New Living Room congregation spreads joy baking blessings on Zoom in Norris Green
Members of a new congregation founded during lockdown have been spreading joy organising on-line baking sessions on Zoom and delivering ‘bags of blessing’ around their community during advent.
Living Room Church in Norris Green was founded by lay pioneer Nic Findlay and husband Hamish with support from the Joshua Centre and other members of Christ Church Norris Green and The Church Army, as a way to worship with other families on-line.
The congregation meets each week via Zoom, and during advent decided to run bake-along sessions to try to spread kindness through their local area, following the success of on-line bread baking sessions, and activities such as delivering craft bags and pamper packages earlier in the year.
The church leaders delivered ingredients to local households, together with bags and ribbons. Families then joined in cooking batches of fudge and shortbread, and the goodies were then delivered to scores of households in the area – sharing love across the community in baked form.
Mum-of-two Nic said: “We have been looking at ways to engage people and show God’s love through the pandemic. One of the issues in Norris Green is people are hugely generous and want to bless their neighbours, but may not have many resources.
“So we thought why don’t we buy everyone the ingredients and fancy bags, some nice packaging, then bake together as a community on-line, something to give to our to neighbours, friends and family as a way to show people God’s love and God’s kindness at a time when we are all weary.”
Living Room Church Norris Green has a regular congregation of around 15 people with around 80 people connected to it. Informal weekly services on Zoom last for 45 minutes and include a celebration, worship, stories and prayer.
Nic said: “I wanted to do church with my kids in my house. Usually the kids get to run around in church but we haven’t been able to do that since March.
“We wanted an informal way to meet and worship together that is more similar to how we usually are. It is quite loosely planned and the kids can participate with as much energy as they like rather than be subject to restrictions.
“We also do a weekly adult bible study. If we have managed to keep walking with people through this year whether that is dropping off a craft bag or a care package for the mums then that is enough.”