Covid-19 Resources for Churches (2020)

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Topic from Summer 2020: Safe assemblies when restrictions ease

• EFC June webinars
  • Reopening Churches 2, June 30, 2020
  • Reopening Churches, June 4, 2020
• Summaries of provincial guidelines for churches by
  • Canadian Council of Christian Charities
  • The Gospel Coalition Canada
• French-language guidelines from
  • Réseau évangélique du Québec / Union d’églises baptistes francophones du Canada (June 2020)
  • Centre canadien d'œcuménisme / Table interreligieuse de concertation (June 2020)
• Peaceful assembly, large gatherings and the local church, a post by EFC President Bruce Clemenger considers complaints that pandemic restrictions infringed on religious freedom (June 22, 2020)
• Back to the Future: An Insurance Perspective on Covid-19 Church Re-Openings, by Ken Hall of Robertson Hall Insurance (June 19, 2020)
• The Humanitarian Disaster Institute (Wheaton College) and the National Association of Evangelicals USA have a site: www.reopeningthechurch.com. Among their recent resources are
  • Deciding When & How You Should Return to Church — a manual to help individuals and families discern when and how to safely return to in-person church services
  • Should I Be Attending Worship Services at My Church? — a decision tool for individuals to assess the risk of COVID-19
  • Reopening Our Church for In-Person Services — a decision tool for churches to help leaders make informed decisions about when and how to reopen for in-person services
  • Checklist for Church Members Returning to In-Person Services — a series of steps to consider taking on the actual day you plan to return to an in-person church service 
• Christian Reformed Church advice, June 3, 2020
• News June 3, 2020: it may be a year or longer before churches in Canada can begin welcoming large numbers of worshippers, says Dr. Robert Strang, a member of the country’s Special Advisory Committee on COVID-19
• Just Because the Economy is Reopening Doesn't Mean Churches Should, HDI article reprinted by TheBanner.org
• Eight questions your church needs to ask about reopening, from Sojourners
• Justrecoveryforall.ca, supported by a variety of groups including some Christian ones
• Canadian Council of Christian Charities members also have access to a special COVID-19 Response Room in the organization’s online community, The Green

From government and health authorities

• For provincial limits to gathering sizes and distancing regulations that apply to churches, see the Canadian Council of Christian Charities blog
• Federal government wage subsidies of up to 75% available to registered charities
• Health Canada: Homepage on the pandemic including printable resources
• Health Canada: Community-based measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
• Health Canada: Risk-informed decision making for mass gatherings during the global outbreak
• Centers for Disease Control (USA): Guidelines for faith-based orgs
• World Health Organization: Guidance for schools, workplaces and organizations
• World Health Organization: Advice for the public (videos).

EFC resources

• Peaceful assembly, large gatherings and the local church, a post by EFC President Bruce Clemenger considering complaints that pandemic restrictions infringed on religious freedom (June 22, 2020)
• EFC June webinars
  • Re-Opening Churches 2, June 30, 2020
  • ReOpening Churches, June 4, 2020
• Youth Ministry in COVID-19: What does youth ministry look like during COVID-19? Sid Koop helps us tackle the big questions of doing things very different in this strange time (May 19)
• Feeling a little "off" at home these days? Stephen Doucet Campbell, a psychotherapist with Shalem Mental Health Network, offers us comfort, tips and hope in this COVID-19 interview (May 7)
• Cool Things Amid a Pandemic. We speak with Travis Blackmore of Lionhearts and Tim Huff of Youth Unlimited about how they pivoted and responded creatively to COVID-19 in their communities (April 28)
• Pandemic Pastor: An Interview with David Wells. David Wells, general superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, offers some deep encouragement about the great good that can happen during this time, while acknowledging the lament of this COVID-19 situation (April 24)
• Being Church and Neighbour During COVID-19: Crowdsourcing Great Ideas, webinar recorded March 30. Audience ideas and tips on how you have been church and neighbour during this challenging time. Co-hosted by Faith Today editors Karen Stiller and Bill Fledderus.
• Hope in Crisis, a series from Brian Stiller, global ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance, is available as videos (April 14, May 12, May 22, May 25, May 26, May 27) or as audio podcast episodes (April 14, May 12, May 22, May 25, May 26, May 27)
• Being Church and Neighbour in the Pandemic: An interview with Preston Pouteaux, of Lake Ridge Community Church in Chestermere, Alta., on The EFC Podcast
• Canadian Churches and COVID-19: Three Churches Respond. This EFC Podcast features Paul Ranson of St. John the Evangelist in Fredericton, Kent Priebe of Centre Street Church, Calgary, and Kerry Kronberg of Sunnyside Wesleyan in Ottawa
• Support for churches during the pandemic. An April 7 letter in which the EFC extends heartfelt thanks to the federal government for the support extended to charitable and non-profit organizations in the new Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy
• Tips for Small Church Pastors During the Pandemic, Based on EFC Research, by EFC research assistant Lindsay Callaway
• Peace in the Pandemic (March 24 podcast) Registered therapist Sharon Ramsay offers tips on mental and spiritual health in a challenging time
• Global Day of Prayer and Fasting (COVID-19). Read a post-event update from March 31 by EFC President Bruce J. Clemenger. Materials in French, English and Spanish from this event, convened by the EFC and the World Evangelical Alliance, are still useful for Canadians and churches reponsding to the COVID-19 pandemic
• COVID-19 Is Impacting Church Life (March 11 podcast) Features Dr. Ted Fenske (physician and professor in Edmonton), Robert Du Broy (director of communications of the R.C. Archdiocese of Ottawa) and Merle Doherty (Rapid Response Team manager for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada). All three speak about how to protect ourselves, our churches and still love our neighbours as ourselves during a time of alarm.
• FaithToday.ca posted notes from brainstorming online conversation March 18 on Mobilizing Our Churches Amidst COVID-19, hosted by Jesus Collective
• Two relevant older articles from Faith Today: The Pandemic Challenge (2009, with links updated in 2020) and Are Churches Ready for the Next Pandemic? (2006).

