The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity

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The Leaving-Lockdown Church Utility Kit

Equip your congregation for their new worlds

How did you feel when you first started planning a return to the church building?

Relieved? Excited? Nervous?

Chances are, the answer is ‘all the above and more’. We’ve been apart so long that coming back together isn’t just a matter of picking up where we left off – it’s a brand new start. There are challenges we might not have foreseen (like how do you get people to leave at the end without being rude?). But there are also amazing new opportunities.

People have spent the last year out in God’s world, living out their faith where he’s placed them. Now, perhaps more than in years, we have a chance to rededicate people for those frontlines – the places where they spend most of their lives, among people who don’t know Christ.

To help you make the most of this unique, weird season, here are some resources full of ideas for how to re-envision people for their everyday mission – from scatter packs and inspiring in-person service plans to insightful articles and videos to shape your thinking.

We pray these resources inspire and support you as you return to church and rededicate people for their frontlines.

Frontline Sundays

God has a role for each person in your church – wherever they are, whatever they do, whoever they are. Use Frontline Sundays to explore together how that looks post-covid – and encourage people that no matter how disorientating lockdown has been, they can still make a difference for Christ right where they are.

Frontline Sundays

Complete with short films, sermon notes, small group studies, and ideas for five services, Frontline Sundays will help you inspire people for mission in their daily lives – with colleagues, at home, and among their neighbours.

Scatter Packs

Plus, why not use one of our scatter packs, complete with five fun giveaways to help people take each week’s message out of the building with them when they leave?

How to lead people out of lockdown into recovery and renewal

LICC’s C of E lead Lyn Weston, who formerly led strategic change for blue-chip brands, shares practical advice for leading your congregation through this time of transition.

From allowing yourself to process difficult emotions honestly to inspiring others to get excited about change, this article will help you take your next steps out of lockdown confidently – and with fresh commitment to whole-life disciplemaking.

Leading a Church in a Post-Covid Frontline Landscape

In Spring 2021, we gathered church leaders from across the UK to discuss how we can respond to the massive changes caused by the pandemic – and face our frontlines amidst the ongoing challenges covid has raised.

Together, we considered practical ways to adapt to the so-called ‘new normal’, and what fruitful discipleship looks like in a changed and changing world. Watch the sessions and get inspired to equip people for their post-covid mission.

‘Back to the Future’ reflection series

Read our ongoing Word for the Week series on Ezra and Nehemiah, reflecting on Israel’s return to rebuild the temple after years in exile. LICC’s Antony Billington and Joe Warton explore what we can learn from their experiences as we come back together after lockdown – and how we can trust God in this new, challenging reality.

New articles releasing every Monday in June.

Navigating Transition Prayer Journey

If you’ve had quite enough transition for one decade, you’re not alone. The pandemic has thrown our lives into constant flux – and whether it’s as a result of lockdown, a house move, a new job, or a bereavement, transition always brings its challenges.

To help you navigate life’s big changes, check out our Navigating Transition prayer journey. It’s designed to help you pray through the different stages of transition, learn how to navigate periods of change with God, and grow your trust in him – the one who charts the course ahead.

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