Welcome to 2022!
Remember a year ago when everyone was saying “good riddance” to 2020 and looking forward to a new year in which we expected to put the Covid pandemic behind us?
Well, here we are again… a new year… with new hopes…
But turning the page on the calendar has not turned the page on the challenges many people and churches are facing.
- The US continues to see near record numbers of new Covid cases.
- Some cities and states are re-instituting shut-downs and mandates.
- Financial challenges continue for those whose businesses have closed or downsized, and those paying more for necessities due to a rise in inflation.
- Emotional hardships continue for many who have lost loved ones, have had their lives disrupted, or are continuing to feel isolated.
For those organizations whose plan for 2021 was to wait until the pandemic ended and then go back to the way they were, obviously that didn’t work out so well. And…
Things aren’t going back to “normal” in 2022 either.
The vaccines we had high hopes for in 2021 don’t seem to be very effective at preventing people from catching or spreading Covid variants. (Though they seem to be effective at reducing the severity of symptoms.) We’ve been through spikes with the Delta variant, and now the Omicron variant. It’s almost certain there will be other variants, and we have no idea what impact they might have.
Things will probably never go back to the way they were before the pandemic, and it certainly won’t happen this year.
January tends to be the month many people and organizations set new goals for the new year. It’s also the time when people and organizations launch new plans and initiatives designed to reach those goals.
Here are 3 questions to contemplate as you finalize and pursue your 2022 goals
1) In what ways do your 2022 goals and plans take into consideration that we’re probably not going to “snap back” to the way things were before the pandemic?
2) In what ways do your 2022 goals and plans take into consideration that this is not just a hardship to be lamented, but an opportunity to bring help and hope to people in your church and your community who are hurting?
3) In what ways have you developed a strong communication plan to encourage people and point them to God, to organize people to help one another, and to restructure gatherings – online and offline – in ways that are safe and inclusive?
God is not hunkering down and putting his plans on hold until the pandemic passes. He is searching for people and churches who love Him, trust Him, and will boldly follow Him to advance his kingdom, bringing light into the darkness.
It’s the desire of our team here at OurChurch.Com to help you follow where God leads you, to live out your mission online.
5 ways OurChurch.Com can help you live out your mission online in 2021
- Join our Facebook group where you can ask questions and bounce ideas off of fellow communications people
- Get a complimentary website review that will commend you for the things you’re doing well with your website as well as provide suggestions for improvement. (Note if you received a website review last year, you’re now eligible to receive a free review in 2022)
- Build a website with our WP-EZ Website Builder – it’s WordPress made easy!
- Have us build a custom website for you. Fill out the form below to request a free phone consultation.
- Put our 15+ years of Christian and church SEO experience to work for you and help you reach more people.
Comment and Discuss
- How are you adjusting your 2022 goals and plans because of the pandemic?
2 Comments
It is so hard to have goals this days. Pandemic really put our lives into danger. I am happy that this article set my standard that there’s no impossible with God. Thanks for this wonderful blog. It means a lot to me.
Things will probably never go back to the way we used to be before the pandemic. Acceptance is what makes us move forward.