Other collections of Christian resources

• COVID-19 related Youth Ministry Resources, from the Canadian Youth Network
• COVID-19 Church Resources from Tearfund Canada, including a theological response, devotional, prayer points and a new booklet for pastors and ministry leaders called Church Guide: Psychosocial Support during a Crisis
• Children's Ministry During COVID-19, from the Christian Reformed Church in North America
• Presbyterian Church in Canada resources on COVID-19
• Resources for your Church during COVID-19 from the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec
• Children's Ministry Basics, a blog by Dr. Lawson Murray of Scripture Union Canada
• COVID-19 Crisis: Resources for the Canadian Church, from Waybase
• Coronavirus response and resources from the National Association of Evangelicals (USA), including links to resources from member groups and friends
• From the World Evangelical Alliance
  • Resources for church leaders
  • For health and development professionals
  • For business leaders
  • For children and families
  • Resources from evangelical alliances in other nations
• Leadership in the Time of COVID resources from Arrow Leadership
• Resources from Focus on the Family on family devotions, parenting, kids and marriage
• Responding to the COVID-19 Challenge – Resources from One Way Ministries, Ottawa
• COVID-19: How to Respond as the Church, from the Quebec district of the Christian & Missionary Alliance
• Resource collections from Citizens for Public Justice, including (1) community-based resources in Canada helping most vulnerable groups gain have access to food, healthcare, housing, and other necessities and (2) an inventory of spiritual resources compiled by The Canadian Poverty Institute that can help people struggling to maintain faith and hope
• Wheaton College resource page to help churches better prepare for responding to the coronavirus. From the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, a major evangelical school in Illinois. Regularly updated with essential tools, resources and information.
• coronavirusandthechurch.com by Rick Warren and Billy Graham Centre
• COVID-19 resource hub from The Wesleyan Church, including a special section on Church Multiplication and Discipleship
• Mennonite Church Canada outbreak resources
• COVID-19 and Worship: Resources for Churches Adapting to Social Isolation, from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
• Leading with Hope, resources from the Lausanne Movement
• Resources to help us cope during a pandemic, from Shalem Mental Health Network
• Auxano is a ministry with headquarters in Texas that supports church growth, leadership development, discipleship, etc. It offered a series of free weekly webinars in April to address a variety of questions local churches face. auxano.com/betterfuture
• The UnStuck Group is another American church consulting ministry. It offers webinars and viewable recordings of past coronavirus-related webinars (such as Re-imagining Easter Gatherings) at theunstuckgroup.com/coronavirus
• Crisis Toolkit for Churches from Church Pulse Weekly, a joint effort of David Kinnaman of the Barna Group and Carey Nieuwhof
• Various resources from the United Church of Canada
• Navigating Turbulent Times: COVID-19 Help for Christian Businesses. Workshop series from DeliberateU (Guelph, Ont.).

