Safeguarding and GDPR with online provision
During this period of lockdown we have seen a big shift towards online provision.
Our church officers have had to be inventive and tackle technological issues as never before. Besides the technological challenges we must never forget the all-important safeguarding and GDPR issues of putting these online provisions in the public domain. I therefore contacted Sue Brice, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, and her team for guidance on your behalf. Sue has requested that those providing online provision and those thinking about it, have a look at the following links to check that you are compliant: www.DofN.org/goinglive and www.DofN.org/safer
Even as rules regarding opening churches are relaxed and we emerge from lockdown, using live video can be part of your church’s strategy to ensure that you continue to cater for the different people in your community. Whether for work, health or family reasons, people around us have
different needs and responsibilities that mean attending a service or event on a set day, or at a particular location, is not always possible. Live video enables us to take church to them – wherever they are – and can help us build a relationship with those we may otherwise have never met. It is not too late for you to start doing online provision and there is help with training and grants. You will see in one of the articles on this page a church has even run their Kidz Klub online.
Might there be something in your church that you could deliver online? If offering online provision, try and think of ways to make it easy for those watching the video to make contact with you. If we are moving towards making online provision for some members of our community, we still need to build a relationship with that person so that they feel included in our church community. When you follow the web links that Sue provided you will also find useful information on the site about posting your recordings on your ‘A Church Near You’ page. This could be a really good way to connect with new people. How many times have you attended an event only to find it isn’t what you expected? Somebody considering joining your church community can now look at what your church provides via your video and then make an informed choice about whether or not to join you. Having an online presence might help set your church apart from the others showing that it is alive and proactive.
There are several trusts awarding grants to enable you to offer online provision. One of these is The Hope Beyond fund from the All churches Trust: www.allchurches.co.uk/what-we-fund/hopebeyond
The author...
This article is from...
Articles in this issue...
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8
I had the privilege of leading the drive-in Songs of Praise at the Norfolk Showground
More
An opportunity to build anew
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity" - Colossians 4:5.
More
Thorpe St Andrew celebrate the summer
Like many parishes Thorpe St Andrew has enjoyed online worship and fellowship during the lockdown, through Zoom and Facebook, but after returning to worship in church in July, they wanted to do something to celebrate the summer which was safe, but face to face.
More
Tap and grab
In the parish of Mundesley, the PCC explored the issue of giving in services across their two congregations as we’ve always struggled and often sought additional fundraising to bridge the gap.
More
Experiment pays off
How can a church future proof its giving? Well, it’s a journey, and it’s one we’re still on but these are some of the steps we – as a market town parish church - have taken so far.
More
Supporting the church, supporting community
When lockdown began our first thoughts were how we could meet the pastoral needs of the church and wider community and provide worship. We soon had systems in place to keep the church running while our buildings were closed.
More
Be prepared for Christmas in a variety of ways
It seems a lifetime ago when I penned the article for PCC News last year, encouraging churches to hold services and events in a variety of ways so that communities could find God in different places.
More
Filling the Gap
Nationally, up to three million estimated children are at risk of being hungry in the school holidays*, and for some families, the recent season of coronavirus lockdown has brought additional fear, worry and hardship, and left them facing greater adversity than ever before.
More
Lunch supplies for families
Here at St Mary’s Church, Watton we have been very busy.
More
Looking after Ludham in the Waterside Benefice
“We must do something,” said Dr Christine Wall at the end of a PCC Fund Raising Committee Meeting in Ludham on Tuesday 10 March, as we realised that lockdown was imminent.
More