Description
This article helps congregations evaluate the integration of their physical and digital spaces with their congregation’s overall mission and vision. Author Cynthia Cradduck argues that this alignment can be especially important for congregations that launched live-streaming and digital options during the pandemic and need to refine those options as members increasingly transition back to in-person or hybrid participation.
The term phygital combines physical and digital to emphasize that these two types of congregational experiences should be connected. In a phygital congregation, people feel a sense of togetherness and transcendence, whether they visit the congregation in-person or digitally. To help congregations achieve this feeling, the article explains guiding principles for designing hybrid worship experiences. The article also provides a framework for seeing a congregation’s digital presence and physical spaces as integrated even when people experience those environments separately. For example, just as a congregation’s online worship might provide a welcoming experience, the congregation should think about the way its lobby reflects and deepens that welcoming experience in-person.
Features
- Audio widget that reads the article aloud
- Case studies of congregations designed for phygital culture
Recommended Audience
building committees, clergy and lay leaders, facility managers
Cost
Free
Practical Applications
- Compare and contrast your congregation’s online worship streaming experience with the guidelines outlined in the article to develop criteria for improvement.
- Read about congregations designed for phygital culture to get inspiration for aligning digital and in-person experiences in your congregation.
About the Contributor
