A 17-year-old member of the worshipping community at Emmanuel Network Church (ENC) is helping to reshape the church’s worship and communications. Zach Callaghan has been volunteering his creative media skills to strengthen ENC’s digital presence, by upgrading their in-service visuals and revitalising their social media.
“I was inspired to get involved with the work I’m doing at ENC when I first arrived at the church,” Zach said. “There weren’t any specialist people who were able to design or operate special tech in relation to using a visual screen. I felt a calling for me to take on that role and build a better system.”
Zach began by trialling improved in-service visuals at a community Christmas concert. After encouragement from the then vicar, he rolled out the changes for weekly services and now leads ongoing upgrades to equipment and software, making systems more effective and user-friendly while drawing on ideas from other churches and his own research.
He has also trained members of the worshipping community to operate the systems and is keen to grow the team.
“I’ve trained up the other two digital operators, and I’m looking to get other younger people involved. It’s just a small team at the moment but I’m slowly building their confidence. I’ve found that being open to new ideas and new ways of thinking, and having patience is key to teaching people new concepts. Letting them make their own mistakes is important.”
Zach has also taken on management of ENC’s Facebook, Instagram, and website. He designs graphics, produces short videos, and captures church life through photography, which features in rolling pre-service slides and posters, banners and flyers.
“I try to engage people in a friendly, accessible way, differentiating what content goes out on Instagram and Facebook, as we have very different audiences for both,” he said. “For example, Instagram is more for younger audiences, so I keep the tone more informal and warmly welcoming. However, on both platforms, I’ve found that videos are a great way to show what’s happening and encourage people to get involved.”
Zach is also actively seeking to involve more young people in the life of the church, helping to encourage youth worship experiences, and taking photos of events like social nights and weekend retreats for social media.
“The way people engage with God is different for everyone,” he said. “For example, my engagement with God comes from hearing people’s testimonies and through worship sessions. Especially for young people, I think worship sessions are an effective way of helping them connect with God.”
Tim Callaghan, churchwarden at ENC and Zach’s dad, said: “I’ve been so impressed by Zach’s initiative to do this work for ENC. He’s seen a need for a change in their digital operations, and you can see the benefits of those improvements.
“I think it’s so important for churches to give young people some more responsibility. It’s key really, because young people are the future, and it’s crucial that they are given the opportunities to take leadership, and feel empowered to do so.”
Zach hopes to pursue a career in creative media, currently studying for A-levels in Graphic Communications, Photography, and Digital Media. “Alongside my studies, I feel well supported and empowered by our current vicar, Adrian Beere, who is very forward thinking. I’m already exploring future developments, like having big visual changes to improve accessibility and experiences,” Zach said.
The Revd Adrian Beere, Vicar at ENC, said: “Zach is fantastic. He brings everything he’s learning at college, his creativity, and his latest ideas straight into the life of the church, and it’s been transformational for us. We’re benefiting from new technologies and fresh approaches that have really enhanced our worship and communications.
“We’re delighted to see this work happening, it’s exactly the kind of investment we should be making as a church – building up our young people’s confidence and skills. At the same time, the church provides a space for Zach to test and grow his skills, which is great for his development. He’s an absolute asset, and it’s great to have him.”
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