a COVID silver lining

Ok, let’s be honest. Finding a new church can be an intimidating process! At least for me, it takes a bit of courage to put on my Sunday best and walk through the doors of a church I have never been to before.

In a year unlike anything we have ever seen, we all have had to change the way we do things; including churches. To keep their congregations connected, Churches were forced to either create or beef up their online presence. Could it be that COVID has created a great opportunity to check out new churches?

The barrier to testing out a new church couldn’t be lower. Start by outlining the items that are important to you when identifying a new church. For me, I look for a place that welcomes everyone. I can generally find this info under an “About” or “What we believe” section of the church’s website. I also look for an established youth program because it is important that our future kiddos are involved at the church. Then I start doing research online, it’s that easy! So many churches have increased their online presence over the years so it’s super simple to get a feel for a church before you even step through the door.

Of course, the pastor and the community of the church are perhaps the most crucial pieces of finding a new place to worship, and COVID has broken down that barrier as well! Since March of last year churches in our area moved to online worship. My husband and I made a list of churches we were interested in and chose a different church to virtually attend for a few Sundays so we could get a feel for the pastor and the community. After trying out a few different churches, we found a great option where we connected with the pastor and it checked off our biggest needs in a church.

So, if you have been searching for a new church, take an hour next Sunday to attend an online worship! It’s a simple step that can be a great way to start establishing your faith journey!