Online Services and interviews
Harry & Margot in Lockdown
Online content tends to disappear very quickly, so here gathered together for second viewing or for those who missed them first time round, are the 25+ YouTube films/services made by Harry and Margot from mid March. They have averaged much the same number of views as the total congregation across all the normal Sunday services in the benefice. (It is only slightly lower than the diocesan dashboard figure for 2016, the last year recorded.) But bear in mind that YouTube counts a viewing as anything over 30 seconds... While someone getting up and leaving a service in church after 30 seconds would probably not be counted as attending!
Also, many of these films have the extra attraction of the people being interviewed, so at least some of the view figures are likely to be friends and relatives watching the interview sections.
In all, a very worthwhile experiment, but by no means providing conclusive evidence for online films being the way forward now the churches can again host both priest-led and lay-led services.
Easter Sunday 4th April 2021
Sunday 28th March 2021
Sunday 21st March 2021
Online Services and interviews
'Harry (and Margot)' in Lockdown
Online content tends to disappear very quickly, so here gathered together for second viewing (and, of course, for those who missed them first time round), are all 50 of the films/services made by Harry MacInnes and Margot Hodson over the last year from mid March 2020 onwards, and originally posted to YouTube.
Congratulations to all concerned for this experiment, and it will be interesting to see what part on-line content might play as churches can again host both priest-led and lay-led services in person.
The 'views' have averaged about 60-70% of the combined congregation across normal Sunday services in the benefice during pre-coronavirus times, and a much smaller percentage for holiday (ie Christmas Eve / Christmas Day) services. (One should also bear in mind that YouTube counts a 'viewing' as anything over 30 seconds... Whereas someone dodging in and out of a church service for 30 seconds would not really count as attending!)
Some of these films (especially the earlier ones) include interesting interviews (mostly with local people), which are likely to have attracted extra viewers. The excellent participation of the Benefice Choir has also added to the films' attractions.
Just flick through the films until you see one you like one, and click 'play'
Easter Sunday 4th April 2021
Sunday 28th March 2021
Sunday 21st March 2021
Viewing figures
The orange line on the graph below plots the YouTube viewer figures. The four apparently anomalously high figures (10th and 24th May, 23rd August, and 29th November 2020) might reflect particular viewer interest in a Benefice Choir Zoom sequence, interviews with a keeper at CWP and a garden historian from the National Trust, and an environmental theme chiming with JRI and other personnel-related audiences.
Viewer figures for the films/services on 29th March and 12th April 2020 are not available.
The blue line indicates combined average adult Sunday attendance in 2016, although attendance at 'holiday' services (eg Christmas) is much higher. (From the Diocesan dashboard.)
The graph is updated to 28th March 2021.