Sending the light

The Rev Ruth Kennedy introduces the insights of Christine Colliar, who is working with the Church’s digital ministry team.

I MENTIONED in the May issue of Life and Work how people are such a rich and wonderful blessing with the Rev Trish Archibald and Christine Colliar (Reader and OLM Probationer with the International Presbytery) working as the digital ministry team for a season.

Trish and Christine, like you and I, bring unique gifts and callings, creative and Spirit-given insights and revelations that illuminate scripture, drawing us closer to God in different ways. There is Godly richness and encouragement in our Spiritled diversity, offering spaces for us to learn about and experience God in new and different ways.

Christine shares how she is finding moments of ministry whilst in the digital ministry team.

“Before I started my 10-week probationary placement with Digital Ministry, I thought it would be quite ‘techie’, perhaps I would need to know how to construct a website, but it wasn’t like that! I quickly learned that Digital Ministry uses online platforms to reach a wider audience: Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are examples.

“The Church of Scotland’s Digital Ministry strategy aims to support the Church in thriving through digital ministry. It fosters a vibrant, Christ-centred community with a stronger presence in every geographic area. That’s quite an aim!

“The placement started by listening to my probation congregation about what they needed from digital ministry and how resources were available. This congregation uses Facebook and I discovered an old Instagram account through which someone recently arrived at our Sunday service. Using an online questionnaire helped me see how effectively we were using digital platforms. This is a good place to start: https://www.mediamentoring.net/f/digitalministry-assessment

“It provided a report to guide development and encouragement to form a digital team, which is the best way to ensure the longevity of Digital Ministry.

“Throughout my placement, I learned that digital ministry does not mean simply posting information about future events. Rather, it encapsulates sharing something inspirational that reaches people where they are, similar to a sermon touching people, a little God moment in a busy day.

“Facebook was completely new to me. It was a learning curve to create posts. I learned how to use Canva (https://www. canva.com)for this. After the first couple of posts, it became much less daunting, and it is actually good fun.

“Any digital platform is just a means to draw people together. Now, my placement church has twice-weekly Facebook posts based on the coming Sunday’s scripture readings, one of encouragement, another a preview of Sunday’s theme. It sounds simple, but it reaches a substantial number in the congregation, providing a thread which links the community.

“What would Jesus think about Facebook posts? In the Sermon on the Mount, He said:

‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ (Matthew 5:14-16)

“Digital Ministry is a way of sending that light, with possibilities of reaching a vast number of people. When thought of in this way, posting a Facebook post takes on a whole new meaning. It’s not just a simple update or announcement – it’s an opportunity to share the light of Christ with a broad audience, creating a ripple effect that can touch lives in ways we might never see. Each post, story, or video becomes a chance to spread hope, truth, and love across digital spaces, turning everyday interactions into moments of ministry.” ¤