Here are some golden tips and guidelines our team has come up with… enjoy!
Since the outbreak, it’s been amazing to see ILC take community a few notches up as we adapt, drastically downsize and meet in smaller groups. Pastor Daniel Cheo addressed our Leadership Team last Sunday, encouraging us to lead with faith as the health of our church depends on our life groups! There has never been a time in history where the Church can be strengthened and thrive with the use of technology. In this pandemic, we can find new possibilities when we allow ourselves to be creative.
Three weeks ago, we started gathering in our life groups for Worship Experiences via livestream. The question is, how do we prepare for an effective livestream experience at home? I'm sure all of us want to experience God in the same measure (if not more) as we do at church. Also, how can we continue to protect our members’ well-being and the homes of our LG hosts? Well... read on to level up!
1. Be Socially Responsible!
"As Christians, we should be the most civic-minded people in this pandemic. Let’s be responsible and love others as ourselves!" - Melissa Tang, Administrative Manager
Meet in groups of 10 or less
Avoid sharing food
Avoid physical contact (e.g shaking hands, laying hands to pray, hugging etc.)
Maintain a safe social distance
If you have a sudden onset of symptoms, please do not meet your life group and see a doctor.
Update our health & travel declaration forms regularly. If you have been advised to stay home, please comply.
2. Listen to your Health IC and adhere to all precautionary measures
"Our Health ICs are our guardian angels. They’re doing everything they can to safeguard your health and well-being. Make sure you do your small part, so they can do their bigger part well!" - Jing Wei, Medical Advisory Team
If you are unwell, inform your Health IC and stay home.
Upon entry to host’s home, wash your hands with soap.
After the livestream session, use our ILC Home Cleaning Kits to clean and sanitize the home. Let’s care for the well-being of our host’s family!
3. Prepare your home so others can prepare their hearts
"The goal is simple - do what you can to create a conducive environment for people to encounter God." - Kong Sheng, Creative Lead
Clean & declutter your meeting area
Minimise distractions (i.e. close your room doors, your friendly doggie might need to stay in the next room)
Arrange seats for all who are coming (note social distance)
Tune into our livestream link from 3.45pm onwards!
Play our ILC playlists via Spotify. Music lifts the atmosphere!
Cool your meeting area prior to members' arrival (air-conditioning etc.) so the life group can feel at home once they arrive.
Prepare some simple drinks…. Or some say good ol’ plain water is best for hydration!
4. Build a good atmosphere intentionally
"A good atmosphere doesn’t just come by; it is built! Excellent atmospheres can create a sense of expectation in people. Get your members to arrive earlier!" - Melissa Lim, Worship Pastor
Consider warming your small group up with icebreakers, or mingle over light refreshments.
Introduce your new friends (LGLs, remember to fill up the form by our Host Ministry!)
Dim the lights during Praise and Worship to create a cosy atmosphere!
5. Lastly, optimise your livestream experience with these technical #ProTips
"Having trouble with technical issues for your livestream? Don't worry I'm here to help! But before you call me... here are some tips that you can try." - Eric Han, IT Ministry Lead
Remember to set your Livestream Video to the highest quality (720p) for optimal viewing!
Ensure your device used for livestream has sufficient bandwidth (best if at least 3 Mbps). You can test your bandwidth at https://www.speedtest.net/
Avoid using the cast function on your phone to your smart TV (e.g. Miracast, AppleTv, Google Chromecast etc.)
Casting the livestream to a TV may result in having a laggy audio or video. If you have a smart TV, it is best to run the livestream directly using your TV. Otherwise, consider using a computer to stream.
Improve stuttering by buffering the stream by 10 or more seconds, i.e. scrub your stream back by 10 seconds and run it from there.
If you are having difficulty with sound issues, consider using a higher-powered sound bar or speaker.
If you need technical counselling or support for your livestream set up, reach out to Eric and his cool IT team at it@impactlife.sg
Phew! That was fun! Before we sign off, we just want to say that ILC is truly not the building - it is the people! Till we are able to gather back as one, let us not give up meeting one another (in smaller groups or online) all the more as we see the Day approaching (Heb 10:25). Stay faithful guys, and stay safe!!!
Much love,
Impactlifesg