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Ministry among millennials: Clarifying communications

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

By Jason Evans

[Episcopal Diocese of Washington] This blog is part of a series on ministry with young adults that the Episcopal Diocese of Washington is featuring in May.

The Gospel, or Good News of God, is all about communication. In “The Baptismal Covenant” in The Book of Common Prayer we read the following:

Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People: I will, with God’s help.

In our worship, we declare the good news of what God has done in the world through Jesus Christ. We communicate this Gospel in more than words. Through sights, sounds, and smells we communicate God’s redeeming work in the world. Indeed, The Book of Common Prayer is itself a testament to the Episcopal Church’s historic intent on making interaction with the Good News as widely accessible as possible.

It is with this in mind that we address the subject of communication in regards to ministry among millennials. There’s no denying that the Internet has radically changed how we communicate. In fact, there isn’t much that the Internet has not had an impact on. Reading, dating, buying and countless everyday activities are much different than were a decade ago due to the web-based tools we have access to. It is safe to assume that how we engage the Internet has impacted the local parish as well. For millennials, navigating the Internet has become second nature. In the 1500’s the Anglican tradition used the technological advances at hand–the printing press, for example–to “proclaim” or communicate the Good News. In that tradition, how might we communicate with a generation coming of age with the communication technologies available to us?

The Millennial Impact Report released in 2012 documents a study on how millennials engage with nonprofit organizations. Religious institutions are different than other philanthropic organizations. Nonetheless, the findings offer insights for those churches interested in engaging young adults. For example, the study states that 65% of Millennials prefer to learn about nonprofits through websites, 55% prefer to discover these organizations through social media, 47% prefer to find nonprofits through e-newsletters. Less than 20% of millennials connected with nonprofits through print or face-to-face communication.

This does not mean that every church needs a flashy website. In fact, websites with too much are often the least effective. What this data does tell us is that the big red doors that lead into your worship space are no longer your “front door”–your website is. If so, how might we communicate clearly the good news breaking forth in our congregations and surrounding neighborhoods?

The Rev. Kyle Oliver is the Digital Missioner for the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary. A young adult himself, Oliver said, “A church’s website ought to give a visual sense of what the parish is like.” And this can be done with simplicity and clarity. The report referred to above states, “In one glance at your website [millennials] want to know what your organization is doing, how they can participate, and how their participation helps the cause.” To communicate this does not require lots of information. But it does require that it be visually compelling–not complicated.

The Episcopal tradition prides itself on being hospitable and welcoming. Long gone are the days when a placard in our lawns was enough to communicate this truth. This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost–that miraculous moment in Christian history when the Spirit of God poured over his people and communicated the Good News of God in the language of all present. When we communicate, whether it be in a warm hug during the passing of the peace or through our websites, may we each consider how we communicate the Gospel in the “language” of those God seeks to embrace through us.

– Jason Evans is the Diocesan Young Adult Missioner with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington . Share your thoughts and reactions on Facebook.

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Episcopal News Service, May 22, 2013

Here’s to the Misfits: How Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are taking a leap of faith to create technology that makes you more human

Posted on: May 20th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers

Here’s to the Misfits

Christianity Today: How Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are taking a leap of faith to create technology that makes you more human.

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Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, News & Ideas, May 17, 2013

The iPhone killed my creativity

Posted on: April 14th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers

The iPhone killed my creativity

Brian S. Hall loves his iPhone. He takes it with him everywhere. But, as he explains at readwrite.com, he’s starting to fear it may be killing his creativity. By keeping our minds constantly engaged, the iPhone robs us of an essential element of creativity: boredom.

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Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, News & Ideas, April 11, 2013

Practicing the Pivot: The Distributive Learning Option at EDS

Posted on: April 7th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers, General, Reviews

By Joslyn Ogden Schaefer

The Distributive Learning option (DL) really chose me. I was trying to figure out how to honor my first vow of marriage to a partner whose job restricts where we live, my responsibilities as a mother of a young child, and my emerging call to ministry. EDS was the only Episcopal seminary that could accommodate my desire to keep my family living under the same roof as much as possible and receive the education and formation I will need for ordained ministry. [Watch video.]

I am the ultimate program hybrid: while continuing with DL throughout my time at EDS, I’ve also had the opportunity to live on-campus for two semesters—a result of my bishop wanting me to soak up as much of the Episcopal Church as possible. I’ve been on both sides of the screen in Simulcast classes. I’ve taken classes from my make-shift office in North Carolina, and I’ve been in the brick and mortar classroom with my colleagues beaming in from their homes or workplaces throughout the US.

