There has been a handful number of mighty churches announcing they might resist government lockdown restrictions formulated to restrain the spread of the pandemic. After being forced to not hold face-to-face gatherings last year, the priests and the ministers of certain churches worldwide have gradually started to draw up the reopening plan. Nonetheless, they explicitly know that their coming decisions are going to significantly influence the future of the churches and guide the churches to appropriately seamlessly connect and interact with their members and they have to devise the plan cautiously and wisely. Hereby, we listed the following strategies to inform the spiritual leaders for their 2021 plans.
1. Take the Realtime Data and Feedbacks for Reference
Undeniably, a well-thought-out comprehensive reopening plan won't come out within a couple of days. It's critical to check both the qualitative and quantitative data like the number of existing cases and hospitalizations in the local community, the feedbacks from churchgoers and their family members, as well as the policies of other churches and cathedrals as a benchmark. Only when most of the individuals are willing and comfortable to stay in a hall with an enormous amount of other people, can the reopening scheme be implemented and proceeded smoothly. During the running of the survey, planners are apt to encounter some issues they've never imagined before. Valuable thoughts and advice they received from the interviewees might compel the decision-makers to reconsider and re-evaluate their policies they are about to promulgate and make adjustments accordingly.
2. Take Fully Advantage of Every Type of Technology the Church Already Own
After being closed for over a year, the religious leader has enough time to project the future. In 2020, tons of gatherings were canceled and hosed online instead. There are loads of techniques out there including the live-streaming platforms, one-to-one free dial-in event service, group emails, and immersive virtual worships online that empowered the churches to engage with their congregation over the past year. This year, even if the cases of Covid-19 plunged to a fairly limited number, the church staff could also consider how to integrate all types of cutting-edge technology with current church events and religious services in the long run. The integration of the aforementioned techniques will facilitate the daily operations of the chapel with a shorter wait.
3. Raise Funds and Resources
Since a multitude of churches has experienced tremendous changes amid the Covid-19 crisis, it's about time for churches to reevaluate and reallocate their resources and investments. Some may even have to resolve the capital shortage. Various methods such as corporate sponsor recruitment, crowdfunding, and collaborations with other institutes and organizations are all feasible means to raise funds. Additionally, considering there will be the church family members recovering from the loss of relatives, previous jobs, and fixed salaries, the financial status of the churches may fluctuate and be in a severe situation. Faith leaders also need to prepare enough extra budget to cope with certain unexpected emergencies or unforeseen crisis even if they successfully invite the flock back.
