Ways to Build Comradery in Your Congregation

Building comradery within your church building’s walls became a bit harder once the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Instead of meeting up with fellow members of the congregation for weekly Sunday potlucks or fun youth group outings, we were suddenly faced with the dilemma of how to keep everyone linked together while staying apart physically. It’s been tough to adjust to services without the usual ceremony, like the lighting of the altar candles or a baptism after a sermon, so your members may be feeling a bit distant.

Since we have technology at our fingertips, and services are being live-streamed across the country, it’s a safe bet that you can still schedule virtual events for your congregation, and you may even be able to start making some plans for face-to-face interaction as the vaccine becomes more widely available. Here are a few ways you can work to build comradery within your church.

Take a group of members in an RV for a mission trip.

Once the chaos from the pandemic is settled, it’s likely that many people across the United States will need help. People have lost their jobs, their homes, and more. If you have some members of the congregation who remained fortunate throughout, then it could be good to encourage them to help out on a mission trip. Consider purchasing an RV with an extended warranty so that you all can travel together with ease. Even better, you may be able to stay in an RV park and eliminate the cost of hotel rooms. A dealership can help your church find a new RV or maybe even a used one, but no matter what kind you get, make sure to get the RV extended warranty for peace of mind. Some RVs also have travel trailers in case you need extra storage or need to bring another vehicle along with you.

Make sure your warranty covers mechanical failure, offers roadside assistance, and that you are provided with a vehicle service contract. You don’t want your church stuck with warranty products that are unsatisfactory or that have a high deductible.

Schedule a virtual youth group party.

The kids in your congregation’s youth group are feeling the disconnect as well. They’ve gone months without seeing friends from school or from church, which is a tough transition for anyone. If you host some virtual parties, then they at least get the chance to see their friends online and interact with them in a fun way. Create a theme party for extra fun.

For example, you could throw an ’80s theme party and encourage them to dress up in 80’s attire, or put up 80s party decor so that they feel more a part of the event. Tell them to go with big hair and neon colors that will really stand out during the online event. Make a playlist with their suggested songs, which could include Michael Jackson, Wham, Poison, and more. You might even be able to set up an online video game tournament with old school games like Donkey Kong.

Set up small group meetings online.

Until it’s safe to be face to face with everyone again, you may want to set up some smaller group online meetings. Congregants can interact with each other in a more intimate setting and discuss various aspects of Christianity with each other, like doing a breakdown of what a verse means to them or sharing about how they miss attending church service. It could be a good idea for them to also establish accountability partners, so they have someone to talk to when they’re feeling down or discouraged.