Recently Karan Reed, Regional Director of the Northwest Region in the United States, held the monthly call with Area Leaders and State Prayer Coordinators from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington states. Her leading question was, “What is your Area Team doing to connect with your leaders during this pandemic?” As teams began to share, excitement could be heard in each voice.
One team was already holding monthly conference calls with Lighthouse leaders. In the last month they have noticed that there has been an increase in participation on calls related to prayer. Another team took the initiative to send out a letter suggesting different ways for Lighthouses to continue meeting during a time of social distancing. One suggestion was to get the ‘Go to Meeting’ program. They added the ability to stream worship songs to their CCLI license so they could worship as well.
One team had been going through GameChangers with a group new to Aglow. When the team notified the group that they wouldn’t be able to come together until the crisis had passed, the group suggested that the meetings were continued by using Zoom. They were truly enjoying the teachings and the fellowship and did not want to lose the momentum that was building.
As one team connected with their Lighthouse leaders they were amazed to find that the team members traveled to a common parking lot, parking where they could see each other from their own car, then dialing in on a conference call number to pray together. It was a powerful time of prayer and agreement from the safety of their own car!
Others found that they are connecting more through Facebook and email. Another team was in the middle of affiliating a new group and they found that they are able to keep the processing moving forward by phone.
State Prayer Coordinators who were overseeing prayer meetings at the site of their state capitals found that people are eager to gather by phone. Prayer continues to go forth.
One team reported that Lighthouse leaders were passing around the list of their attendees amongst themselves and then rotating the lists so that the attendees were hearing from a different team member each week.
A group in Alaska that is a sign language group has done songs with sign language and posted on Facebook. They are helping to change the atmosphere in their sphere of influence. Others are hosting ‘watch parties’ on Facebook. In more remote towns, some are meeting for coffee and a walk being sure to maintain the distance suggested.
A group in Oregon had figured out a way to stop at homes of shut-ins to sing outside. They, too, are being sure to keep the 6 foot rule in play.
All said they were enjoying the challenge to learn new ways that present technical challenges. It has definitely broken the mold of how things were done before. There was such excitement and life because of new ways of communicating that showed Aglow remains strong in the Northwest Region. God is faithful and He will never change! How are you staying connected in your Aglow group?