Christmas services like Christingle online would you attend?

[Tiggles]

Hoping this doesn't come across as an advertising type post. But I'm a vicar trying to plan services for Christmas with Covid restrictions in place. So can't cram people into our churches in the way they are often full at Christmas and of course we can't sing carols.

And whilst I can Guage my congregation preferences I'd love to know what people who don't regularly attend church but might come along for a Christmas service would prefer.

So if for example your child was given a pack of all the parts to make a christingle at school with a zoom link or link to a live YouTube so the service was held online would your child still attend? Or would you still prefer to come in person even if that meant having to reserve a place and we run several services?

Would you rather have an online carol service so you could sing along or come into candlelit church and just listen to carols being played on the organ and readings.

I would rather attend in person. The atmosphere just wouldn't be there online.

I think you have an almost impossible task, I am a regular church attender but have found virtual services are really not what I want for my 'spiritual nourishment' (for want of a better phrase). I did 'attend' a few at the beginning of lockdown, then I just listened to the 'message' (whilst doing the ironing or similar ) and now I rarely bother. I want to be in Church, singing, enjoying a 'traditional' service, followed by proper fellowship. I wouldn't really want to go to a Carol Service and just listen to pre recordings, although I appreciate this is probably my only option this year.

Sorry if I sound negative, thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope you find a way forward for your congregation.

Not negative at all @Ragwort. I'm genuinely interested in what everyone thinks and the wanting to be together singing is a massive part of church. And part of the atmosphere at Christmas.

As someone who's agoraphobic, online would be great. I could get to 'join in' for a change. I appreciate others might prefer in person though.

I would prefer to be in church in general, especially at Christmas. But it won't be the same anyway. So I'm trying not to lament too much.

We are planning for an online Advent. On our Sunday zooms we've been making up activity packs and posting them the week before so that they've arrived in time for Sunday service. And are planning on doing the same for christingle, but with more physical delivering, don't fancy trying to post oranges

I would come to an candlelit prayer and organ Carol service and probably will, but obviously that's not a family thing.

I think come Christmas there will be the usual upsurge in those wanting to attend. Zoom nativity and midnight mass will be different but hopefully well attended. We will encourage dressing up and having fun.

What about a carol service, socially distanced on a school field, everyone dresses up very warm, brings torches, sits/stands in socially distant squares and sing carols for a while, maybe forego any readings but do end with a prayer

My children wouldn't like this. They love Christingle but I think that's because they get to do it in a dark church in their brownie / beaver uniforms. They really haven't taken to things being on zoom.

I don't know what the solution is. Perhaps a very short service outside?

This sounds like a nice idea, @Tiggles. Yes we would still attend, especially if encouraged to by school.

I have been thinking quite a lot about how I will miss church in the lead up to Christmas band especially midnight mass. Our church is not open at all yet, online or in person. I think I might be wary of attending in person.

Of course zoom is not the same, but I think you could make it a nice experience at home. One of the things our school does during advent is to have a nativity scene in a box with a candle and a prayer. The children take it in turns to bring it home and you light the candle and set out the scene, read the nativity story and say the prayer together. It does feel really special and I think your Christingle idea could be similar. You are not recreating a mass event, but giving people a way in to a more intimate event.
I would do the online carol service too, but remember you don't want to hear all the different voices singing as the timing does not link up and it goes out of sync very easily on Zoom. I think you would need to mute people at home, would they mind that?

Thanks for the comments and ideas. If regulations allow I would love to do an outdoor socially distanced carol singing. This is my ideal, but being in Wales I am fairly certain it just won't be possible.

I do have a vague thought in my head that as we live in a village maybe if christingle had to be done at home we could all come to the door with our candles at a set time and sing the first verse of away in a manger, or if the weather was good make our way to the village green even if only for a few minutes - would probably use a glowstick rather than a candle so they don't go out.

Rather book a place at a service even if it ends up being at a strange time!

Shamelessly bumping for lunch time opinions

I'm not your target as a regular church goer. Our church is small and zoom meeting seem to be working well and are quite interactive. As much as I would like to attend for the atmosphere, I wouldn't as I would be too stressed at trying to keep excited children fully under control and adhering to social distancing. My daughter is very friendly and tactile.

Thanks @flower11 I hadn't thought about the stress of keeping small children socially distanced as mine are older now. That does help lend to live streaming services even if some people attend in person, which I was leaning towards after reading @73kittycat73 post.

I am not a regular churchgoer (except through work - teacher in a C of E school) so perhaps not your target audience, but I would actually be more likely to attend and online service. Would it be a possibility to do both with limited spaces for the in person service?