CREATIVITY IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC

It’s hard to imagine that anyone ever disbelieved that connection on the internet wasn’t real connection. Look at all the believers now. That’s what a pandemic can do for creativity.

All of us are going to be stretched in ways we haven’t been stretched before. When will we get back to normal? Experts say we should get used to the idea that there isn’t going to be a quick fix for the pandemic. But already there are creatives putting their abilities to work to get us through this crisis.

Hand Sanitizer Distillery

March 20th, West of the 5th opened their doors for the first time ever and the distillery’s first product was – Hand Sanitizer. West of the 5th is operated by family members associated with a congregation I serve as pastor.

They joined many distilleries in producing a suddenly in-demand item. The product wasn’t for sale. They offered a responsible amount per person. Donations for the food bank or cash for more bottles so we can supply to people in need is welcome.

Did You Hear The Online Explosion?

Go back to Friday March 13th. Most Canadian churches saw online church as a good idea – for someone else’s church. Maybe one day they would invest some time in online but creating onsite worship experiences occupied their creativity.

And then a pandemic came along and everyone was forced to pivot. And pivot they did. An extraordinary amount of energy in a small window of adjustment resulted in an explosion of online services that threatened to break the internet.

On Sunday March 29th at least 80 of Alberta’s PAOC churches were online using Livestream, YouTube, Facebook Premiere and more. They joined dozens of thousands of churches finding their online legs. The great news is the good news is reaching more people now that church buildings are shut down than ever before.

Zooming is Booming

If you weren’t on Zoom before isolation I bet you’ve been on at least one Zoom call in the last two weeks. And you’ll probably kick yourself for not buying into Zoom stock two weeks ago – the price doubled in a week going from $80/share to over $171.

Zoom is the leader in video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems.

I’ve averaged four hours a day zooming with a group or individuals.

Everyday I host a 15-minute weekday ZOOM call at 8:00am. You’re invited. I call it Fearless Love because that’s what we need at this time. Join a call using this link.

Mental Wellness Tips For Quarantine

Dr. Eileen M. Feliciano’s online advice went viral two weeks into the pandemic in America. She is Doctor of Psychology practicing in NYS, one of the epicentres of the pandemic.

“Embrace the “both/and” of this pandemic. In complicated emotional situations, we can often feel a mix of emotions, and they can sometimes be paradoxical. This experience will bring forth both hope and despair, darkness and light, fear and boredom, isolation and connection, depletion and gratitude…the list goes on.”

Read more here…17 Mental Health Wellness Tips For Quarantine

Pluto Breaks the Internet

NJ Wight’s creation zoomed to over 1.5 million views and 30,000 subscribers in a few days. If you haven’t heard from Pluto – or even if you have – give a listen to the video that started the craze.

What Isaac Newton Discovered In Quarantine

In 1665, “social distancing” orders emptied campuses throughout England, as the bubonic plague raged, killing 100,000 people (roughly one-quarter of London’s population), in just 18 months. A 24-year-old student from Trinity College, Cambridge was among those forced to leave campus and return indefinitely to his childhood home.

 

His name was Isaac Newton and his time at home during the epidemic would be called his “year of wonders.”

 

Away from university life, and unbounded by curriculum constraints and professor’s whims, Newton dove into discovery.

Well With My Soul

I leave you with one of my creative favorites. Ten Two Six Music Group released a video showing 31 Nashville studio vocalists in a virtual choir singing It Is Well. Over 1.4 million people viewed the video in the next five days.

Enjoy and be well.

APPLICATION: What have you learned, read or discovered through this time? Join the conversation and leave a comment below. Thank you.

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