In 2020 we found ourselves re-imagining and re-inventing so many aspects of our lives. Our customary school, work, and worship lives have all turned upside down.

The upcoming holiday season will be no exception.

At Digivangelism, we often encourage you to try something new and remain open to “the different” that is 2020.

With many faith communities streaming live or offering recorded worship online, you have indeed stepped up and leaned into “the different.”

So, how can we do the same thing in this Thanksgiving season?

Any other year, your social media post for Thanksgiving might be a beautiful autumn photo featuring pumpkins, gourds, and cornucopias asking your members to post a comment on something for which they are grateful in this season.

While it is valuable and uplifting to have people focused on their blessings, we challenge you to use this time to offer a safe space for those finding it especially hard to be grateful, positive, or joyful this year.

Folks may be increasingly on edge, anxious and depressed since COVID cases are once again increasing, and the prospect of holiday gatherings with family and friends is in jeopardy.

Think about how you can use social media to build relationships and offer safe spaces for all people in this very “different” Thanksgiving season.

How can you leverage online tools to foster meaning in these days of anxiety and uncertainty?

How can you create safe spaces to allow people to acknowledge and express the grief, loss, disappointment, and sorrow that people are experiencing during this time?

Create a Private Facebook Group

Now is the perfect time to start a short-term private Facebook group where people can engage with one another. Make it a safe space to vent, pray, and grieve with one another. A place where it’s okay to “not be okay.”

As communities of faith, we know of the great love that our God offers us.

If our goal is to spread the love of Jesus in the online world, we need to let people know that we see, hear, and welcome them into this space no matter where they are on their faith journey.

You’ll want to establish some ground rules for this space; i.e., it’s a “no judgment” zone, a “no-politics zone, or “an empathetic ear only” zone. It may also be helpful to have some leaders tapped as moderators to make sure everyone’s experience is acknowledged appropriately.

Offer a Weekly Zoom Gathering

If you want to take it one step further and offer more structure, consider a weekly Zoom or Google Meet space that can be even more interactive.

This is a different expression of the same intended purpose as the temporary Facebook group. It is an opportunity for your people to express their grief, lean on one another, and acknowledge the “different-ness” of this Thanksgiving 2020.

If an open forum does not feel right to you, consider making this time a Bible, book, or topic study that allows people to acknowledge their grief and experience through a faithful lens. 

Keep in mind that this is intended to be a safe space for your people to come just as they are. This means you may have people joining your gathering from an extremely wide range of emotions and experiences.

Prepare for this in the best way you possibly can: multiple leaders to cover breakout rooms, resources to promote continued grieving and healing, and lots of pre-meeting prayer.

Designate Online Office Hours

If group meetings do not seem safe enough for your people, consider offering consistent times in one or two-hour increments throughout the entire holiday season when people can “drop-in” to a Zoom session or Google Meet with your pastor, counselor, or designated pastoral care staff member.

In these challenging times of isolation, people may need to talk to someone or have someone pray over them. Knowing there is a consistent time when someone is available for support may offer some comfort. 

You can use the breakout room feature of Zoom for added confidentiality, provided you have people available to monitor these rooms.

Good Ol’ Fashion Phone Calls

We can’t leave out the folks who don’t use the internet.

Not only can you offer phone office hours to be more accessible to all people, but you could also consider increasing the amount of phone call check-ins you conduct during this difficult season.

Phone calls offer the ultimate safe space. It is a one-on-one interaction without the added stimulation of actually seeing the person. To some, this can offer a more comfortable experience of sharing their innermost emotions and experiences. 

Reach Out

As we usher in this season of Advent that offers peace, love, and the HOPE that is the light of the world soon to come, there is no better time to reach out with intentionality and purpose.

People may be searching online for connection and community, so point people to Christ. Or, at the very least, open a “virtual” door to let them know they are loved unconditionally.