seventh-day Adventist, we got our first online worship service over yesterday. Our pastor had plans to livestream, but his livesteaming wasn't working, so he ended up pre-recording a sermon that was just him sitting at his desk preaching, then uploaded it yesterday morning. It was fine, but definitely did not have the feel of a "worship service."

    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?
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    FatherInCharge has asked about the possibility of live streaming, presumably himself celebrating a solitary 'private' Mass.
    To vary things, I'm going to see if I can ask other members of my congregation to record readings/prayers on their phones and then send them to me. This all depends on my being able to "patch" them into my own pre-recorded video.
    Earlier today, I watched the C of E's online service led by ++Justin from Lambeth Palace Chapel, recorded earlier in the week.
    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.

  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    I watched Mass from St Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow at 10.00am. I was pleased that the sound was good, as there were no subtitles, and with my lack of good hearing I do find those useful. The cantor was great, and she sung Hail Queen of Heaven, which is one of my favourite hymns.
  • Our NF church has sent video links to various things, including one of our worship leaders singing, a sing and sign by a children’s leader, prayers, children’s study/memory verse and today’s sermon (we started James).
  • The equipment to do stream a mass on Facebook is not much. It is a smartphone and a tripod for it. I saw a really simple video that told you how but the simplest I can find at present is these instructions.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    My church had its first stream last week, so I showed my parents the recording when I got to their house. Neither one could hear well enough on the laptop, so I bought them headphones and a splitter.

    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?
  • Ha! I knew those cardboard cut-outs of people in the pews would come in handy one day...
    :grin:
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    LOL, Bishops Finger! :lol:
  • TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    I do see that there's a thread in Ecclesiantics for church workarounds during this time, which will doubtless have some overlap with this one, but I think it will be nice to keep this one open to discuss both the sublime and the ridiculous of church-streaming experiences, and probably if a discussion starts to move in the direction of a more technical "How to do it," we can direct that to the Eccles thread.

    (This is me host-posting on myself, since I started this thread and then realized there was a similar one on Eccles).
  • LolaLola Shipmate Posts: 43
    I've just watched the first streamed service from one of the churches in our Team Ministry. My thought is that next time I will pop it out to full screen at the start instead of half way through. I know I sometimes drift in a sermon but its a whole lot more disconcerting to realise you are thinking about the side ads for Pitch Perfect 2 Bloopers (such as is unfortunately my more regular You Tube diet).
  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    We had a zoom service which went well, except for the you tube song at the end. "Coffee time" when everyone unmuted and talked was a bit chaotic. It was good to be joined by our former rector, now based in Rome, and Raspberry Rabbit late of this SoF parish.
  • PigwidgeonPigwidgeon Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Our Zoom service went remarkably well (two clergy, acolyte, SATB quartet, piano -- all standing a distance from each other*). We had 64 individuals (or couples or households -- can't really tell) signed in. There were more people trying to watch it on Facebook, but that app wasn't working. It was Ante-Communion with sermon, a sung Psalm, Anthem, and a closing Hymn. (This is an Episcopal parish in the U.S.)

    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!


  • TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    Oh, that's quite a beautiful use of the chat feature. How nice.
  • tclunetclune Shipmate
    I had quite a different reaction. Out service was also on Zoom and the chat feature was enabled. It struck me as the virtual equivalent of passing notes throughout the service. I found it distracting.
    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.
  • tclune wrote: »
    I had quite a different reaction. Ourservice was also on Zoom and the chat feature was enabled. It struck me as the virtual equivalent of passing notes throughout the service. I found it distracting.
    Our chat feature (text only) was on briefly before the service (Mostly "I'm not hearing anything," followed by someone else responding "They haven't turned on the audio yet.") Then it was off throughout the service. During the closing hymn, while the participants walked out, it was again enabled. That's when we exchanged the Peace. It just made the experience more real, reminding us that no matter what the circumstances, we are a community.

  • @tclune, fwiw, whoever is in charge (computer-wise) of your Zoom meeting should the ability to mute everyone, or mute everyone except certain people.
  • We watched a friend preach livestream today, and it was much better than I expected. He's a strong singer and accompanied himself on his guitar. He had placed two or three people in well separated locations in the large sanctuary, so he had to keep his face moving towards them, and rarely at the camera. He never came across as a talking head, and gave the impression of speaking to a good crowd. It helped that we know him personally and could enjoy the feeling that he was speaking to us. He put a lot of work into preparing that sermon - it was good.
  • Our church lived streamed but I soon gave up watching. It was jerky and sound would stop and start and was very low. I am not sure if it was something on my end or theirs. I did the National Cathedral last week and it was fine so I am guessing it was on their end. I say their but it was just the lay minister and she had screen with hymns and notices as per usual behind her. I am supposed to do the sermon for next Sunday's service, we will see how it goes.
  • tclune wrote: »
    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.

    Would the singing be improved if you used songs designed to be sung as rounds ?
  • We don't have the kit or the people to live stream so Rev T is doing short prayers and videos which he shares on our FB page. We're going into church each Sunday to pray for all the congregation. It's a week in so it's too soon to say how this will work, but the church coffee has improved dramatically.
  • tclunetclune Shipmate
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    @tclune, fwiw, whoever is in charge (computer-wise) of your Zoom meeting should the ability to mute everyone, or mute everyone except certain people.

