Effectively Using Electronic Communication Technology

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Effectively Using Electronic Communication
Technology
05.01.01
5/13/02
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Lets talk about...

• Available technology
• Why might you want it
• Most worthwhile things to pursue
• Management and planning issues

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Whats Available?

• Public web site
• Intranet and extranet sites
• E-mail, including broadcast
• Web browsing
• Telephone and voice mail
• Sound systems, presentations

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Why?

• Marketing and outreach
• Good communication (e.g., parents)
• Enhance liturgies?
• Virtual worship?

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Virtual Worship?

• Broadcast e-mail? (e.g., daily meditation)
• Virtual retreat?
• ?

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Technology in Liturgy?

• Traditional sound and music systems
• Video?
• Display of hymn lyrics?
• Presentation technology for homilies?
• Remote or after-the-fact text, audio, or video
  on web?

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Challenges

• The digital divide and our emphasis on
  reaching lost sheep, rather than those who were
  never lost
• Reaching 25-49 demographic
• Slow adopters among existing staff

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Consider a Church Leader Who...

• Talks a lot, great ideas, and...
• Has excellent preaching skills, but
• Never put things in writing
• Seemingly no office skills
• Prefers working with people outdoors
• When in church, often creates disruptions

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Suggested Strategies

• Avoid planning essential ministries with the
  assumption that all the faithful now have
  technology access, and
• Dont limit new outreach efforts only to the
  technology gifted, but...
• Be aggressive in technology implementation with
  staff, if you can mandate access

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Most Worthwhile Priorities?

• Develop own web site
• Maintain archmil.org site
• E-mail and browsing for all staff
• Telephone menus, all on voice mail
• E-mail news?

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Management and Planning Issues

• Web site developer
• Web site maintainer
• Web site hosting firm
• Custom web site or package provider
• Obtaining e-mail IDs for all