Many churches “stream” their worship services live over the internet or make them available for viewing and downloading later. But Durham’s fast-growing newhope church has taken all that a step further.
“We like to consider it an actual third campus,” says newhope Director of Marketing Emily Barahona, referring to the church’s new iCampus.
Each Sunday when the church is open for its regular “worship celebrations,” the iCampus is open as well. People log on and can see the complete service, including the sermon, music, and announcements. But they also have the opportunity to submit prayer requests online, give their tithes and offerings, and to chat with other online worshipers.
“There's always a newhope host who is (online) to lead the chat,” says Barahona. “Sometimes people speak to each other -- not just to the host. We encourage that. We kind of think of it as our virtual community, because people get to fellowship and worship together in that environment.”
And even the most sacred of Christian rituals, Holy Communion, is shared via the internet. “We encourage them to take juice or wine and bread when we do have Communion (while they’re viewing) online. So it really is their church experience, even though it's at the computer.”
The 9-year-old newhope has its main campus in Durham, with a second campus in Garner. Named last year one of the ten fastest growing churches in the nation, the Fayetteville Road church is known for its contemporary music and casual atmosphere. Newhope started its iCampus last October, averaging about 70 online viewers each Sunday and a smaller audience during the church’s Thursday night service. “iCampers,” as they’re called, can use Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to keep up with church happenings -- and each other -- during the week.
“The congregation loves it,” Barahona told me. “Our initial purpose was just as a gift to our members and our regular attenders so that they can continue to worship with us even if they're traveling or sick at home.” But she says the iCampus also allows curious non-members to see what newhope is like before they actually visit in person.
Which begs the question: if all this can be done so easily online, might it discourage folks from actually going to the church in the first place?
“We actually address that on our website,” Barahona says. “The iCampus is by no means to replace worshipping at newhope. It’s better for them to be in the community surrounded by people who are also going through the same thing that they are, so we do encourage people to come to the church. But it does serve a purpose when you can't make it, or to reach people who have never experienced newhope.
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Four Triangle churches are teaming up for a “Great Day of Service” on Saturday, April 16th. University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, Duke Memorial UMC in Durham, Lystra Baptist in Chapel Hill, and the LDS Church on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Chapel Hill will do various projects in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties that day. Nearly four dozen locations are on the list for work projects.
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Pope Benedict the XVI is the star of a new manga-style comic book. Habemus Papam! (“We have a Pope!”) is being produced in advance of the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day in August, and tells the life story of German-born pontiff. More about the comic book at this link.
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Non-theists have begun a billboard campaign in North Carolina. News Anchor Frances Scott reported the story for Eyewitness News.
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