outreach&communication2021

In previous years we spoke about the many elements that make up the ELCG-ESC communications platform (website, podcast, weekly email newsletter, Sunday bulletin, specific email announcements, neighbourhood group communications, published articles, Facebook). Last year we were also able to report on the first two months of on-line Zoom and streaming activity—who would ever have predicted that now, a year later, we would have streamed 70 worship services and have moved even our coffee hour and Centering Prayer on- line!

Last year’s report is available on-line, as are two technical streaming updates with predictions as to how we might transition carefully back to in-person worship in the sanctuary. To avoid repeats and multiple links here, these reports can be found (here on this post).

[Note: The article feature is a communications vehicle available to all members and has—at least for the moment—replaced the Geneva Lutheran newsletter. Simply submit your article (text and photos, videos or links) to webmaster@genevalutheran.ch]

Hybrid worship

Experiments last summer were halted when the next Covid wave came along; now, hopefully, we enter a situation which permits a careful return to in- person worship. The plan is to move from 100% streaming to streaming with a small (20-30) physical presence, and then as soon as possible to build up to a strong physical return—at which time we would continue to stream, but as a secondary option for those who cannot, or who do not wish to, immediately return in person.

Such a “hybrid” transition means a physical shift of the technical equipment away from the main seating area of the sanctuary, turning on the sanctuary loudspeakers again (seems strange that they have been “off” for a year now!) and perhaps making small sequence changes to the worship itself to ensure both physical and on-line engagement can be fully optimised.

Technically we are ready for each of these phases.

Let us look forward to being back together as soon as possible.