This was one of those weeks where I doggy-paddled to Sunday, needing worship so badly to fill me up, adjust my perspective, and connect me to my community. Saturday night was a harsh night of nursing a sick little person.  Clearly contagious by morning.  Sunday morning worship was out of the question. My flushed-cheeked little person begged to go to church.  He loves church. But in an effort to keep cooties to ourselves, we went on a quest to go to church from the safety of our home.

In the order of our attendance and time zone availability:

Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IN

• 9:15 & 11:15am (EST)

Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua, NH

• Live broadcast Sundays 10:00am (EST), repeats at 3:00 and 7:00pm.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Farmington, MI

• 10:30 am (EST)

University Unitarian Universalist Society in Orlando, FL

• Live-stream audio-cast at 10:30 am (EST)

All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK

• Sunday Traditional Service at 10 am (CST)
• Sunday Contemporary Service at 11:30 am (CST)

Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist in Cedar Rapid, IA

• 11:00 am (CST)

Church of the Larger Fellowship

• Sunday at 8:00 pm (EST)
• Monday at 9:00 am & 1:30 pm (EST)

I want to hold up a couple things I liked in some of the services.  Most of these congregations post their Order of Service so we can follow along at home. At All Souls they pan out to the congregation and choir.  I love seeing my siblings in faith, not just the chancel action.  All Souls also gives me the opportunity to donate on-line to their ministry and their week’s Community Action Project.  At Peoples Church you can chat on line if you sign in.  You can also chat  at the Church of the Larger Fellowship service. CLF intentionally uses the chat to create community.  We light our chalices together and we do joys and sorrows together. It’s powerful.

While it was wonderful worshipping with our distance siblings in faith, what we really craved was to be virtually connected with our own people. I hope more congregations will consider using this technology as a way to lower their walls and to connect to members who are unable to attend for a variety of reasons. The UUA website has some resources for congregations that are considering live-steaming their worship services. Attend some on-line worships for yourself and see what you like and don’t like.  And don’t hesitate to call up those congregations for tips and advice!

 

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Tandi Rogers is the UUA Growth Strategist. She turns up the volume on her computer whenever there is music in a live-stream worship, at which time she can be found dancing around her living room and singing loudly.