If you’re a regular attender at Servants, you’ll probably have noticed at some point over the last year, the presence of an iPhone on a tripod planted somewhere in the sanctuary. You may have also noticed the woman near the tripod with her face glued to her phone for most of the service, and you may have even asked yourself how she can be so rude. It’s a legitimate question. It’s pretty rude. But is serves a purpose and it’s that purpose I want to share with you.

 

There are three reasons we stream our services live. There are probably more, but these three sum it up nicely. We stream to comfort the body of Christ, to offer those who might never step in our building the experience of a liturgical service, and to be an inviting and wholesome presence on Facebook.

 

Our live stream began at the request of Fr. Michael who knew he would be spending significant time away from Servants due to health issues. He couldn’t be present with us without putting his health in danger, so he stayed at home and joined us on Facebook. Just this past Sunday, a woman who was ill and unable to attend her own church in North Carolina joined us. She asked for (and received) prayer. I know of many others who take advantage of gathering virtually because of business trips, vacations, and a handful of other reasons. We want people to be with us in person, but when life keeps them away, we want to offer them the comfort of being close to the body of Christ.

 

As Anglicans, we value the liturgy that has been given to us and we want to share it with others. Liturgy allows us to learn Scripture and theological truths by heart, orienting us to Christ in a world that easily tempts us away from Him. But liturgy can be uncomfortable to a first-timer, so having a way to glimpse our life together without feeling insecure is a benefit. Even if they ultimately decide to go elsewhere, hopefully what they’ve seen in our service – Christ-centered worship – will stick with them.

 

Throughout the service, I keep a close eye on what’s happening on the live stream. I’m greeting people who join, I’m letting them know what Scriptures are being read, and I tell them they can ask for prayer publicly or confidentially. I’m moving the camera to keep the “action” in the frame; I’m answering questions, reacting to comments, troubleshooting connections, and generally being present for those who join us. It’s made a difference. We’re averaging about 4 people weekly who watch the entire service as it’s happening, up from 1 person about a year ago. We want our live presence on Facebook to be inviting and life-giving. When a significant number of the things people scroll past are bad news and tactless opinions, our service can be an oasis in a desert. I’m striving weekly to make it so.

 

You’ve heard the reasons we do this, so now I should probably say a word about why I sit where I sit, since I’m rudely on my phone the whole service in view of just about everyone. The short answer is that closer is better. We’re using a phone, which means the further away we are from the action, the harder it is to feel immersed at home. When we’re closer, we’re less likely to be streaming someone’s backside – and anyone can agree that’s a good thing. When we have a space we can call our own and better equipment, the camera won’t have to be so close to the front, but until then we make do.

 

Finally, social media is a part of our culture and is now a vital part of our life together at Servants. It’s a free and easy way to show the world that our community is vibrant and caring. Anytime you’re with someone from Servants and you post to social media, consider using #ServantLifeGNV as a way to share our life together with others. This is the official Servants hashtag and almost all our posts will use it going forward so anyone can see with one click what we’re about. It doesn’t have to be an official Servants event to get the hashtag – our life together is about so much more than what goes on in the church building each week.

 

If you have any questions or concerns about hashtags, social media, live streaming, or anything related to communications, I’d love to talk to you. Contact me at nikki@servantsanglican.org.