Here are some resources for churches needing to do more things online and remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes to church life. As a United Methodist, I’ve focused on some of the helpful posts at ResourceUMC, and will try to keep adding to this page as time permits. Please contact me at with comments/questions/etc. (note: all links open in new tabs, and I don’t have any business relationship with any of the product-related links)
Online Worship Resources
- Online Worship Resources from the Desert Southwest Conference UMC
- ResourceUMC – Taking your worship online: A guide for beginners and everyone else
- Church Online Platform
(free online worship website, embeds YouTube and other live streams, with chat, prayer requests and more) - PRC – Practical Resources for Churches
- Facebook Group: WJ – Taking Worship Online / Virtual, etc.
- Ask the UMC – How can we livestream worship legally?
- CCLI Streaming License
- Online Course – Zoom for churches
Recording/Switching/Streaming/Video Editing Solutions
- Switcher Studio
(video switching, recording, and live streaming using iPads and iPhones, starts at $71/month) - Cinamaker Studio
(video switching, recording, and live streaming, for $299/year) - OBS – Open Broadcaster Software
- (free software for recording and live streaming)
- Wondershare Filmora
(low-cost video editing software) - DaVinci Resolve
(editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics, etc.
Pandemic-Related Articles and Resources
- ResourceUMC – Helping your church respond to the coronavirus
- ResourceUMC on Facebook (includes learning sessions on live streaming, e-giving, and much more!)
- ResourceUMC – Quickly find an online giving solution for your church
- UM DisAbility Ministries – Coronavirus Resources for Churches
- MinistryMatters – Christian Worship and Devotion During Social Distancing: A Resource For United Methodists
- COVID-19 Lockdown: How Churches can live-stream worship while “sheltering in place”
- Coronavirus and your digital ministries
- A Comprehensive Guide to Online Only Worship in the time of COVID-19: Lessons from Darkwood Brew
- Church Resources Available During the COVID-19 Pandemic (from Church Copyright Solutions)
Other Resources