Where do we go from here as a choir?
POSTED BY JOHANNA
14/4/20
Hey everyone,
Happy Easter!
I know you've been waiting to hear from me about what our choir will look like over the coming weeks and months.
The reality is no one knows how long we will need to operate like this, and it's not something we can control. What we can control is how we respond to the situation.
I believe that we can choose to see this as an opportunity, to adapt, to learn new things and be more creative in staying connected with each other and with our community. I believe we can thrive in this season, even through the challenges.
I want you to know that you have the most amazing team working behind the scenes, carefully considering all of you and how we can best serve and encourage each other. In every conversation I've had, from our creative team, our volunteers and our board members, the care and love for every single one of you has been so, so evident. Everyone is asking how we can continue to stay connected, focussed and keep singing together in what is probably the most challenging season we've ever had.
I want you to know that every one of you is important and each of you make this choir the special place it is. Each of us needs all of us and my biggest hope is that in a time where everyone is closing things down, we can show our community that when things get tough, we keep singing.
What that looks like will require some creativity (of course :)) but the main point is that this is when our choir gets to shine with the message of what we are all about! When the going gets tough we find a way, right? And we do that together, sometimes forging new paths but always in partnership with each other. This is new territory but nothing we can’t do together.
So....the way I see it, we have two main outcomes for this time:
We need to find a way to stay connected. This is our number one priority. Without all physically being together, it will be challenging to find a way that works for everyone. However, we want to know how you're doing, and be able to encourage you and have you encourage us! As a creative team we'll be opening a couple of ways to stay connected:
Over the next week or two you'll receive a phone call to see how you're doing and to ask if you'd like to be part of a "catch up group" to be in regular contact. It's totally optional, and it's just something that we've initiated to keep each other connected while we're physically distant from each other. Feel free to opt in or opt out.
I'll also be opening up a Zoom Room on Tuesday afternoons from 1.30-2.30pm. Some of you may have used Zoom by now and may know we ran a quick test a few weeks ago. It's essentially an online (private) video chat link. Anyone with the link can jump in and you can see and hear everyone else. Think of this as our "virtual sharing time". (See the attached PDF called Zoom Meeting. It will explain how Zoom works.) To join our Zoom Room, click on this link this Tuesday just before 1.30pm: https://zoom.us/j/5921551642?pwd=S2l6SzRBTWoyY1RXcE9SR21GYk54QT09
We need to stay connected with our community. I believe we have an opportunity here to bring something wonderful to our community - a sense of strength and shared value, of creativity and passion, something that reminds our community that we'll get through this together. This is where I want your creativity! What do you think we can give our community in this time and how could we do it? A couple of ideas to get you thinking:
We could share with our community how we are staying busy in this time, or something we've learnt in this time, and collate a few stories into a video or blog
We could record some little video encouragements for our community
We could take the opportunity to write some cards for everyone who has supported us as a choir so far and post them once the lockdown finishes
We could share "good news" stories via email or Facebook. All just ideas, and I'd love to hear yours. Get your "thinking caps" on - and let's dream!
That's all from me today folks. A long one - but I hope that helps you to know where we are going together over the weeks and months ahead.
We are all in this together and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Stay safe, wash your hands. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.
All my love
Johanna