Individual resources for Christians and records of past events

• Guidelines on re-opening churches: United Church of Canada
• Discipling People Online, recorded webinar March 19 from Discipleship.org (Best practices for online services. How to use Facebook “watch parties.” How to facilitate weekly online small groups. Best small group practices for using Zoom and Google Hangout. Key insights for meaningful digital discipleship.)
• Meditation and self-care during COVID-19: What to do when feeling, afraid, overwhelmed, anxious, or panicked (because of the virus), by Hilary McBride of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
• A group of churches in Vancouver set aside Wednesdays each week as days of prayer and fasting, according to a report from ChurchforVancouver.ca
• Pray Nova Scotia called for Thursdays to be a day of prayer and fasting during this crisis
• COVID-19 Prayer Hub from 24-7 Prayer Canada
• Webinar on churches’ ministry online, recorded April 29 by the World Council of Churches in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, Global Christian Forum, World Association for Christian Communication and European Christian Internet Conference
• The Vigil, 24/7 prayer for Quebec, April 19-May 3
• Unite Online event from the Jesus Collective, May 7-8. A "moment of spiritual renewal, formation, soul care, and listening to what God is saying to us, discerning together what it means to be 'Jesus-centred' amidst a crisis, equipping conversations and encouragement for the real-time opportunities and challenges defining this season, learning from leaders around the world about the impact of the pandemic and the global church's response, praying for one another, our churches, and our communities, uniting together to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus"
• Ministry from a Distance webinar, recorded March 26, "designed to give you practical steps for doing ministry at a time when you can’t meet face to face." Hosted by Indigitous.
• AM I SAFE? Exploring Fear and Anxiety with Children by Tim Huff at compassionseries.com/amisafe (Youth Unlimited’s Compassion Series, in partnership with Castle Quay Books)
• Online interactive conversation recorded March 18 on Mobilizing Our Churches Amidst COVID-19, hosted by Jesus Collective. Notes from event and links to audiorecording are posted at FaithToday.ca.
• COVID-19 Church Survey Summary Report: How Church Leaders are Responding to the Challenges of COVID-19, recorded March 27 by Ed Stetzer of Wheaton College and Daniel Yang of the Billy Graham Center’s Send Institute in partnership with Exponential and other organizations
• From March 26 & 27, 2020: Two-day digital summit to learn from leaders around the world about how your church can respond well to the coronavirus outbreak. Hosted by the National Association of Evangelicals (USA) and the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College: www.covid19churchsummit.com
• From March 28: Virtual Solemn Assembly organized by TheCRY Movement in Canada
• From March 28 to April 4: COVID Hackathon hosted by FaithTech. “We will build technological solutions to the problems local churches across the world are now facing. And you can be a part of it. Sign up to join a virtual team. Or link up with some friends and form a team.”
• BridgesOfLove.net is the home of an Alberta charity encouraging church pandemic preparedness resources
  • Page 1 includes a 70-page discussion paper on church pandemic preparedness (2007)
  • Page 2 includes a helpful set of resource links.

Tech advice and training

• COVID-19: Digital tools for discipleship in the local church. By Craig Philbrick
• How to use Zoom with your small group. 4-min video from Saddleback church
• Indigitous blog tackles topics such as How to stream a church service, Doing evangelism at a distance, etc.

Statements, advice and news for Christians

• Hope, Gratitude and Solidarity is a March 30 ecumenical and interfaith message signed by more than 80 religious leaders across Canada, including the EFC and many of our affiliates
• Canadian Council of Churches call for compassion and community in response to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak
• Canadian Council of Christian Charities on informing and preparing your organization
• Christian Century article on 10 guidelines for pastoral care during the coronavirus outbreak
• Anglican Journal parish nurses' advice for congregations
• Global Family and the Coronavirus online article by Sadiri "Joy" Tira for Christianity Today. Author is a Canadian diaspora church expert
• A Christian Response and Witness in the time of COVID-19. Annette Brownlee of Wycliffe College, Toronto, says Christians must refuse to let fear turn us inward, away from our suffering neighbours
• Responding to COVID-19 Coronavirus and the Church, 7-min video message from The Meeting House
• ChurchForVancouver summary of British Columbia church involvement in the early responses to the coronavirus outbreak
• Lutheran Church-Canada statement on public worship and the Coronavirus

Please email or phone us to suggest additional resources we should share on this page.