Zoom is a video-conferencing software that allows churches to hold online meetings and services. Churches can use this tool to livestream their Sunday service or meet for a virtual town hall during COVID-19.
Some Zoom church activities include fun games like charades and Bible Mad Gab. This game requires participants to rewrite words from Bible passages using phonetically similar combinations.
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Crafts
Craft projects are a popular Zoom church activity, especially for the holidays. Try Christmas ornament making, wreath decorating, or card making. Open-ended crafts that don’t require a lot of direction work best.
You can also incorporate crafts in Bible story presentations to keep students engaged. For example, you might have the group decorate a scrapbook circle that matches the lesson’s theme. Then they can glue it to a magnet and add a message that they can display on their refrigerators or pin to their bulletin boards.
Another popular craft is Sunday School Pictionary. The drawing player can be asked to draw something related to the SS lesson on the Zoom “whiteboard” or on their own sheet of paper in view of the other players. They can then have the other players guess what they drew. The game is a great stress reliever and improves mental clarity. It’s also an opportunity for socialization. Several studies have shown that people who enjoy creative activities are happier and less stressed.
Jeopardy
Jeopardy is a fun way to spark creativity and competition in Zoom church games. Organizers can create their own Jeopardy game board and question categories or use a free game template from Quizlet Live. The app handles compositing player videos behind podiums, clues, score keeping and sound. It also allows for individual or team play and includes a variety of categories like Science, History, Sports, Music and Literature.
To play, participants are presented with a category and question and must answer either by shouting out an answer or by responding in private chat. If they aren’t sure of the correct answer, they can ask for help from a teammate or use the polling feature in Zoom. Players can then discuss their answers in a follow-up group chat or privately. Jeopardy can be played as a quick activity for a Zoom call or as a longer meeting icebreaker.
Bible Story Presentation
Zoom church can be a great platform for introducing Bible stories to youth. However, it is also important to incorporate interactive games that help kids connect with each other in a fun and engaging way. These games can include a blind drawing (have them draw something that relates to the lesson with their eyes closed), charades, 20 questions, or Bible Mad Gab (use phrases from the Bible related to the lesson and rewrite them using phonetically similar combinations, then have the players try to guess).
Another creative option is to have students act out Bible stories. This can be done digitally or in person. One great way to do this is to use a PowerPoint presentation that consists of illustrations in the order of the books of the Bible. Then, when you call out a book, your group can race to find it by raising their hand (if meeting digitally) or by stepping forward if they are in the same room.
Town Hall
Church members unable to attend services due to COVID can engage in Zoom town hall meetings that allow them to get guidance and education on the topics of their interest. These sessions can also appeal to church members who are unable to participate in small groups or bible studies due to scheduling conflicts.
Whether in-person or virtual, it’s important to set the tone for the meeting. Encourage discussion and engagement by greeting people as they join, or by asking an icebreaker question. Then, kick off the meeting with a clear agenda and share it with everyone.
Similarly to company all-hands meetings, town hall meetings are a great way for leadership to connect with employees. However, if they are constantly virtual and consist of long monologues, employee engagement is likely to decline. To avoid this, try using Polly’s instant engagement tools to host engaging and interactive town hall meetings. For example, you can use them to ask for opinions on specific topics or to vote on ideas.