NCMS Band, fall 2010

Concert

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Making connections

Subject	Making connections
From	Presbyterian News Service
Sent	Tuesday, November 24, 2009 6:04 PM

 
 

 
 

Learn more     Presbyterian News Service Making connections     Moderators' Conference focuses on technology, social media in the church by Bethany Furkin Presbyterian News Service LOUISVILLE - The 2009 Moderators' Conference of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) focused on technology and how it can be used in churches and presbyteries. The theme of the conference, held here from Nov. 20-22, was "Blessings and Burdens: Where Technology and Church Life Converge." The church often asks itself how to reach young adults. To better reach any group of people, it's important to understand the culture in which they live. Participants in their 80s, 70s, 60s, 50s, 40s and 30s described the events that shaped their generations - wars, music, civil rights and more. Plenary speaker the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, a pastor in Washington, D.C., then spoke about the top three issues forming the modern generation: employment, finances and connections. Many young adults move away from family and friends to find education and careers, Merritt said. The median job tenure is now 2.7 years, meaning that young adults are more likely to move around because of work. They are also the first to get laid off and are more likely to work part-time or temporary jobs, meaning they lack insurance and benefits. This transitory lifestyle has effects seen in congregations - it's hard for young people to become involved in church leadership when they're not sure how long they'll be around. Finances are another big issue for the modern generation. Even with increasing student loan debts and rising housing prices, salaries have remained stagnant. "It sounds like pocketbook issues, but it goes far beyond that," Merritt said. With the uncertainty surrounding employment and finances, it can be hard for young people to form relationships. In the United States, the age of first marriage has risen, and the marriage rate has lowered. People are also waiting longer to have children. Although this generation has seen great technological advances, "many of us long very much for connection," Merritt said. In terms of technology, this generation has exhibited entrepreneurialism and innovation - moving from large stacks of records to an entire music library on a single iPod, for example. These qualities have also helped young adults find connections even in isolation, Merritt said. "Social media is about that connection," she said. Through forums like Facebook, it's possible to stay connected with friends even if they all move every two years. Friends can support each other and stay updated on each other's lives. Although social media isn't perfect and doesn't solve all problems, it is a real and important part of the modern generation. "It's easy to look at social media and just blow it off," Merritt said. Merritt chronicled the development of the Web. Its initial use was for the military. It later evolved into "signs and stores," or Web sites that provided information and products. The next and current stage is interactive, complete with social media, blogs, customer reviews and comments sections. This interactive and evaluative culture is present even offline. Merritt spoke of her 8-year-old daughter, whose third-grade teacher has students conduct weekly evaluations of themselves and of her. "It's the culture that we're in. People are beginning to question, to talk back," Merritt said.   And they're beginning to share their own stories. Before the age of television, friends and families often passed the time by talking to each other, telling stories about their lives. Now, with the prevalence of computers, the modern generation does much of its storytelling online. Television shows are nothing compared to the stories of high school classmates and neighbors who have reconnected via social media, Merritt said. "There's something about the mundane facts ... that weave together to then make something beautiful. That's how I see Twitter," she said. "You may not be interested in what I had for breakfast, but I'm telling it anyways. Because that's my story." The Rev. Melissa DeRosia, a pastor in Michigan and a member of the General Assembly Mission Council, then spoke further on the uses of Twitter. She asked audience members to raise their hands if they use Twitter. After the vast majority didn't raise their hands, DeRosia asked them why they don't use Twitter. The reasons ranged from not knowing how and not seeing the need to desiring privacy and choosing other social media networks instead. But for DeRosia, using Twitter allows her to find connections. As a pastor, mother of two small children and moderator-elect of the Presbytery of Lake Huron, DeRosia is able to find support on Twitter. "I can pray in 140 characters or less," she said, referring to the space limits on Twitter's status updates. "Prayers become part of our social media conversations." This use of social media was seen firsthand at the conference. The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, moderator of the 218th General Assembly, was slated to speak at the conference. But - as many of his Twitter followers had been reading - his grandfather passed away and Reyes-Chow was unable to make the conference. In the days before his grandfather's death, Reyes-Chow had been posting updates on his Twitter site, and many of his followers responded with prayers and expressions of sympathy and care. "We call ourselves a connected denomination, a connected church," DeRosia said. Besides building or maintaining relationships, churches and presbyteries can use social media in practical ways. Church events and meetings can be advertised online, and Facebook pages allow for small groups discussions. In some far-spread presbyteries, conducting meetings via conference call is safer and more manageable. Pastors who are connected with their members online can find out about problems or life events that otherwise might go unexpressed. Bible study groups can blog about their meetings. Sessions or committees can live-edit documents online, saving time and paper. "The computer is not the answer to everything. Of course it's not. God is," said the Rev. Byron Wade, vice moderator of the 218th GA. "I do believe that technology is very important to the life of our church. If it's not important to us, it's important to the people in the pews. "Technology, whether we like it or not, is rampant in our society," he said. "It is a way in which we can reach people, and we can't be afraid of it." http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/091022.htm

