The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused ministry leaders to ask a lot of hard questions — including how to best continue operations, hold services and care for their members and community.
Now is the time for ministry to not only continue but also to thrive — and it all starts with having a plan in place.
To create your plan, it’s important for you to consider each ministry and think about where you would hold each function, if you would need to alter frequency or times for activities, what equipment you would need to rent and how much it would cost to use online platforms and equipment.
Each ministry will likely need its own unique plan, so make sure you have an extensive list of all of your ministries. Here is a list to help you get started:
After you make a list, it’s time to make the plans. The following grid can be used as a planning aid to make sure each ministry is appropriately addressed — because your contingency plans for Sunday morning services will be different than your plans for small group activities.
Example:
| Ministry | Sunday Morning Services |
|---|---|
| Time | One service at 10 a.m. every week until building can be opened again |
| Location | Filmed in the sanctuary and broadcasted to members on YouTube |
| Equipment Needs | Filming camera, microphones and speakers |
| People Needs | Audio team member, teaching pastor and worship leader |
| Estimated Costs | Microphone and speaker rental, $100/Sunday |
| Communication (for congregation and public) | Post on website from YouTube. Email congregation to let them know of the new time for online Sunday service. |
| Ministry Lead (who will take ownership of this initiative) | Lead Pastor |
Ready to get started on your ministry continuation plan? We’ve created this template for you to use:
| Ministry | |
|---|---|
| Time | |
| Location | |
| Equipment Needs | |
| People Needs | |
| Estimated Costs | |
| Communication (for congregation and public) | |
| Ministry Lead (who will take ownership of this initiative) |
For more resources from GuideStone Property and Casualty® regarding COVID-19, click here.
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