Voices from Zoom

Zoom attendance has stabilised at a significant 15-20. Some are geographically remote, others are local - those with young children, working shifts or away from home. 

St James’ is a gathered church and Zoom is an inclusion issue. For reasons seen and unseen giving choice of ’how’ to attend services speaks of meeting people where they are, helping remove barriers that would otherwise leave people outside the building. 

We suspect that the collective zoom experience in lockdown is a key reason why hybrid continues to work well now. And in developing really valuable skills in offering meaningful services - and even a hybrid wedding service this year - we are excited about this capability to build on in our  gathered worship and community engagement in the future. 

Thank you to all who welcome and include us from the building, and to the tech team who, ultimately, make the magic happen.

‘’Being able to join St James from afar has been a balm for my soul and a wonderful avenue of community and connection during a long hard solitary pandemic season for me in  Southeast Asia,’’ -

“By dint of the pandemic and the fantastic zoom facility, I have finally been able to properly join this wonderful church family!”,

‘’It’s been a continuing lifeline that has kept me part of the community”.

“The conversations in the Zoom room are often much deeper than those I have held over coffee in any church”.

“I feel that St James has so much to teach other Christian communities. To continue with the Hybrid service is absolutely wonderful, and long may it continue.”

‘’I value the St.James podcast because both the style of the worship and the sermon content is refreshingly different to what I find elsewhere including my own church - particularly in its open embrace of environmentalism and inclusivity.’’

‘’The podcast has created a tiny window of light and connection in my very darkest weeks. Thank you, Richard (and anyone else who helps), for all the effort you put in to making it happen each week.’’