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Virtual Ministry Resources

Your ministry can and should continue through this season of social distancing due to the COVID-19 virus. Below are some resources to help you do so.

 

LIVE STREAMING SERVICES

Facebook Live: Click here for instructions and tips.

Instagram Live: Click here for instructions.

YouTube Live: Click here for instructions.

Outreach: Outreach Digital is offering a free solution for streaming your church services online, including chat, notes, and the Bible. This allows you to stream from your church's website without needing to use Facebook or other social media. Read more here.

 

WORSHIP

Worship and Music Resources: Discipleship Ministries has compiled an incredible list of resources to help you with music and worship for live-streaming. Read more here.

Public Domain Music: Music that is considered public domain does not need to be licensed for printing, projecting, or live-streaming. It is considered free for the public to use. In the U.S., this is any music published prior to 1924, any music voluntarily put into the public domain by the owner(s), and any music that was never copyrighted. Read more here.

One License: One License licenses hundred of music publishers, typically hymnals, choral arrangements and other traditional music, including our United Methodist Hymnal. The Annual Reprint License gives you permission to print/project music or lyrics. You must have a Podcast / Streaming License to stream worship services that include music from their list of publishers. 

CCLI: CCLI licenses most contemporary music publishers who produce what you hear on the radio. Their Church Copyright License covers printing/projecting music or lyrics. You must have a Streaming License to stream worship services that include music from their list of publishers. 

 

DISCIPLESHIP

The Passions of Jesus: The Western NC Conference developed this free, six-session, video-based study on the interconnectedness of Christ's passion for us, Christ's passion for others, and our passion reflected back, for Christ and for others. Participate as an individual, a family, or a class. Read more here.

Vacation Bible School: Click here for tips on how you might consider re-imagining your VBS to fit within conference, county, state and federal parameters (whatever they are, at that time).

Free UMC E-Books: The NC Conference Media Center did some incredible work, compiling a list of e-books by UMC authors that are available for free through library apps. All you need is an NC library card! Read more here.

Amplify Media: Amplify is a streaming service from UMPH/Cokesbury that offers resources for all ages. They offer a free 14--day trial for their full library, but everyone can view a limited library of free resources right now. Additionally, they offer some content for free at any time (although the content itself changes, resources on this page are always free).

Cokesbury Kids: Cokesbury Kids (of the UMPH) is offering some great content for free, including coloring pages and at-home family-oriented worship services. Read more here.

Sparkhouse: Sparkhouse is an ecumenical imprint (under the umbrella of an ELCA publisher, but has UMC authors). They are offering a lot of their children, youth, adult, and worship resources for free. Read more here.

Market Square Books: Market Square Books is a publisher with Methodist authors. Beginning May 15, Market Square Books will make resources available for adult small groups meeting online (for a fee). These resources contain everything needed to hold meaningful online small group sessions. Read more here. 

Netflix Party: This is a free extension for Google Chrome that allow you to watch Netflix movies together online. Visit the Netflix Party website. A youth pastor in the Holston Conference filmed this how-to video for using Netflix Party to watch a movie online together as a group.

Two Seven: This is another option for watching movies online as a group. Visit the Two Seven website.

Jackbox Games: This is an online gaming experience for groups. Visit the Jackbox games website.

Virtual Small Group Activities for Youth: We've compiled some activities that you can use to conduct virtual small group meetings:

 

COLLABORATION TOOLS

Zoom: Zoom is an online conferencing app for one-on-one or group video meetings. There is a free version, but it has limits (including a 40-minute maximum duration for calls). The WNCC Office of Church Development is offering grants to help churches purchase an annual Zoom license for only $60 (normally $240). Read more here. Additionally, here is a how-to video for using Zoom for small groups.

Microsoft: Microsoft is offering a free version of Teams. Teams is a collaboration tool with chat, video calling, personal and team file storage, and more. Read more here.

Slack: Slack is a collaboration app that already has a free version, but they also offer webinars and one-on-one consultations to help you navigate your own transition to a remote workforce. Read more here.