Virtual Maundy Thursday and the confessions of a tech-stunted pastor
I wish I were more tech-savvy! Especially right now when so much of our Chapel Hill community is being handled virtually. But honestly, I’m still figuring this stuff out. For instance, did you know that if you subscribe to the Chapel Hill YouTube page and select the bell icon, you can be notified about all our uploads, particularly the worship videos. You can also live chat with us during worship services. In order to do that, you need a Google account. You might already have one, and in which case, your login credentials are the same. If not, it’s fast, easy, and best of all, free. If 350 more of us did just that, we would have 1000 subscribers! (There’s no time like the present! This blog will still be here when you finish signing up!)
Same with Zoom calls. I’m learning how to initiate a Zoom call, how to mute and unmute myself…even how to pick a nifty virtual background so that it looks like I am sitting in a forest! Like any new skill, it is taking a while to figure this out. But it is worth it! Our virtual LifeGroup has more people meeting on-line than we typically do in person! And our “attendance” at Sunday worship is twice that of a typical weekend.
Don’t get me wrong; I look forward to the day we gather together in person…and I suspect we will blow out the walls when we do! That will be a great reunion. But meantime, I am determined to learn everything necessary to stay in touch with my Sweetheart Church. I hope you’ll do the same. And if you need help with finding us on YouTube or Facebook, good news! We have a Tech-Team ready to guide you through the process of joining our virtual Chapel Hill world. Just let us know by filling out the Weekly Check-in form and tick the “Need help accessing church online” option.
One reason you’ll want to do that sooner than later is, Holy Week is upon us! We kick it off by continuing with our “Defiant Hope” sermon series this Palm Sunday: we are going to talk about attitude!
And for those of you who love a more traditional service, (including hymns and organ!), don’t miss our virtual Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 p.m. Here’s something really special: we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together, but we will be doing it virtually. I will guide you through the process but you’ll need to prepare by purchasing juice and bread and having it ready to go at the start of the service.
Sunday evening, I’ll be sending you a blog about an ecumenical day of prayer and fasting on Good Friday, April 10. I would like everyone at Chapel Hill to participate in this.
Then for the first time in my Chapel Hill ministry, we will gather for Easter at one time…10:00 a.m. I will be preaching on “Hope for the Hunkered Down!” Again, if you haven’t yet subscribed to our Youtube channel, do so now; it will help broaden our reach. And if you pass on this link to your unchurched friends, it will be a great way for you to share the gospel with them! I will offer an opportunity for people to receive Jesus that day. I think there is a spiritual hunger and openness now! Who knows what God might do in the hearts of our visitors. Please…do your part to help us exalt Jesus.
Keep your spirits, eyes and chins up, my friends. However long this lasts, we will outlast it by the power of Christ! Love to you and yours.
Pastor Mark