Effective Church Communications

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and Biblical Inspiration to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and a Biblical Perspective to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. Our tools constantly change; our task doesn’t; we can help.

A Digital Church Directory—reasons to consider one for your church

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Most churches today want to attract and support younger members and one way to do this is for your church to offer church services and tools that are familiar to the audience you want to reach. Today this means having digital versions and access points to the ministries of your church.  Previously I wrote about many ways to do this in: Want to attract young families to your church, these communication tips may help, and here I want to pass on an additional one: a Digital or Online Church Directory.

Before continuing, I want to remind you that Effective Church Communications takes no advertising, nor do we take part in any affiliate programs—never have, never will. This is a membership site and though many templates and e-books are some of the benefits to members only, one of the less tangible benefits of being a member is that you support honest evaluations of products and services for everyone.

That being said, following I want to share with you an article from the Katy Dunigan, the marketing director for Online Church Directory.  I asked her to write this article. I did that for two reasons:

One, I know all things digital and online are preferred resources for many in the church today, not just the younger audience the church wants to attract. I am far from that demographic, but I live much of my life online today and with my phone. A digital, phone-accessible church directory would be a dream come true.

Two, I detest (along with no advertising, come my personal opinions for better or for worse) the standard church photo shoots and glossy printed directories. They are an almost medieval trial of pain for churches (our church recently did this, so I speak of current experience). The church staff and volunteers for worked for months to get people to sign up; the picture-taking process was a time-consuming chore for staff and volunteers; church members were subjected to a heavy-handed sales pitch of outrageous prices; it’s been months and we still have no directories.
There has to be a better way.

This site gets lots of searches for information on church directories and I trust the following article will be useful.

PLEASE do comment following it if you have ideas, systems that have worked for you or other resources.

Here is Kathy Dunigan’s article. Her contact information is at the end if you have questions:

Today’s Technology Trend—Online Member Directories

An up-to-date member directory is an important element to a well-connected and vital community of faith believers.  It tells the story of your church, its mission, ministry and members, building community by creating and maintaining connections in many ways.

As churches embrace today’s digital technology, an increasing number of church member directories are being hosted online.  An online church member directory brings new life and new benefits to the traditional printed directory.

Important Online Member Directory Features

Security - Online church member directories that offer multiple login and security options help ensure member information remains private.  Look for an online member directory that uses encrypted Secure Socket Layer, (SSL) a security feature utilized by banks and retail stores.  At Online Church Directory, we prioritize your privacy and use the best security services available.

Free Mobile App - A directory mobile app allows church members to carry the directory in their purse or pocket, wherever they go.   Our online member directory mobile app offers mapping, calling and texting features, making connecting with church family and friends quick and easy.   It’s also password protected, private and secure.

Cost - In today’s economy, cost is always a concern.   We align our mission with your success.  Online Church Directory offers a 30-day free trial, free data imports, unlimited customer support and a discounted annual subscription rate, all value added services making our service directory a valuable choice.

Print Options - In keeping with tradition, an online church member directory should offer a full array of print options, including all or part of the directory, specific groups, and staff listings.  Print options enable churches to serve members who do not utilize digital technology.  We offer multiple print options…from print your own to designing and printing it for you.

Edit Options - No longer stuck with old, outdated photos or old contact information, digital directories allow members to update their profiles and edit or upload new photos as often as they choose, from their desktop computer or mobile device.  Online Church Directory allows churches to customize their photo edit options.  It’s your directory and we believe you should have it your way.

Multiple Listing Options - Members, families, staff and church groups are all important elements of a church.  Why not include all of them in a church member directory?  We offer multiple listing and labeling options.

Social Media Friendly - An online member directory should be social media friendly, allowing members to list their email addresses, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Pinterest profiles.  Our directory allows members to add detailed custom information in the member and family profiles.

Custom Designed - Want your online member directory to match the look and feel of your church website?  Online Church Directory offers customization features to ensure your directory looks and feels like your church website.

