3 minute read
Department NEWS
By Eric L. Ollila Communication/IT/Media Director, Alberta Conference
RECAP OR VIRTUAL CAMP MEETING
Alberta Conference's Reflecting the Shepherd Virtual Camp Meeting 2020 Provided a Full Week of Spiritual Engagement During COVID-19 Crisis
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020
Every year at Foothills Camp and Retreat Centre, thousands of families gather together in one place to connect with friends, family, and faith, but this year, that changed. We cancelled the traditional Alberta Conference Camp Meeting due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In its place, Alberta Conference Virtual Camp Meeting: Reflecting the Shepherd (July 17–25, 2020) was introduced.
The event was streamed on every central platform, including YouTube, Facebook Live, Vimeo/Livestream, and its website, albertavirtualcampmeeting.ca.
Alberta Conference Virtual Camp Meeting featured children, youth, and adult programs, including morning and evening devotionals, concerts, interactive prayer meetings, weekly Sabbath School classes, and worship.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the event was the enormous collaborative, cooperative effort it took to successfully pull the event off. Over 250 individuals served in various areas, including production, planning, support, or participating with music, singing, or speaker presenting. The Virtual Camp Meeting highlighted a vast array of talent from every corner of our conference, including the Northwest Territories and Alberta. And as several attendees remarked, it empowered local pastors and highlighted local church talent.
On YouTube alone, during the week of July 17–25, there were 111,238 impressions made, with 24,843 program views on 5,393 unique devices and 4.6 views per device. Those figures do not consider viewers from Facebook live, Vimeo/Livestream, or those who engaged in the interactive Zoom meetings. Nor does it encompass all the additional viewers who were watching programs from shared devices.
With 8,399 family units and 12,212 members in the Alberta Conference (as per the date of this writing), it is not far-fetched to assume roughly 64% of the Alberta Conference membership's family units were reached through Virtual Camp Meeting on YouTube during that week. Considering what would have happened if we had cancelled the traditional Camp Meeting and didn't offer the alternative virtual option, it seems the initiative was a worthwhile endeavour.
Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic and its corresponding isolation of members from one another, Alberta Conference Virtual Camp Meeting provided a spiritual retreat for many during a global health and financial crisis. And all of its programs remain available for viewing to this day online.
If you'd like to be blessed by the fantastic programs provided, please visit us at albertavirtualcampmeeting.ca.
YOUTUBE - JULY 17–25, 2020
Impressions Made 111,238
Program Views 24,843
Unique Devices 5,393
Views Per Device 4.6
On YouTube alone, during the week of July 17–25, there were 111,238 impressions made, with 24,843 program views on 5,393 unique devices and 4.6 views per device. Those figures do not consider viewers from Facebook live, Vimeo/Livestream, or those who engaged in the interactive Zoom meetings. Nor does it encompass all the additional viewers who were watching programs from shared devices.
With 8,399 family units and 12,212 members in the Alberta Conference (as per the date of this writing), it is not far-fetched to assume roughly 64% of the Alberta Conference membership's family units were reached through Virtual Camp Meeting on YouTube during that week. Considering what would have happened if we had cancelled the traditional Camp Meeting and didn't offer the alternative virtual option, it seems the initiative was a worthwhile endeavour.
Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic and its corresponding isolation of members from one another, Alberta Conference Virtual Camp Meeting provided a spiritual retreat for many during a global health and financial crisis. And all of its programs remain available for viewing to this day online.
If you'd like to be blessed by the fantastic programs provided, please visit us at albertavirtualcampmeeting.ca.
