Tales of Technology: "The entries were fantastic!"

Our latest article from Baptist Insurance highlights the winners of its Tales of Technology competition

Thirteen places of worship have been announced as the Regional Winners in Baptist Insurance’s ‘Tales of Technology’ competition and their entries are fantastic! The judges must have had a tough time in choosing Derby Urban Baptist Church as the national winner. 

Baptist Insurance wanted to celebrate how churches embrace technology to benefit mission, congregation and local community. They asked churches to share their tales of technology in a recent competition that opened in April and closed at the end of June. 
 
From automated heating systems to using digital photo frames, technology can help us to be safer, more organised, to raise funds and cater for a wider audience. The winning tales illustrate how it can be done and the regional winners have each received a £500 donation, and the national winner a further £1,500.



Like many others, Derby Urban Church worked out how to live stream services on Zoom and WhatsApp, but they felt it excluded some of the most vulnerable people in their church family. So the church came up with a new idea and used digital photo frames and USB sticks to stay connected to the vulnerable and those who couldn’t afford or get to grips with the internet.

Photo frames nowadays can also play videos and music. The church loaded USB sticks with a personalised hello, church activities and four recorded church services. Every few weeks they would visit everyone and swap the USB sticks for a new one with fresh content.



Church secretary Chandra Morbey said, 'Many were living alone, too, so lockdown was very hard, and the feedback we got back was amazing – they were so delighted to be able to join in with worship, and really touched that we’d made the effort.
 

Minister Graham Watkins pictured receiving the award from Baptist Union President Hayley Young
 

'What a wonderful surprise to win!' 


Click here to read more about Derby Urban Church's entry. 

Click here to read about all the regional winners.

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