25th March 2020: Special Covid-19 Update
It is a unique time that we live and minister in. Please be assured of our prayers as you seek to plan your evolving response to this season of challenge. This additional UCAN news update comes out as part of our response to supporting the church during Covid-19, but please remember that we are available on the UCAN members' forum and contactable via info@churchadministrators.net and 0300 302 1887 throughout.
As a central UCAN team, please can we urge you that:
The planning for all responses and activity should start and end with prayer. Let's keep taking this situation to God who is always bigger than the challenges we face, continually sovereign and endlessly loving.
The church's response must be in line with the UK government's guidance. Please keep abreast of all changes to guidance as delivered on an almost daily basis.
For those who have denominational affiliation you can keep up-to-date with practical guidance and support from the following links. This guidance is of course available to all.
Some further detail on the practical implications of the Prime Minister's broadcast on 23rd March can be found at this government link. This includes the following brief reference to 'Places of Worship': Funerals following the social distancing guidance; places of worship should remain open for solitary prayer. Live streaming of a service without audience would be permissible.'
Below is some additional information that you may find helpful in the coming days and months:
UCAN
In line with government guidance all UCAN events are currently postponed and will be rescheduled when sensible to do so. All individual participants booked on to courses and events will be contacted directly. Delegates from our 'Managing Church Well' course will be provided with the opportunity to touch base via video conference for a catch-up, support and to look at additional learning material together. A further email will come out in relation to this.
UCAN local groups should not be meeting face-to-face, however we strongly encourage these valuable communities to be active via email, phone and video conferencing. If you need advice in relation to meeting via video, please get in touch via info@churchadministrators.net
The UCAN online member's forum (hosted on facebook) is the place to be. It is busier than ever, providing lots of support about adhering to government guidance, online streaming and working from home. Thank you to all our wonderful contributors sharing their wisdom and experience.
Making good use of the time
Across the country our individual and personal circumstances have been thrown into turmoil and uncertainty. There are very real pressures and concerns now being experienced as part of everyday life. You alone will be aware of your capacity and restrictions in this present situation. In amongst the uncertainty, the crisis management and the need for home schooling, social distancing and increased pastoral care:
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Let's be those who draw closer to God and abide with Him in amongst the enforced solitude.
Let's also be active and consistent in our communication with our church membership, facilitating a new way to be 'scattered church'. (See below and on the forum for suggestions).
Also, as time and capacity allows, could you do something each week which is not virus related? You may find this beneficial to your motivation and emotional health. Perhaps something which will move you towards longer term goals and greater Kingdom impact? Maybe there has been an area of application from recent UCAN training that you haven't yet found time to implement. It may be auditing and planning your communications, praying into strategy, optimising workflows to build community or seeking to implement a better weekly working pattern for balance and wellbeing. No matter what the cause of the enforced solitude, does working from home provide an opportunity for something new? Perhaps you have a small amount of additional time resulting from the decrease in church services and activities. Can you turn part of this circumstance into a positive for development and Kingdom advancement? If helpful, a reminder, that the Resource Pack (presentations and recordings) from the recent Cutting Edge 2020 day conference 'Clearing the Channels' is available online for free to attendees (via email link) and for purchase from the UCAN shop churchadministrators.net/shop, discounted for UCAN members.
You of course, may just need to prioritise keeping your head above water, as you balance being an Administrator and School teacher in a less than ideal environment, with a lack of resource. Whatever your circumstance, please be encouraged and…
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Practical support and guidance:
If the outbreak of Covid-19 is causing you lots of practical challenges in relation to administration and you're confused as to where to start, please make use of the UCAN forum or email info@churchadministrators.net for guidance and support. Some areas for consideration are listed below and we are happy to advise on all of the following:
Cloud computing and online systems
Online collaboration via systems such as Office 365 and Google suite
VOIP phone systems to provide a portable point of contact (public number) now your church phone line resides in a closed building
Regular communications via Church Management Systems, Mailchimp and social media platforms to build community and release updates
Video conferencing for meetings and small groups using Zoom or MS Teams
Online streaming and Social Media presence
Streaming content via youtube, facebook or other platforms. Have you considered promoting other live streams if you can't provide one yourself.
Sharing a video'd sermon or 'thought for the day' which can filmed and uploaded from any smartphone or tablet.
Connecting your church membership with daily devotional apps such as Lectio365 or BIOY or looking at lent resources from denominational sources.
Promoting the use of WhatsApp, Facebook Groups, regular emails, video updates and web site posts for information exchange, encouragement and community news.
Financial risk management
Are you heavily dependent on Sunday service offerings. Could you look to move this giving to a monthly standing order or to implement or promote online giving solutions such as GIVT, Stewardship (give.net) or functionality offered by your church management system.
You may need to reduce expenditure. Does your finance team need to meet via video conference to consider your options? How up-to-date are your yearly figures and reporting? If you feel you may need to reduce your staffing expenditure, please look into the Coronavirus job retention scheme. This is applicable for charities. Through the scheme you can furlough workers who now have no work to complete and who may be unaffordable given the circumstances. An example of this may be a caretaker or cleaner, whose sole work responsibility relate to a building which is now closed? 80% of average earnings, up to £2,500 a month per furloughed worker, can be reclaimed. Find out details here.
With our prayers, encouragement and support for such a time as this….
Andy, Julian, Jules, Penny and Joyce
UCAN Board of Directors