Like a scene from The Avengers, six digital ministers and their fearless leaders descended upon Atlanta. Their mission? To share experiences, tips, tricks, and more to make each other stronger, faster, and even more tech-savvy. Who are they? The Senior Digital Ministry Fellows of Convergence.
Convergence’s fellowship program started in the mind of Rev. Jim Keat, the original pioneer of digital ministry currently serving at Riverside Church in New York. The program is being supported by Convergence (formerly The Center for Progressive Renewal). Their goal is to support the work of progressive church leaders who are imagining a future for the church online. The six fellows meet monthly as a group and have one-on-one chats throughout the month. Recently we had a retreat in Atlanta, which was the first time we had met in person. Each fellow is invited to create courses and write articles for Convergence to share their expertise. (If you have any topics you would love to see addressed let me know!)
Earlier this year, Rev. Jim Keat invited me to be a Senior Digital Ministry Fellow. Every project and conference Jim has asked me to contribute to has been a great experience. Convergence has been great to work for in the past too. They do a wonderful job creating spaces for learning from experts and trailblazers. I knew this would be another incredible experience, especially as Our Tapestry (the new worshiping community I lead) sets a foundation for growth.
The group of Senior Digital Ministry Fellows has pastors serving small congregations and experimenting with translating their congregation’s strengths to the digital world (Rev. Brandon Robertson and Rev. Timoth Sylvia). There is the scholarly one earning a Ph.D. in ethics focusing on the church and digital spaces (Daniella Hobbs). The nerds, geeks, and gamers are represented by their pastor (Rev. Nathan Webb). We have a writer who can make even the heaviest topics approachable (Rev. Ashley Dargai). I bring my knowledge of making digital content and building community through digital spaces.
The week of our retreat we spent time making content, talking about why we do digital ministry, the 14+ platforms we are using for our ministries, and generally geeked out on all the cool ideas we have and finding ways to make them a reality. We also recorded a dozen conversations for the 2023 Digital Ministry Summit. The summit is FREE and the daily conversations will be sent out November 13-16. Every conversation we recorded blew me away. We talked about practical applications of digital ministry to help leaders get started or level up their digital ministry. We also had theological discussions about digital ethics, our responsibility to proclaim the Gospel, and what Jesus would do to combat online trolls. If it’s not clear yet, I believe every church leader should register for this FREE resource.
The time I spend with these brilliant colleagues energizes me and empowers me to have the courage to give even my wild ideas a try. I’m also reminded of how thankful I am for the generosity and support of the Denver Presbytery. You have blessed me and every Our Tapestry member in a way that most digital ministries dream of. Creating sacred digital spaces where any question can be asked and everyone is affirmed by God’s love has a bigger impact when its partners give support like you do.
Thank You,
Rev. Bethany Peerbolte
Bethany is an Incubator Leader in Denver Presbytery and leads an online, New Worshiping Community called Our Tapestry. Check it out here.