My education has been enhanced by the DL experience. I’ve made contacts throughout the US and have a deeper sense of the Church’s diversity and regional variation. I’ve similarly benefited from being able to apply what I learn in class immediately to my local parish and then raise questions in the classroom based on my real life efforts. The DL presence helps EDS mitigate the insular seminary bubble that can easily emerge in an environment without frequent input from the outside world.

The bonds among DL students, in this regard, tend to be stronger than among those on-campus. EDS has numerous commuter students with other life obligations, and it is easy to take for granted neighbors you see every day. DL students, on the other hand, seem to have this deep hunger for being together, as though the monthly cohort meetings are oases that nourish the new ministerial identity that they have had the privilege to cultivate through additional education. With DL students you get the consistent sense that attending seminary is a privilege, especially for those who thought it would be impossible to attend until they discovered the DL option. That gratitude is strong and persistent and is an important aspect of the bond that holds DL students together.

As the DL program grows, I look forward for EDS to find ways of further integrating DL students into campus worship life. The liturgies I attended in person enabled me to deeply appreciate and understand the gifts and ministries of staff and faculty at EDS.

Because I was able to transfer in previous seminary credits from another institution, I will graduate this May, two years after I started at EDS. I anticipate being ordained to the transitional diaconate in June 2013 and then the priesthood the following December or January. I’d like to find work as an associate rector initially, focusing on Christian formation and ministry with the growing Latino population in North Carolina.

The ability I’ve had to immediately integrate classroom learning into real-life parishes far-removed from the comfort of Cambridge will serve me well, as I’ve already had practice pivoting between the academic world of books and the daily work of pastoring—community-building, advocacy and sacramental ministry. The DL program was ultimately not only a convenient option but also a deeply formative one.

The Distributive Learning or the DL option consists of two ten-day residencies on campus a year and participation in Fall and Spring classes with on campus students via web cam. Learn more about this study option at EDS.

Joslyn Ogden Schaefer lives with her family in Morehead City, NC. She is currently completing her field education work at St. Francis by the Sea and volunteers with various programs serving the Latino community in area. She will graduate from EDS in May 2013.

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Episcopal Divinity School, EDS This Month, April 2, 2013

The religion of innovation

Posted on: March 26th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers, Discussion

The religion of innovation

MIT Technology Review: Enough with innovation for innovation’s sake.

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Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, News & Ideas, March 20, 2013

Stewardship latest topic in growing online community

Posted on: March 11th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers, Links

By Ali Symons, General Synod Senior Editor

March 6, 2013 - A new stewardship forum is the latest addition to The Community, the Anglican Church of Canada’s growing online conversation space. Called “Growing Good Stewards,” the forum supports people who cultivate generosity—whether personally or in their parishes.

“I think frankly [stewardship] has been thought of as people having their hand out. It’s a lot more than that,” said Glen Mitchell, forum leader and director of stewardship and gift development, Diocese of New Westminster.

In a recent post, Mr. Mitchell wonders how the symbolism of the Eucharist and the offering intertwine during a service. What does it mean to have our money right up there at the front of the church, with the bread and wine?

Seven stewardship experts from across Canada will lead forum conversations, including Kevin Smith, regional gift planning consultant in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alex Parsons, diocesan stewardship/planned giving officer in the Diocese of Saskatoon.

All Canadian Anglicans are invited to join in, ask frank questions, and share stories—here and elsewhere in The Community.

Since its launch in February 2012, more than 20,000 people have visited The Community. The space now hosts 13 blogs, with the most popular addressing church life: children’s ministry, congregational development, and liturgy.

The Rev. Kyle Norman’s “Pop Culture Piety” blog has inspired the most comments on The Community, with his musings on tattoos, church branding, and reality TV.

Readers are increasingly sharing The Community’s content in their social spaces. One of the Rev. Dr. Jay Koyle’s recent posts—”Lent as metaphor and model for the church today”—was shared more than 80 times on Facebook.

The Rev. Jesse Dymond, online community coordinator, encourages readers to participate more in The Community.

“My hope is that alongside the growth we’ve seen in readership, we’ll continue to see growth in both contribution and discussion,” said Mr. Dymond.

“While Anglicans in many different dioceses are represented, I’d love to pull in voices from other parts of the country that can speak to unique ministry contexts.”

Above: Glen Mitchell, the Diocese of New Westminster’s director of stewardship and gift development

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Anglican Church of Canada, News from General Synod, March 6, 2013

How To Create a Mind: Can a marriage between man and machine solve the world’s problems?

