“Sharing Our Faith in a Time of Social Distancing”
Our Redeemer Church, Garden Grove, Calif. (project site)
Evangelism does not generally come easily to mainline churches, so this three-week workshop series sought to take evangelism strategies used by more evangelical churches, researched through numerous interviews, and apply them in an ELCA context. The COVID stay-at-home orders brought new challenges and opportunities to evangelism efforts. Even as people were physically cut off from each other, the thirst for connection and community grew. Through Bible study, discussion and storytelling, this workshop series strove to turn away from aggressive, weaponized evangelism strategies toward a relational, flexible and respectful approach to sharing our faith in the midst of turbulent circumstances.
Jennifer Garcia, M. Div., Graduate
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif.
Jennifer completed her final-year internship at Our Redeemer Church in Garden Grove, California, after three years of coursework at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley. She has been approved as a candidate for ordained ministry in the ELCA and is awaiting her first call. She grew up in Orange County, Calif., and got her bachelor’s in English at Westmont College. Before seminary, she served as executive assistant and accounts payable at the Orange County Conservation Corps. A year ago, she married a professor and debate coach named Eric, and they live in La Mirada, Calif. Eric’s little black cat, Faith, has kindly accepted Jennifer into her family.
