We are a community of people of all denominations…largely women but including several men, and largely ordained or discerning but including laity (me) who have formed online community to discuss matters of ministry, faith, and life.

blessings!

The establishment of the church live in a world of memos, and printed brochures, and phones that are attached to wires that connect to the wall of their house. (I think they are called “Land Lines”) The movers and shakers of the world, and most everyone under the age of 40 texts, tweets, uses Facebook, email, and flickr to the point that, other than in the loo, they never touch paper.

What we are calling new media is just a variation on the original themes of communicating to the church in the language and method of the people.

There was a time in the church where the Prayer Book, Bible, and Hymnal were the only printed materials. Announcements and the like were verbal – church newsletters were “the new media” back in the 20th Century, and the church establishment embraced them.

The BIG difference with new media, especially social media, is that evangelism and reaching out to those who may not be on our path is so much more effective. One does not have to be in church to be a part of it. Think of all the church shoppers out there, someone can visit a new church every week for an entire summer, and, through social media get a feel of what’s going on in each of the churches they are not attending that particular Sunday. Of course the same arguments can be made by anyone going through a challenging time – be it illness, divorce, or working an extra shift because the mortgage is due, people can connect, and stay connected to their church family while life is putting other demands on their precious time.

With all the challenges facing the Episcopal Church, new media must be embraced, it just has to. It keeps us connected, it reaches out to new people, and lets families who may have gone elsewhere know how their church family is doing, all in a manner that meets the person on their level of comfort.

New and Social Media is the King James Bible of the 21st Century.

We hold our liturgy as one of the most valuable pieces of our faith and understanding as Episcopalians. If we really look at the liturgy we see that it’s a conversation between us and God. Why would we want to throw our history and what we value out the door by not embracing social media.

Social media has been able to break down some barriers as well. If we look awesome marketing has been done. People have learned to be precise and brief in what they say. It allows people who may battle certain mental illnesses a way out of the box, a way to share what they are feeling. As an addictions therapist I’ve seen clients use social media as an addition to keeping sober (as a supplement to what they do). Social media has helped build community amongst people of related thoughts and ideas. For General Convention for those of us who couldn’t be there it allowed us to have a voice with those who were there.

I see social media as a different language. We have to understand it in order to read or speak it. It can be done and you can teach old dogs new tricks and guess what you can teach new dogs old tricks too.

Social media isn’t something to be scared of. You aren’t going to catch a disease from it. It’s a newer form of communicating, a bit more advanced than passing notes in class.

If we want to grow as people, as a community, as a culture, we need to step outside our box, outside that which is comfortable and learn something new. In order to appreciate being comfortable we have to be uncomfortable.

May God bless us with the fire for inspiration, for imagination, and for growth. For today and tomorrow.

pax et bonum.

And as someone who knows you from long before the collar (and its attendant leash), thank you for keeping your reality consistent… I turn to you as a scholar, as an inspiration, as a sounding board, as a buddy… and with the amount of water under our bridges, I appreciate that I DON’T have to worry about possibly “shocking the collar”… any more than you have to worry about the collar shocking me. It is in your very humanity that you are truly the most accessible of priests, a walking illustration not of judgment and prudence, but of faith and failing and helping others to grasp their humanity as you wrestle with your own.

Thank you.

As both a pastor and spouse of a pastor, I have seen such a critical need for those connections that I decided to take matters into my own hands. I started a “Pastors on Facebook” group; the direct link is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130686104106 if you or any other clergy reading this would like to join. I also host monthly “Caring Clergy Community Conference Calls” on the first Monday of each month and publish a free e-zine for clergy; for more info on those see my website, http://www.betruetoyourself.com. I hope to connect with you soon!