In-person and online attenders
Friday, January 14, 2022 at 11:31AM 
Father Peter Anthony is the Vicar of All Saints Margaret Street in London. For a number of years, I’ve received the parish’s weekly e-newsletter which includes comments by the vicar. Todays was his reflection on the changes brought about by the mix of in-person and online attenders. Here are his broad conclusions.
We have substantially more people worshipping with us both online and in person during the week than we used to. By contrast, on Sundays we have fewer Masses than we used to, and fewer people worshipping in person. However, if you include online worshippers, a clear growth in the total number of Sunday worshippers by comparison with the autumn of 2018 is to be seen – which is an extraordinary achievement for our parish given the COVID complications of the past 2 years!
Some key questions emerge from these figures which it will be important for us to think about over the next year. What can we do to increase the number of people attending the Sunday High Mass? Is there worth in restoring the Saturday evening vigil Mass? What trends are discernable in attendance at Evensong and Benediction, and might this become an area of growth? How can we include the needs and perspectives of those who worship online in our thinking and planning?
There is much to reflect upon in these figures, but above all we should give thanks to God for the resources he has given us, which allow us to reach out in new ways to his world. Let us pray for the courage, ingenuity and insight to respond to the new challenges we are presented with in ways that help draw new people to faith in Jesus Christ.
You can read the whole thing at this page on the parish website.
My guess is that many clergy in American parishes are pondering the issue. At St. Clements where Sister Michelle, OA and I attend the shift to a mix of in-person and online attendance has been going on for a number of months. At the moment we’re more online than in-person because of Omicron. But at some point, we’ll return to our new normal – the Eucharist with an in-person congregation of 30 to 40 and a somewhat smaller group joining us online. Then there’s those who attend online later in the day on Sunday through YouTube. My impression is that the totals will continue to be higher than what they were with all in-person worship in 2019.
What will our rector make of all this? What will parishioners make of it? How about your parish? Any broad conclusions being reached?
I think there are at least three levels to that work.
First, what’s the data? What are the actual numbers? How do they compare to pre-pandemic numbers? Who are they? What’s happening to the parish’s worship during the week? Peter Anthony did look at that for All Saints. He notes, “At the moment, therefore, total daily in-person attendance is in the range of 15-20. If you add online live worshippers, this rises to a daily total of around 30-35.” Also, the “12 noon Mass is broadcast each day. It regularly attracts 10-15 people worshiping in person and a further 15-20 attending virtually.”
Second, what actions are needed now? For example, Fr. Anthony looks at the weekday pattern and concludes that there is no need to return to the pre-pandemic pattern of three daily celebrations. He writes, “It is clear we have better total attendance with two Masses a day than we used to have before COVID with three celebrations of the Eucharist. The daily broadcasting of the 12 noon liturgy is also evidently a valued practice welcomed by many. My own personal instinct is that there is no need for the 8.00 am daily Mass to return, and that we are better off concentrating on two Masses at 12 noon and 6.15 pm.” My first thought was entirely self-oriented -- but, but, but ... when Sister Michelle and I have visited London we have frequently gone to the 8:00 am mass. That, of course, isn't anything Fr. Anthony should pay much attention to in the larger picture. As the pastors of parishes reflect upon the data, decisions will be needed that will unsettle some in the congregation. Leaders are always faced with serving both the mission and the people. And, at times, they are in conflict.
Third, what do we make of things as we apply models of pastoral theology to the situation? This is a broader and longer term reflection. Though we are wise to take it into account even as we act now.
The recent Parish Development Clinic on Zoom, conducted by Sister Michelle, Brother Poulson, and I made use of the book A Wonderful and Sacred Mystery: A Practical Theology of the Parish Church. What would we see if we made use of the models in the book.
There’s a chapter called “Power from the Center Pervades the Whole.” It makes use of critical mass theories seen in Martin Thornton’s Remnant Theory and my Shape of the Parish model. The assumption being that a parish is grounded in faithfulness by those who are proficient in the core spiritual practices of our tradition. The parish becomes both more stable and more resilient as the impact of those people “pervades the whole.”
Our exploration would be enriched if we made use of the ideas in other chapters. What is the effect of in-person and online participation on the cultural density of the parish? How about in regard to certain intrinsic dynamics such as bearing one another’s burdens or the oscillation between baptism renewal and living as instruments of God’s love in daily life? Or take the chapter on the goals of parish development and focus on the Benedictine Promise.
In Stability as a parish we find God here and now in the relationships and pattern of our life together.
In Obedience as a parish we find God as we listen deeply to the world; to Scripture; to the Church, now and through the ages; to each other; to the creation; and to the deepest longings and prayer of our heart.
In Conversion of Life as a parish we find God on our journey together and in the new places we will go as a parish, in losing life to find life, in our openness to transformation.
What is the likely impact of the in-person and online participants on how the dynamics of the Promise will take place in the years ahead?
All this may be a relatively new matter for the church. Other institutions have been struggling with it for years. Do we bring all the sales associates to headquarters to meet in person or do we do it as an online gathering? Online has a less negative financial impact. There are no travel costs. But when we look at the dynamics of group development we see other issues. If we look at Chris Argyris’ “Intervention Theory” he assumes that a group gets to a high level of internal commitment based on having high levels of engaging “valid and useful information” and “free choice.” Or we might use Tuckman's “Stages of Team Development” that assumes getting to high performance is based on how well a group navigates the earlier stages of forming, storming, and norming. Do we get higher levels of internal commitment and performance when we do more in-person work?
Similarly, does a parish do better with more in person gatherings when we consider power from the center pervades the whole or the dynamics of stability, obedience, and conversion of life? How will we respond when pressure builds to “be more inclusive” by allowing online worshippers to run for the vestry? Will we allow them to vote at the parish meeting? Does it matter if the person is someone we have never known “in-person” or if they have faithfully attended the Eucharist in person for 30 years and now are shut in?
Finally, two quotes from Evelyn Underhill
We are to be transformed, consecrated, made sacred to his creative purpose; and so fulfill the meaning of our life.
You are the Body of Christ....That is to say; in you and through you the method and work of the Incarnation must go forward. You are meant to incarnate in your lives the themes of your adoration. You are to be taken, consecrated, broken, and made a means of grace; vehicles of the Eternal Charity.
How does the process of sanctification that she offers occur in relation to in-person and online community? Is the process active but different? What adjustments are needed in community norms and incorporation processes to serve both groups and not water down the process for those in-person because we are concerned about the inclusion of those online?
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Reader Comments (3)
Thanks Bob. I believe the work of our vestry this year is to begin grappling with much of what you have talked about in your reflection. An example: We have a loyal following for the Daily Office, which is online only. How would that change if we can go forward with building a small chapel as we had planned pre-COVID? Some of our leaders would be unable to be at the church physically. Do we have both? Do we scrap the idea of a chapel all together? What is the best model/mix of being together physically and online for the purpose of worship, whether it's the DO or Sunday mass? How do we build community with and without physical presence. Incorporating newcomers? Your and Michelle's book will help us. Tim Schenck has also created a resource that I look forward to reading. You can find it here: https://www.ecfvp.org/tools/254/hybrid-church-a-way-forward-for-church-leaders
Liz, one piece of personal experience that may relate to what you're looking at. On occasion I have not been able to get to the Eucharist in person but have been able to watch it live stream. I've also routinely participated in the office of another parish as they live stream it. For me the experience was rich and meaningful when there was a congregation in the worship space: people, candles, icons on the wall, etc. Less so when there was one person sitting at home saying the office on behalf of 5 or 6 people who were live streaming at the time. Robert
Thanks Robert. That is a helpful obsevation.