So you haven't heard from me in weeks and now I'm posting twice in one day. Ironic I know, but I came across this right after posting the last one and just wanted to share it.

We have talked more and more in the past few years about the importance of technology for the church. The article linked below talks about how technology has changed religion in this century and some websites that have been part of the process, including GodTube (similar to YouTube with Christian-based content), the fastest-growing site on the Web, and MyChurch.org, a Facebook-like social networking site for churches and Christians. We've talked about the possibilities of GoogleVideo and YouTube for publishing video as well as MySpace and Facebook for networking, so you may want to check some of these sites out for other alternatives. MyChurch.org could even serve as a free website for your church if you're not ready for your own site yet!

Now, to the point, the article is God Goes Online from MSN. Enjoy!

Many times we get confused between what the records of the church are versus what is actually the news of the church when we publish our newsletters (and sometimes even bulletins). Remember that these items are meant to be engaging and serve the purpose of informing congregation members. Council or other committee minutes, lists of what happened, and (especially!) expense records are NOT news. Those are records that your congregation should have access to, so feel free to publish their location, but don't publish them as is.

Instead, publish the highlights. One example I see frequently is a page dedicated to, "the women of the church did a. b. c. last month" or the youth met six times in September. Yeah, so? Read your local newspaper for examples of how to write something newsworthy. Below is a basic rundown of what to think about:

1. What of this is actually interesting versus just something that shouldn't be kept secret (often our fear when NOT publishing something)?
2. What is the most important information? This should go first. Details and quotes can follow.
3. Are there other bits from the meeting/group/etc. that could be listed at the end of the story to tie in and inform but not be the focus of the story?

And finally, you know this stuff but can't get it through to the people that give you the information? You're not alone. Feel free to share this with them!