How We're Moving Forward
Community. That single word has been the driving force behind everything Restored has done since its inception. We need it. We crave it. We can’t do without it. Even in a pandemic.
OK, especially in a pandemic.
“Community” has become a bit of a buzzword since the pandemic began. It seems the world recently realized what was revealed to us long ago - without community, we wither.
And, in all honesty, it’s not easy to cultivate community for working moms, y’all. Even outside of COVID-induced isolation, working moms are hard to reach - and that was true well before COVID became a household word. We’re distracted. We’re time-strapped. We’re over-committed. We’re under-resourced…and the list goes on. We have so many personal barriers to building community for ourselves that when true community comes along, it’s tough to recognize. But that doesn’t change the fact that we still desperately need it. It’s important to gather, to relate and to feel…well…restored.
As a community, we work really hard to meet moms where they are. That’s why we create markets you want to shop at, cover topics you want to hear about, discuss the Bible in relevant ways, and host at locations that deliver an experience rather than just a space.
It’s also why we offered virtual options for our Table Talk speaker series throughout the pandemic. We needed to meet you, commune with you, right where you were. But here’s the truth: offering a virtual option for Table Talks made me grumpy - the extravert in me wants to see you, hug you, laugh with you and hear about your mom journey…in person. BUT I also know that moms like you and me NEED an alternative virtual offering that allows you to engage with Restored when your kids are sick, when your spouse travels, when you’re in quarantine, when you can’t leave the office on time and all the other reasons it’s hard for working moms to gather.
I know what you must be thinking…”Why the long post about virtual offerings when you’ve been doing it for the past year?” Good question, friends! Here’s the deal: we offered virtual content out of necessity, not out of strategic business planning. The mindset was temporary survival rather than strategic solution. And that’s what’s changing.
We want to meet you where you are. Continuously.
Moving forward, even past the pandemic, Restored will continue to offer virtual components to our programing where it benefits moms and creates inroads to fortifying community. We will continue virtual Bible studies. We will continue virtual Table Talks. We will continue virtual coffee chats - not because we have to, but because we want to. For you.
Plus, Restored has grown exponentially throughout COVID times, and virtual content helps us meet an entirely new audience of moms throughout the U.S. who also want to engage with Christ-centered career women.
That said, I want to set some expectations:
We will not do this smoothly. At least, not at first. Please continue to show us grace as we fumble.
Check the box. If an in-person event is offered virtually, there will be a checkbox on the registration form. Check it and you’re good to go. If you don’t see it, it’s not offered virtually.
You get to be tardy. Virtual-only events will start on time. However, when we host an in-person event with a virtual option, we will not start the virtual component at the same time. It will always start at least 15 minutes later. This allows in-person attendees time to grab a drink, get settled and mingle…all things our virtual attendees would likely be annoyed waiting for, which is why you get a late pass!
You get to check out early. Since I’m easily distracted and want to be present for everyone, we will handle all Q&As from virtual attendees first. We will then move to the in-person attendee Q&A so that I don’t feel like I’m bouncing back and forth…I’m old and my brain just can’t handle it! For our virtual friends, that means you get those questions in the chat box early! You can log off when your questions are answered, or you can listen to the in-person questions, but we likely will not re-engage the online audience once their Q&A time is wrapped up.
No free passes. Virtual events will cost the same as in-person events every single time. It takes time, effort and resources to plan, execute and engage no matter how you attend, so we have to charge for that. Trust me, I’d give you all free passes if I could!
I’m certain there are other expectations I should set, but I just don’t know what I don’t know yet. THANK YOU for making this community of working moms something that others want to be part of. God is doing big things, as usual, and I’m thankful to watch Him work alongside of you!