Some thought-provoking and helpful pointers for deacons ministering in the post-covid world: from the ever-focused Diaconal Ministries Canada.
As you dig a bit deeper into your church’s ‘Post-Covid Reality’, now might be the time to look at the following questions:
- What have we ‘lost’ during Covid? Think of plans that were abandoned or dreams that are now delayed. How does our loss of “control” impact our ministries?
- What is still working? What isn’t?
- What needs to be done differently in order to be effective?
- What is being neglected (gaps)? What has caused this? (lack of money or time, social distancing protocols, etc)
- What opportunities are available? For example, how has technology superseded geography? What partnerships were formed during Covid that could continue? What new partnerships are opening up because of the change in seasons?
- What are our ‘assets’ that could be shared with other churches and community organizations?
- What do we have an abundance of? (eg. time)
- What are we hearing from the congregation? If we aren’t hearing anything, is it because we aren’t asking?
- How are we engaging the congregation to be ‘deacons’ in their various contexts despite the pandemic? Eg. How are we encouraging them to engage with their neighbours and communities?
- How are we helping them live stewardly and generously, despite the impacts of Covid? What opportunities are we providing to promote mercy and justice and speak up for those who are oppressed or overlooked?
“When we ask better questions, we invite innovation into the new order. We can be led by the future itself into something fresh and exciting. We begin noticing what wants to emerge through us.”
Susan Beaumont
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 