Cathedral Keeping Connected In Covid-19
From emulating ‘Love, Actually’ to video sermons recorded all around town, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul haven’t just adapted to present circumstances ― they’re embracing them. “Our congregation comes from far and wide,” said David Rowe, Dean of the Cathedral. “So our question becomes who is in our circle of influence and what can we do for them?” This approach has allowed the team to come up with a creative, inclusive game plan for lockdown and beyond.
Like many other churches, the Cathedral has opted to go digital with a daily prayer rhythm. However, instead of live-streaming or utilising Zoom, different members of the team have been pre-recording videos to share on YouTube. “It enables us to put other stuff together with the prayers,” David explained. The videos are uploaded every morning, allowing people to engage at their own pace throughout the day, or revisit a certain date later on.
The Cathedral has taken an innovative strategy for sermons. Many of these were recorded prior to lockdown, taking advantage of various locations around Wellington to enrich the content and give viewers a chance to see something other than their own four walls. Backdrops include David talking about the man in the pool at Bethesda beside Whairepo Lagoon, Good Friday up on a hill overlooking the city, and the resurrection of Jesus preached from the Bolton Street Cemetery.
Another innovation has been an idea for how to do the Peace ― with inspiration coming from a strange quarter. “It’s a little hard to explain. Have you seen Love, Actually?” David replied when asked about it. “You know the scene at the end, with everyone hugging at Heathrow Airport? That’s sort of what we’re doing.” David has recorded himself saying the peace, and members of the congregation have sent in videos of themselves replying. These have been edited together into a collage to be shared during services. “We wanted a reminder in people’s homes that there is a community out there thinking of them.”
“People are really touched by the phone tree we’re doing,” David added, speaking of a group of people who have been ringing around to members of the congregation. Around 300 people are being contacted by the network. “It’s good on both sides, for the people calling and the people being called.” While various plans have been necessarily put on hold ― including a shared Lent season with Sacred Heart Cathedral, and an Alpha course ― small groups are getting up and running again.
The first in the pipeline is a focus on 1 Peter. Another study helmed by David, called God, Catastrophes and COVID-19 has also begun. “There’s a real feeling of exile and we’re trying to focus on that.” It will be a series of talks focusing not just on the present moment, but also the wider Biblical story of disaster and survival ― including a spotlight on Ruth, Job, Exodus and moments in the Bible where God’s face is hidden. “We weren’t sure if people would engage online, but people have,” David said. “We want this to continue after lockdown, it will be amazing.”
The Cathedral’s YouTube Channel is here.
You can also find out about online services and daily offices happening around the diocese here.
By Esme Oliver
