The Rockin' Rev July 2020

Crisis inspires innovation

It’s Monday morning on the 22nd June 2020. I’ve just switched on the TV and I’m watching an interview with Reverend Matt Timms on the news

Reverend Matt, of Wave House Church, is a vicar with a passion for surfing. What started as a crazy idea in his head led to him creating a drive-in church service at a car park in Newquay, Cornwall.  Drive through churches do exist in the United States but until now haven’t caught on in the UK

Reverend Matt set up the outdoor session, with permission from the local council, in an attempt to find a way around the coronavirus ban on church services after they were deemed "nonessential" by the government

The service attracted over 50 vehicles. It featured singing, a Bible reading, and prayers, followed by a screening of the surfing film ‘Unstoppable’

As Reverend Matt explained to reporters, "We've had to quickly adapt." He then went on to say, "We need to share both the works and the words of Jesus at this time, and if we share this message of hope, then I don't have to run it all.  Let's just see what happens from here"

No doubt the news of this carpark service will act as a catalyst to inspire other churches up and down the country to come up with further innovative ways to serve their community

Every crisis inevitably inspires innovation. If you can’t do what you normally do in the way you would normally do it, you have to find ways of doing what you want to do in new and different ways

Whilst many of the restrictions that were put in place at the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic are being eased we are by no means over the crisis
 
As shops, schools, and workplaces began to reopen they have been forced to adapt.  Premier League football matches have resumed and are being played in the absence of fans that would normally crowd into the stadiums to cheer on their team
 
Church buildings are now able to open for the purpose of providing a space for individual private prayer. But, as at the time of writing, churchgoers are still unable to gather for services on a Sunday
 
St Andrew’s church like many, if not most of churches across the county of Norfolk and around the UK, has turned to technology, particularly online platforms, to foster a sense of connectedness and to maintain the practice of worship, prayer, and pastoral care

The coronavirus has, for the moment, fundamentally changed the way we do church and the way we be church. I expect that as the church reflects on what’s being learned during this crisis, there will be yet more innovations to come
 

Rev Brian Hall

Vicar, St Andrew’s Church

also published by St Andrew's Church in the Gorleston Community Magazine

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