Digital Photos - Today’s photo technology allows churches to create their own professional photo directory.  With Online Church Directory, churches are no longer dependent on a photography company to produce directory photos.  A church’s directory administrators can upload member photos.  Another option is inviting church members to upload their individual photos and change them as often as they choose.

A church photo booth is always a fun way to get people involved in your directory set-up!

One Time Set-Up with Lifetime Benefits - Once your online member directory is created, it’s available to you for as long as you choose to utilize the directory service.  Directory committees, photo sessions, and high-pressure sales meetings can be a “pain of the past!”

The power of an up-to-date church photo directory is undeniable.  As a connectional tool, relationship builder, a ministry tool and ministry resource, an online member directory offers the perfect solution for today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world.

Please contact us to learn more about our product and services and to start your 30-day free trial!

Katy Dunigan is the marketing director for Online Church Directory.  www.onlinechurchdirectory.com  1-855-759-5161

 

 

ebook: Back to Basics, writing and design skills for church communicators

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Back to basics cover
This book will teach you the basics of many needed, but often not taught, communication skills in graphics, design, typography, writing, and managing. If you want your church communications to look more professional, you need this book. Available in print and ebook formats.

Most people who work on communication creation in churches have no training in design, layout, typography, and many related skills they need to do a good job. Training material is not easy to find because many of the materials available on communication design and related areas, require the use of expensive, advanced software and teach a secular, image-heavy approach that doesn't always fit the needs of the church audience.

This book provides basic training that can help every church communicator, even those with no previous graphic arts training create, write for, and manage a church communication ministry. This book is not a how-to on a particular software, but about the basic design and communication principles that form the foundation of effective communication creation.

This book is a scanned reprint of Yvon Prehn's earlier book, How to use your computer to create Better Bulletins, Newsletters, and More! All the examples in the book are from church communications and the advice is practical and Bible-inspired.

To be honest, the quality of the scans in the book isn't the greatest, but I felt the content was worth it to make this book available to you.

To buy a paperback version of the book on Amazon.com, CLICK HERE.

If you'd like the book in e-book, PDF format CLICK HERE

How to make the most of mission trip photos

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Most mission trip photos are of groups of people smiling into the camera--nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't tell you much more than a lot of people went on a mission trip. With some simple editing, you can tell a story with your images that focuses on one person and their experience. The video that follows shows you how.

Software used in the video: Paint.net

Paint.net is a fantastic image editing software and best of all, it is FREE. For a series of videos that shows you how to download and use it, CLICK HERE to go to my playlist on Paint.net on my Youtube Channel.here to find it and how to download it. ideo that shows you where to find it and how to

How to turn a simple photo into a powerful illustration

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When you want to illustrate a mission or outreach project, you may have photos, but you might want an illustration and not a photograph to promote your project. Perhaps your printing method or website calls for a high contrast image or perhaps you want to universalize the image--whatever the reason, this short video will show you how to turn a good photo into a high-contrast image.

For a video that shows you how to download paint.net, the program used to create this image, click here.

FREE videos, graphics and other resources and a new ministry model to create them

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Muddy River media
Muddy River Media is a site that offers free media resources for churches based on a missionary supported model. Do check it out and consider donating if you use the resources.

The challenge for both churches and for the people who create resources for them is always how to have enough money to do what we all feel called to do. Creators would love to give away everything they do –but somehow the bills have to be paid. Churches struggle with how to balance budgets while finding the resources they need to do their ministry.

I just discovered a site that provides lots of FREE images, full-video clips and has a different ministry model to fund them. The site is: http://www.muddyrivermedia.org.

They truly do provide FREE video clips, images and assorted media for free. Check out their ever-growing collection.

A different model for support

Rather than sell their materials or charge a subscription, they are doing their work as digital missionaries. This means they solicit donations to support what they do. So please do consider a donation if you use what they create. I've often thought this would be a great way to do this kind of ministry, though a challenging one.

I like their material and hope to be in contact with them and find out more about what they do--but for right now I wanted to pass on what I did know so you can take advantage of it.

Enter a comment below if you have an opinion on this way of funding resources.

Even better, send a donation and pray for the success of the ministry! http://www.muddyrivermedia.org