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Hybrid Ministry

Whether it’s live streaming worships services or engaging with people on social media, digital tools have become a vital aspect of most congregations’ ministry, alongside in-person connection. Here you’ll find some resources to help you with your hybrid ministry.

Watch the Video: Technology and Worship Modalities – Where do you fit?

 

Hybrid ministry sustainability package

This package is an assessment tool for parishes who are on the hybrid ministry development path.

Volunteer consultants Cynthia Majewski, ODT and Tim Ralph, ODT created these assessment and planning tools for any parish looking to take the next step toward hybrid and/or online ministry.

Here are the five elements of the Healthy, Hybrid Church Assessment Tool:

  1. A Church Planning Tool: A healthy, hybrid Church
  2. Sustainability Package Instruction Guide
  3. 2×2 Matrix Exercise – A Hybrid Presence
  4. Worksheet A: Planning for Change
  5. Worksheet B: Identifying Resistance 

You can try them out and send any ideas or comments to Elizabeth McCaffrey at emccaffrey@toronto.anglican.ca. Elizabeth can also provide volunteer facilitators if you want to engage some outside neighbourly help.

Tech practitioners' forum

Tech practitioners in the Diocese have been gathering to learn from experts and from each other about how to use technology for God’s mission, in particular through live streaming. You can find video from these sessions below.

If you’re interested in joining with other church tech practitioners, we recommend investigating CHURCHx, a key resource hub of the Innovative Ministry Centre (IMC) at the Toronto United Church Council (TUCC). Many of its tech courses are free or offered on a by-donation-basis or at a very low cost.

Our Diocese works in collaboration with the IMC, and the national Anglican Church is a client partner of CHURCHx. You can learn more at churchx.ca

Shop Talk videos

 

Learn how to build resilient live streams and quickly troubleshoot stream problems:

 

 

The third Shop Talk session about using OBS to mix different live and pre-recorded video and audio sources was hosted on CHURCHx. Members of CHURCHx can access the session for free.

Planning & facilitation team

Cynthia Majewski, ODT

As diocesan volunteer, Cynthia participates on the Project Enabling and Monitoring Group (PEMG), Reach Grant panel and the Bishop’s Committee on Healing Ministries and is a facilitator for Cast the Net. In a 2021 contract with the Innovative Ministry Centre, she co-created with an advisory group an assessment tool and accompanying guide for evaluation of innovative ministry now in adaptation for Anglican grants. Her leadership background in health care has brought a passion for growth, change management and evaluation to her efforts with the Diocese. She is a member of St. Timothy, North Toronto.

 

Elizabeth McCaffrey

Elizabeth McCaffrey, Volunteer Resources Consultant, joined the Diocese 14 years ago, and is responsible for the Diocesan Volunteer Corps, after a life as a Foreign Service spouse lucky enough to be employed in Canadian missions in eight countries overseas. She has worked at Decima Research and Global Affairs HQ as a survey research analyst and consultant, has been an editor and speech writer and held many positions overseas with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, while volunteering as a Church School teacher, youth leader and superintendent, churchwarden, and Mum-in-the-pews, listening while her three now-grown kids sing in the choir. Covid catapulted Elizabeth and our volunteer coaches and facilitators into Zoom-land. Her role as Reach Grant staff liaison further pushed her into the techno-verse. She lives near the cathedral with her African Grey Parrot, Monty.

 

David Paradis, ODT

David Paradis, ODT is a diocesan tech volunteer. He has helped several parishes launch and enhance their online presence. He also provides advice on Reach Grant preparation. David has also been an audio/visual tech at St. Margaret of Scotland in Barrie. He led St. Margaret’s initial online presence in 2018, which evolved into a regular live streaming of worship and congregational connection during the pandemic. He has been a member of St. Margaret’s for the past 29 years.

 

Tim Ralph, ODT

Tim is a member of the diocesan Parish Selection Committee volunteer corps and a group facilitator. As a retired school principal, Tim’s last position with his school board was as the district’s Lead for Innovation and Innovative Learning. Specializing in the integration of technology and learning, Tim brings knowledge of how technology can enhance collaboration and learning while keeping social connectedness at the fore. Tim is currently a people’s churchwarden and leader of the digital vergers at All Saints, Whitby.

Online communication tips

Below are some resources with links and ideas for churches using social media and other online communication tools. They are updated periodically. Have a question about online communication? Contact Martha Holmen, communications consultant, at mholmen@toronto.anglican.ca.

Helpful links for hybrid ministry

Step-by-step guide to online and on-site services

Guide to online church, tech needs and best practices

Digital Labs blog

Advice for churches on design, photography, social media strategy and many more topics.

Creating and administering a church social media account

Best practices and advice on how to create accounts on various platforms.

Easy video editing tools for churches

A list of video editing software to suit every level of ability.

Hybrid Church for Winter 2024

A short piece to help parishes consider their digital ministries in preparation for winter and their budgeting for 2024.

Backgrounder on Using Technology for God's Mission

Background on the work of the Hybrid Ministry Working Group.