Comments on: New Media and Outreach http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/ Loyal Radicals Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:21:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tara Eastman http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/comment-page-1/#comment-1093 Tara Eastman Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:07:39 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/#comment-1093 In the last six months I've tried to encourage and introduce several aspects of "new media" to the Westminster community in Lakewood NY as well as in our outreach events outside of the worship location. We've opened our website (www.wpccomunity.org), we've added ppt and some video elements to our casual service, Facebook has become a point of communication and contact for our people. While it is important to understand that there are some members in our churches that don't have email or aren't comfortable bouncing around in blogs and websites ( and to be sure we keep contact and conversation in less "tech' ways for them) it is a leadership responsibility to encourage contact via the new media methods as well. In most cases, after a few attempts to encourage people to give online communication a try, they do and in most cases really enjoy it. As for specifically using new media as a tool for evangelism, I would say it is a great method of increasing visitation, conversation and invitation to events geared to those people that are not yet involved in a church community. Our church recently began a once a month Artists Share at our local Arts Council Studio where local artists and community members are invited to come and share their creative projects. Most of the invitation to this event occurs via Facebook. Both members of our fellowship and new faces are showing up at this event on a monthly basis and we're getting to know each other - face to face. It's a long mission process, but new media can be a very handy tool in the outreach to current and potential community members. Tara In the last six months I’ve tried to encourage and introduce several aspects of “new media” to the Westminster community in Lakewood NY as well as in our outreach events outside of the worship location. We’ve opened our website (www.wpccomunity.org), we’ve added ppt and some video elements to our casual service, Facebook has become a point of communication and contact for our people. While it is important to understand that there are some members in our churches that don’t have email or aren’t comfortable bouncing around in blogs and websites ( and to be sure we keep contact and conversation in less “tech’ ways for them) it is a leadership responsibility to encourage contact via the new media methods as well. In most cases, after a few attempts to encourage people to give online communication a try, they do and in most cases really enjoy it.

As for specifically using new media as a tool for evangelism, I would say it is a great method of increasing visitation, conversation and invitation to events geared to those people that are not yet involved in a church community. Our church recently began a once a month Artists Share at our local Arts Council Studio where local artists and community members are invited to come and share their creative projects. Most of the invitation to this event occurs via Facebook. Both members of our fellowship and new faces are showing up at this event on a monthly basis and we’re getting to know each other – face to face.

It’s a long mission process, but new media can be a very handy tool in the outreach to current and potential community members.
Tara

]]> By: Bruce Reyes-Chow http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/comment-page-1/#comment-1088 Bruce Reyes-Chow Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:16:48 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/#comment-1088 There are a variety of ways that we have used new media for all kinds of things: group blogs, facebook groups, videocasts, podcasts, etc. the best outreach tool we have had has been via the reviews we received on Yelp.com. Our church is the #1 rated religious community in San Francisco. While it is a small but mighty demographic this is one of the primary ways young urban hipster types find their resources. Yelp combined with our google juice and my blog, I would say about 95% of the visitor we get have made a connection with us even before stepping through our doors. You can see the Yelp stuff at: http://www.yelp.com/c/sf/religiousorgs There are a variety of ways that we have used new media for all kinds of things: group blogs, facebook groups, videocasts, podcasts, etc. the best outreach tool we have had has been via the reviews we received on Yelp.com. Our church is the #1 rated religious community in San Francisco. While it is a small but mighty demographic this is one of the primary ways young urban hipster types find their resources. Yelp combined with our google juice and my blog, I would say about 95% of the visitor we get have made a connection with us even before stepping through our doors. You can see the Yelp stuff at: http://www.yelp.com/c/sf/religiousorgs

]]> By: matt johnson http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/comment-page-1/#comment-1087 matt johnson Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:59:58 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/#comment-1087 Drew, I appreciate your desire to move toward more active relationship through media versus passive. That is (one of) my biggest hesitations with bringing new media into the worship service itself--it tends to increase a passive/entertainment dynamic instead of an engaged/participatory dynamic. I wish I could help you with best practices suggestions...the web component of my church community (a redevelopment project that I arrived at 7 months ago) is very minimal. However, one of my elders had an idea for the future that we make a podcast of my sermon, but instead of just giving the whole sermon, it could be a few key snippets with a couple of people commenting, inserting their own questions or life stories. So listening the podcast would be be a quite different experience and have a different purpose than the original sermon. Perhaps these podcast dialogs could then be used as a basis for midweek small groups? Who knows, it's all hypothetical, but maybe it gives you another avenue for brainstorming. Matt Drew,

I appreciate your desire to move toward more active relationship through media versus passive. That is (one of) my biggest hesitations with bringing new media into the worship service itself–it tends to increase a passive/entertainment dynamic instead of an engaged/participatory dynamic.

I wish I could help you with best practices suggestions…the web component of my church community (a redevelopment project that I arrived at 7 months ago) is very minimal. However, one of my elders had an idea for the future that we make a podcast of my sermon, but instead of just giving the whole sermon, it could be a few key snippets with a couple of people commenting, inserting their own questions or life stories. So listening the podcast would be be a quite different experience and have a different purpose than the original sermon. Perhaps these podcast dialogs could then be used as a basis for midweek small groups? Who knows, it’s all hypothetical, but maybe it gives you another avenue for brainstorming.

Matt

]]> By: Drew Ludwig http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/comment-page-1/#comment-1086 Drew Ludwig Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:50:16 +0000 http://presbymergent.org/2007/12/03/new-media-and-outreach/#comment-1086 Our use of new media is growing with new worshipers. The established community--not so much. Our use of new media is growing with new worshipers. The established community–not so much.

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