If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.

C.S. Lewis

Gathered Elsewhere

This is a study of online fellowship - an effort to understand what genuine hospitality looks like when a screen, not a building or a handshake, is the point of welcome, and to give congregations practical ideas for extending it. Part field guide, part conversation, this space considers what elements make hybrid worship feel inclusive, and honestly reflects on whether it does. To explore this, I visit four online churches a week, stepping into diverse virtual spaces to see what makes people feel at home, no matter where their digital pew happens to be. I'm also talking with churches and individuals about online community, and letting those conversations be generative.

Mission Statement

Gathered Elsewhere helps the church see digital worship not as a diminished substitute for the sanctuary, but as a valid, vital expression of Christian fellowship. Through weekly practice and research with congregations doing this well, we identify what genuine hospitality looks like when a screen is the point of welcome, and give congregations practical ways to extend that welcome to everyone in their digital pews.

Where This Project Is Going

When you tell people you are visiting four different churches online every single week, the next question is often: "Why?"

The honest answer? I am letting God lead me on this journey.

I didn't start this project with a five-year plan or a set destination in mind. It started on Christmas Eve, up late, battling anxiety and thinking about my faith. I felt called to try something new: a personal exploration of how grace, fellowship, and radical inclusion can be experienced anywhere, even from a digital pew.

Because the call itself was undefined, this still feels like a seed. I'm at peace letting God tend the garden.

That said, as I sit in my digital pew week after week, gathering observations, the vision is starting to bloom. Depending on the path God lays out, I can see this project growing in a few directions:

  • Blog Posts & Expanded Online Resources. Translating weekly observations into blog posts and a growing resource section for churches, with room to invite others in the field to broaden the conversation.
  • Speaking Engagements. Stepping out from behind the screen to share these stories, trends, and insights at conferences, workshops, or gatherings, online or in person.
  • A Podcast. A conversational, storytelling podcast that steps inside the screens of faith communities across the country. Not a tech show about expensive cameras and unaffordable gear, but an exploration of how sacred space gets forged online, a living research lab of ideas for anyone hoping to foster genuine fellowship in their own digital community.
  • Consulting. Partnering with congregations navigating the digital landscape, looking at their streams not just as a technical setup but through the lens of true human connection, offering heart-centered guidance on how to make a remote viewer feel like a deeply valued part of the community.

Maybe all of these things will happen. But there's an equally beautiful alternative: maybe only some of them will. This project is for you - and also for me, a quiet, intentional space to heal my spirit and broaden my horizons. Hopefully, someone who needs it will find this site and use it to reconsider and improve their own online engagement.

And honestly? That's more than enough. If you choose to follow along, my hope is that it broadens your horizons too.