    Thanks, Nick. This is all new to us, so there's definitely a learning curve. I'll pass your point along. Again, thanks.
  • Father Ted did a mobile service on the back of a truck once. I suppose that's not livestreaing but it was pretty good for the 1990's.
  • EirenistEirenist Shipmate
    The Sunday Worsip on Radio 4 from Lambeth Palace was good, though the hymns, canticles and choral responses by 4 St Martin's Singers were, understandably, a bit bloodless though beautifully sung.
  • tclune wrote: »
    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.

    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.

  • Would the singing be improved if you used songs designed to be sung as rounds ?
    The delay is something like 0.75 seconds. That's rather a brief round, I fear.
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    This is how to do it (and don't ask me how they managed it): http://tiny.cc/97oslz
  • Simon Toad wrote: »
    Father Ted did a mobile service on the back of a truck once. I suppose that's not livestreaming but it was pretty good for the 1990's.

    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... :lol:

    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.

  • TrudyTrudy Heaven Host, 8th Day Host
    This is how to do it (and don't ask me how they managed it): http://tiny.cc/97oslz

    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.
  • Well, it's a very important part!

    I also like the end as the individual pictures switch out - reminds me of Haydn's "Farewell" symphony.
  • Just to say that my 1:1 Pilates session via Zoom went very well.
    :grin:

    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).
  • WandererWanderer Shipmate Posts: 47
    My evo C of E church which is well resourced in terms of money (we are in leafy Surrey) and people regularly live streams services anyway. But clearly even they had changes to make in the current circumstances : rather than two Sunday morning services there was one: vicar, associate minister and worship group all appropriately distanced and an off camera organist. This was a full service with two traditional hymns (for the "clientele" of the usual trad early service), worship songs (for the "contemporary" later service people), reading, prayers and sermon. They were all based on Corinthians 13 with a clear message of holding on to Faith, Hope and Love through these trials. It was all done well with no glitches but as I said, this is not too much of a culture change and they have the people available who can make it work, and work it did.
    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. :-)
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    I suspect that all you will be allowed next Sunday is the Vicar alone unless you can feed in other contributions from private houses. Certainly the Government has made it very clear that worship has to be a solo effort as far as the church building is concerned. And I think some Anglican dioceses have said the same. The Church in Wales has gone further: "All church buildings should therefore be closed until further notice ... Where worship is to be broadcast or recorded, it is preferable to do so from home. Clergy who live immediately adjacent to churches may do so from the church, but the doors should be locked and others should not be invited to be present".
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Total CofE close down here as well now (England).
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    What will happen to Monastic houses?

    Edited to add: I see Mirfield is still live streaming their offices.
  • This all brought back a memory from the old says of the Ship. How many remember (I cannot think what it was called) the website that was the cause of much discussion on the old Ecclesiantics board) a website which was just a 24/7 webcam aimed at a tabernacle holding the Reserved Sacrament?
  • Oh yes, the Munx of Perpetual Adoration! Miss them muchly. Have a look in the old Ship's Limbo. It ran for pages and pages.
  • I remember!

    Now and then, one of the Munx would nip in, and do something, but if you blinked, or sneezed, or yawned, you missed it...
  • Oh yes, the Munx of Perpetual Adoration! Miss them muchly. Have a look in the old Ship's Limbo. It ran for pages and pages.

    Thanks, Lamb Chopped. I did have a quick scan through the old Ship's Limbo but couldn't find it.
  • jay_emmjay_emm Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Tuesdays* uk government guidelines seemed to suggest that 'staff' could do some concerts, services, etc... The strict ban is on customers (and the list of open shops is still quite wide). Guidance is inconsistent with respect to businesses.

    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.
  • jay_emmjay_emm Shipmate
    The Ecclesiastes discussion has already picked this apart further, and beaten me to everything.

    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.
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Oh yes, the Munx of Perpetual Adoration! Miss them muchly. Have a look in the old Ship's Limbo. It ran for pages and pages.

    Thanks, Lamb Chopped. I did have a quick scan through the old Ship's Limbo but couldn't find it.

    Here you are! forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000623
  • GalilitGalilit Shipmate
    Those 2 Munx-es got adopted by a Bishop in Another Diocese (in the USA). IIRC ... they'll be laughing their heads off now! (When not actually Adorating of course)
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Oh yes, the Munx of Perpetual Adoration! Miss them muchly. Have a look in the old Ship's Limbo. It ran for pages and pages.

    Thanks, Lamb Chopped. I did have a quick scan through the old Ship's Limbo but couldn't find it.

    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.
    :smile:
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    I'm currently trying to work out a way of getting FatherInCharge to live stream a 'private' Mass (from his home!) in the same way that the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church is doing.

    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)!
    :fearful:

    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.
  • By the looks of yesterday's photo, Fr Duck is using his dining table. He has the nous to live-stream but doesn't want to.
  • That seems a pity, if the opportunity is there.
    :disappointed:

  • We conferred by Zoom yesterday about Easter week services and discussed an online Communion for Mandy Thursday (presbyterian style) which seems odd, but will perhaps work. It was supported enthusiastically, someone pointing out that nobody else needs to know what is in the glasses. Has anyone else done that? It seems to me that the community aspect is so very important, but at the moment, we have little or no choice.
  • We had the same discussion concerning Maundy Thursday and Easter at our (virtual via Zoom) Session meeting earlier this week. I have known of it being done, but haven’t directly experienced it.

    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.

  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    That seems a pity, if the opportunity is there.
    :disappointed:
    There are enough places of our persuasion doing such services properly I can see why he wouldn't necessarily want to.
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