Church takes cue from breakfast radio in tough times

In uncertain times, many people turn to their church for guidance. This Moorooka congregation has started a YouTube podcast to help them learn from the Bible.

Minister Geoff Tacon outside Moorooka Presbyterian Church, which has started Sunday morning podcasts for the community to connect and keep in touch. Picture: AAP/John Gass

A southside church has taken inspiration from talkback radio to support and keep the community in touch, and to continue learning about Jesus together from the Bible.

Moorooka Presbyterian Church last Sunday began podcasts, which will go live every Sunday at 9.30am from now on, so its community could still feel a sense of belonging but stay safe.

Minister Geoff Tacon said he got the idea after going into the ABC studio at South Bank last year to talk about a story in City South News on the restarting of the Moorooka Church.

Mr Tacon and two or three other Moorooka members will give Bible readings, prayers, deliver teachings and read out community news.

“We usually get about 60 people on a Sunday, many families with children,’’ he said.

“Last Sunday’s podcast was well received. We had 130 views but some of those would have been by whole households.

“We talk to each other, like radio hosts do on breakfast shows, so people get that feeling of being in touch.

“We need to balance community care and spiritual care, and considering this (coronavirus measures) will be going on for months, we thought this was a good way to ensure continuity.

“People can gather online and keep caring for each other spiritually and emotionally.’’

The first podcast contains a 20 second message and the 56 minute (service) from last Sunday — we’ll add more as we go along.’’

The church has blended innovation, such as podcasting sermons, which began last year, and holding question and answer sessions at the end of sermons, alongside a simple focus on prayer and teaching the gospel of Jesus from the Bible.

So, the new breakfast radio-style podcast was not such a big jump.

But they wanted to keep it as easy to use as possible for any in the community who were not tech savvy, which was why they decided on a YouTube podcast.

Check out the podcast here

Check out the welcome message here