Page 7 - Presbyterian Connection – Spring 2021

Connection
LEADERSHIP
Muskokans Embrace Unique Outdoor Space
presbyterian.ca
SPRING 2021
PRESBYTERIAN
7
A group of safely spaced worshippers.
The Rev. Glynis Faith delivered the blessing from the Beer Garden Stage in Torrance, Ont.
By the Communications Team,
Knox and Zion Presbyterian Churches in Muskoka, Ont.
When the Government of Ontario said congregations could gather in person again this summer, the con- gregations of Knox and Zion Presby- terian Churches in Muskoka Lakes, Ont., joined together in a way no one would have expected before 2020.
They worshipped in a beer garden.
It took just one phone call to Clear Lake Brewing Co. in Torrance to set a creative plan in action. The brewery
By the Rev. Drew Jacques,
St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ont.
A long time ago, in a land far, far away...a plug got pulled, a switch got thrown. We were shoved off the rails of the way we did things, tossed out of the “HMCS Predictable” into the storm of COVID-19.
It was sudden and there was no playbook.
Thankfully for St. David’s Presby- terian Church in Campbellville, Ont., the Rev. Reuben St. Louis—minister at our neighbour church, Nassagaw- eya PC—threw us a life preserver by showing us the way to go digital.
When it dawned on us that this
had built an outdoor stage, complete with plastic barriers, to allow for mu- sicians to entertain outside patrons in its newly established Beer Garden.
In the small villages of Torrance and Port Carling in Muskoka Lakes Township, home to the Muskoka Lakes ministries of The Presbyte- rian Church in Canada, there are few spaces—indoors or outdoors—that allow enough safe distance for a congregation, let alone two, to pray together. The Beer Garden, with its carefully spaced tables, fire pits and staging, along with few patrons on an early Sunday morning, provided the solution.
The first few services were held in September 2020. By Thanksgiving, there were over 40 people attend- ing church outside the brewery, with people joining in from other congre- gations. They came with blankets, parkas, hats and gloves, and sleep- ing bags, all because it was worth the effort to join together as a com- munity of worshippers to hear the Word of God spoken. Even as the days grew colder, services continued into November.
“What a joy to be allowed to sing, even in restricted form, and worship in person,” said Stan Hunter of Port Carling, who was one of a carefully spaced quartet that sang hymns on the stage for Thanksgiving. “It was an honour to be there with the Rev- erend Glynis Faith.” While the con-
gregation could not sing along, they did hum along, and expressed appre- ciation to hear their favourite hymns sung aloud.
Even the minister’s beagle, Skippy, came to church on those warm fall Sundays in Muskoka.
“Online worship services have been a blessing for keeping the church family connected, and our gathering together in nature brought joy to the hearts of God’s people,” said the Rev. Glynis Faith. “The man- agement of Clear Lake Brewing pro- vided us a place to connect in per- son, a gift for which we are grateful. Even if only for a few short months, the time we had encouraged us, and awakened our hope that, together, united in Christ, we will get through this.”
Innovation means something dif- ferent to everyone, and churches tending their flocks during a pandem- ic are learning to embrace innovation in different ways. In Muskoka Lakes, not one adherent questioned the idea to gather in a beer garden.
“I think you could say we were humble, happy and unlike the belov- ed hymn, we did not come to the gar- den alone,” said Norah Fountain, who for 60 years has attended church in Torrance. “Rather, we came together, as if one, to praise God in that beer garden, secure in the knowledge that an approving Lord was smiling down on us.”
A large beer garden allowed congregations of Muskoka Lakes to worship safely to- gether in fall 2020 for the first time since the pandemic hit.
Going Digital in Campbellville
was the best option to continue to gather and worship, questions arose: “What equipment do we need to pull this off?” and “How do we reformat the service to have a meaningful and relevant service digitally?”
We had an expert assess our tech- nical needs. For a mere $35,000, we could have a state-of-the-art studio to produce digital services.
That did not happen.
For nine months, we used an old laptop and an inexpensive camera and microphone to provide a time of worship online through Zoom. We learned to make do with a minimum of equipment. One of the lessons of COVID-19 is less is more.
In December, we were blessed with a bequest from the Wolfsi Estate that enabled us to buy a Macintosh desktop computer and a new laptop. They are all the tools we need.
As we got the hang of navigating this new terrain, a “Production Team” sprouted, with me leading online
worship in the sanctuary, Doug on the piano, and Brad and/or Staci at the Mac helm.
When we do return to worshipping in person, we will continue to pro- duce digital services with worship- pers present in the sanctuary. This is partly because of the “digital con- gregation” we’ve grown during this time. On any given Sunday, nearly a third of worshippers come from places miles away, including North- ern Ontario, Alberta and Florida; once somebody from Jerusalem joined us for a funeral service.
Over time, we’ve pared and pol- ished a time of worship that is com- fortable and familiar, yet new and in- spiring at the same time. The biggest struggle has been figuring out how to make “Children’s Time” work in an online setting. Back in “B.C.” (Before COVID-19), the young ones would come to the front of the sanctuary and we would essentially re-create, in a Christian manner, a version of Art
Linkletter’s Kids Say the Darndest Things. Without their living presence, it doesn’t work. We never considered playing cartoons or YouTube videos. The question was, “What can we do to enable their participation in wor- ship?”
Then, the light bulb moment ar- rived. We realized that young people have, or have access to, digital de- vices. They know how to work them, and they want to use their devices to be part of the worship. So instead of “Children’s Time,” we have “Young Wisdom,” where we give one young person a prayer, poem, story or “script,” which they record and send to the Production Team for inclusion in the service. It’s a win-win situa- tion. We get to see the young people in our congregation and they get to participate in worship. We’re mentor- ing storytellers!
Each week, the Pastoral Care Team mails a hard copy of the service to those of the congregation who do
not have digital access. The tran- sition has had its challenges, but we’re making it work. As Staci says: #whateverittakes.
Having gone digital, we’ll get rid of the photocopier and switch our Inter- net provider to save some money. If you need a hand, please get in touch.
Doug, Brad and Staci of the Production Team at St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ont.