TheMetropolitan New York Synod Council (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) MNYS-ELCA) announces changes they plan to make as New Yorkers move forward from COVID.
The new plan implements three phases: giving more opportunities to BIPOC synod leaders in urban areas and financing Black interns in urban areas to ensure they can experience ministry and incorporating technology for the purpose of live streaming and hosting an event.
Rev. Jeanine Owens, Pastor at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in the Bronx and member of the Executive Committee of Lutheran Church, told the AmNews that the purpose of the new strategy has been in the works and is now taking effect because the pandemic revealed various issues that the church needed to address.
“COVID is certainly the catalyst. The pandemic highlighted many gaps in the system, and as a result, we’ve been able to acknowledge that we have to reinvest in our communities that were hit hardest by the pandemic,” said Owens. “The shutdowns led to a great deal of isolation, and fear, for our most vulnerable community members, so by expanding our church online, the hope is to be able to reach back out to those who stopped coming and show them there is, and always will be, a place for them at church.”
The Lutheran Church set up live streams on social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to bring the church to those who have difficulties with accessing. The church is attempting to bring back some of its followers it lost along with some new followers that may be ill or find themselves confined to their homes.
Owens said, “The equipment gives us the ability to live-stream to various social media platforms and has been extremely helpful by enabling us to host congregation meetings and other ministry offerings, in order that those in our communities who are sick or shut in can still engage in virtual fellowship. Ultimately, through this technology, we’re trying to bridge the gap in communications to strengthen our faith.”
Owens adds that the live streams are a way to bridge the gap between youth and the church. She thinks that intergenerational outreach and creating a connection with youth is just as important as using this technology to bring back some of the church’s former members.
Youth working as interns will be tasked with spreading the word in neighborhoods that no longer show much connection to the church.
“Interns will have to be placed where the need is greatest and in communities that are in most need of being reached online,” Owens said. “God is still with us, and among us. God lives inside us. We want people to continue to have hope for the future and not feel isolated because some people may have personal or health reasons making them have to stay home. It’s our job to reassure them they can still be fed by the gospel and participate in their church, whether that is through an online chat, or watching a service; we want to help to give people an active voice again.”