1001 to host Zoom conversation Thursday on how to stream worship services

Podcast host, producer Marthame Sanders will share how to adapt worship for streaming

by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service

The Rev. Marthame Sanders will host a Zoom meeting at noon Eastern Time Thursday on using technology to stream worship services. (Contributed photo)

LOUISVILLE — 1001 New Worshiping Communities will host a Zoom webinar at noon Eastern Time Thursday how to best utilize streaming technology for worship in the face of the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19).  Click here on Thursday, March 19, to join the meeting.

New worshiping community leader the Rev. Marthame Sanders, who produces the 1001 podcast “New Way,” will host the conversation, sharing his wisdom on adapting worship for streaming platforms.

“Whether live-streaming worship services,  or adapting them for this critical moment, we wanted to share what we are learning on the edges as we experiment on how to do church for the 21^st century,” said the Rev. Nikki Collins.

Collins, the coordinator of the PC(USA)’s 1001 New Worshiping Community movement, said the ministry she leads wants to make this conversation available to as many as possible in the larger church — and not just to NWC leaders.

Sanders, an Atlanta-based artist and pastor, also hosts the weekly podcast “Aijcast,” which was featured in this 1001 new worshiping communities video. During the Thursday event, he plans to offer best platform practices for pastors and other worship leaders and advice on technology for churches that are suddenly facing the realization they need to meet virtually.

Sanders said he was struck by the wisdom of Rev. J.C. Austin at First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In a reflection on his time at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City on 9/11, Austin noted that “when people were anxious or grieving or isolated or afraid, we could gather together in worship and candlelight vigils.”

But now with the COVID-19 pandemic, “gathering people together, when the most dangerous thing is to come into physical proximity with others, is not loving our neighbors,” Austin wrote.

“This is why we want to share what we have learned,” Sanders said. “We’re hoping to make it as easy as possible for churches who are not up to capacity with technology, especially so that pastors don’t have to learn a whole bunch of new skills to their already exhaustive list.”

Sanders notes that Season 4 of the “New Way” podcast will be all about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and how congregations can be faithful in the midst of this crisis. Episodes will begin dropping the week of March 23.

 In 2012, the 220th General Assembly of the PC(USA) declared a commitment to a churchwide movement  that would result  in the creation of 1001 worshiping communities in 10 years. At a grassroots level, nearly 500 diverse new worshiping communities have already formed across the nation.