Posted on: February 24th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Books, Computers, Reviews

How To Create a Mind: Can a marriage between man and machine solve the world’s problems?

Ray Kurzweil wants to reverse-engineer the human brain. It’s a fetching idea to some; malevolently far-fetched to others. A review of his new book in the Toronto Globe and Mail sums up his thesis that “the human brain itself is the most powerful thinking machine available today.” Yet Kurzweil also says that “right now we’re giving machines more and more intelligence, and in the end, the machines will always win.”

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Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, News & Ideas, February 22, 2013

Video explores Mockingbird,  an innovative online spiritual community

Posted on: February 13th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers, Links

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] Mockingbird is an innovative spiritual community of Christians mostly in their 20s and 30s that is online, virtual, and thriving.

This pioneering concept is explored in a new video produced by the Episcopal Church Office of Communication; the video is available here and on the Episcopal Church YouTube page.

“Mockingbird is showing how to meet people where they are in a non-threatening way,” explained Mike Collins, Episcopal Church Manager of Multimedia Services. “They allow people to explore their faith through pop culture.”

According to Episcopalian David Zahl, “Mockingbird was started in 2007 in NYC, by a bunch of friends and colleagues who were interested in reaching out to young adults who had been “burned by the church.” Many of us had grown up in mainline churches and had watched our friends drift away, or in some cases, get pushed away. We noticed that many of them ended up in New York, a place we love (my hometown). Anyway, it soon morphed into something else altogether, something much more exciting and larger in scope.”

Zahl added, ”Mockingbird is a non-profit organization devoted to connecting the message of God’s grace with the realities of everyday life in fresh and creative ways. We do this primarily, but not exclusively, via online resources, publications and conferences.”

The video notes that Mockingbird focuses on things “people are already thinking about,” whether its science, theology, social science pop culture. The five-year-old movement, according to its website, “seeks to connect the Christian faith with the realities of everyday life in fresh and down-to-earth ways.”

Although the online community doesn’t have a home made of bricks and mortars, Zahl noted, “the majority of our board members and volunteers are members or clergy in the Episcopal Church. You could say we were born out of and sustained by the ministry of the Episcopal Church. We certainly have a lot of love for (and commitment to) our wonderful denomination!”

Mockingbird will be sponsoring a conference in April in New York City.

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Episcopal News Service, February 12, 2013

Church rejoicing over Christmas Twitter campaign

Posted on: January 8th, 2013 by CEP Administrator No Comments

Computers

By Anglican Communion News Service

The Church of England today released figures for its Christmas Twitter campaign #ChristmasStartsWithChrist.

Launched in November 2012, congregations and clergy in the 12,500 parishes of the Church of England were encouraged to get out their smartphones and livetweet the joy and meaning of Christmas in a series of 140 character messages to the 10 million people who make up the UK’s ‘Twitterati’.

Churches from across the country took part in the campaign, tweeting their sermons using the hashtag “#ChristmasStartsWithChrist” to share their Christmas messages. Figures revealed today show almost 9,000 tweets sent using the hashtags “#ChristmasStartsWithChrist” and “#CSWC” with peak traffic occurring on Christmas Day at around 11am (GMT) and a smaller peak on Christmas Eve at 11pm (GMT).

Taken over a 24 hour period from 11pm on Christmas Eve to 11am on Christmas Day these figures represent an average of 370 tweets per hour, 6 per minute or 1 every 10 seconds.

The cumulative reach for the 8,878 tweets using the hashtags was 9.6 million twitter users.

In addition to sermons from the UK, tweets were also sent from services in churches as far away as Brisbane, South India and Basel.

Led by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams (@lambethpalace), the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu (@johnsentamu) and Archbishop Designate Justin Welby (@bishopofdurham), churches took to the twittersphere to communicate the good news of Christ coming into the world.

Revd Arun Arora (@RevArun), Director of Communications at the Archbishops’ Council, said: “This was the first time the Church of England has adopted Twitter for a Christmas initiative and we are delighted with the results.

“Christmas is one of those times when the Church is at its best, proclaiming with joy and song the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. To see so many people communicating the joy of Christmas with a shared message of #ChristmasStartsWithChrist was a cause for rejoicing.

“We are already looking at using twitter for our Lent campaign, LoveLifeLiveLent (@LiveLent).

“This was a real team effort with Archbishops and Bishops, clergy and laity, on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, all joining in to proclaim the good news. As with the rest of society, there are many social media enthusiasts in our pews and it is each of them we have to thank for making this happen.”

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Anglican Journal News, January 8, 2013