Communicating your church's story in 2013 and beyond

Panel discussionOn November 3, 2012, the Massachusetts Conference Commission on Communication sponsored an event for church leaders from across the Conference.  The event was titled Who Do WE Say We Are? and revolved around the following:

Who do people in your community think your church is? Christian fundamentalists? Those nice folks who have ham and bean suppers? A place for Christmas and Easter, weddings and funerals?

To reach people in your community, your church must be clear about who you are. What is your mission? What do you believe? Once you know your story, you can begin to tell it – clearly and consistently through a wide variety of communication channels.

The following resources from that event are available here for your use.

Audio Recordings:

Mp3Morning Panel Presentation
featuring Ann Poston, Kimberly Knight, Peter Wells and Jon Geldert

Mp3Morning Workshop #1 Step 1: Knowing Your Audience. Step 2: Crafting the Message
 By Ann Poston, Director of Publishing, Identity and Communications, United Church of Christ 

mp3 Moring Workshop #2: How to create community (not market share) via Facebook
  By Kimberly Knight, Social Media Consultant, Center for Progressive Renewal

Mp3Morning Workshop #3: Your Web Site - Tips and Tools for Developing a Robust Web Ministry
By Jon Geldert, Communications Committee Chair, Old South Church in Boston

Mp3

Afternoon Workshop #6: Who are we and how do we tell our story?
By Peter Wells, Associate Conference Minister, and Joseph Lima, Social Media Consultant 

mp3Afternoon Workshop #7: How to Integrate Communication within Church Boards
By Ken Chaulk and Mike Pierce, Wellesley Village Congregational Church, UCC

Presentations:

LINK: How to create community via Facebook
By Kimberly Knight, Social Media Consultant, Center for Progressive Renewal
 

Text:

PDFWendy Vander Hart's sermon: The New Normal
 

Photos:

See a photo gallery of the event 

 

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages … on the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”    Mark 8:27-29