This email was sent by newsservice@pcusa.org.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | 100 Witherspoon Street | Louisville | KY | 40202

The Courier Times - New Castle, IN | Church news 2-14

Saturday, February 14, 2009     Church news 2-14     Saturday, February 14, 2009         Valentine's Day Weekend         Church to show movie 'Fireproof'     The First Presbyterian Church of New Castle, Indiana will be showing the movie "Fireproof" this Sunday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. Admission to see the movie is free. The congregation invites the community to join in an evening that will reenergize relationships.     All are welcome to come for this viewing of the movie "Fireproof" and participate in a time of fellowship. A dinner is planned following the end of the film at 6 p.m. Tickets for the meal catered in a romantic dining setting are $5 per person/$10 per couple. Child care will be available for $1/child.     Neighbors and friends are invited to enjoy this wonderful opportunity to impact and strengthen relationships for the blessing of marriages and families in our community. Dinner reservations are appreciated prior to the date of showing. Tickets for the dinner are on sale and can be purchased on Sunday or by calling the church office at 765-529-3703.         To announce church special events, contact C-T reporter John Hodge at 529-1111, ext 219 or jhodge@thecouriertimes.com
Content © 2009 the Courier-Times
Software © 1998-2009 1up! Software, All Rights Reserved

 
 

Inserted from <http://thecouriertimes.com/print.asp?ArticleID=232915&SectionID=25&SubSectionID=42>

PC(USA) - Presbyterian News Service - More than 200 tune into moderator’s Webcast

Home > News Service > More than 200 tune into moderator's Webcast
08927 December 12, 2008 More than 200 tune into moderator's Webcast Conversation about 'rebuilding the Presbyterian establishment' can still be viewed by Jerry L. Van Marter Presbyterian News Service LOUISVILLE ― The second Webcast featuring Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow drew more than 200 viewers to a lively discussion of a paper entitled "Rebuilding the Presbyterian Establishment." The one-hour Dec. 9 conversation between Reyes-Chow and the author of the paper ― Centre College professor Beau Weston ― can be viewed in its entirety at the Ustream site. The Office of Theology and Worship of the General Assembly Council ― which commissioned Weston's paper for its "Occasional Papers" series ― issued a statement following the Webcast commending the two. "The conversation on the Webcast modeled dialogue even in the midst of clear disagreement, and we commend it as an example of the sort of engaged conversation which will help us think clearly together as we seek faithfully to follow Jesus Christ today," the statement said.  "More broadly, we are pleased by the varied critiques and commendations of the paper, and we look forward to further conversation about the ideas in the paper." In his paper, Weston questions "whether the institutional arrangements of the PC(USA) help us flourish … or is it time for some of them to be reworked, reshaped or even replaced?" Reyes-Chow remarked during the webcast that Weston's paper has generated considerable discussion around the PC(USA) ― which was also reflected in the number of people tuning into the Webcast ― "because it is asking the right question and  inviting conversation about what are the best answers to that question."  Theology and Worship said "we look forward not only to continuing conversation about the paper itself, but also to other new proposals about where the shape of our life together is weak and where it is strong, why that is so, and what concrete steps can be taken to address weaknesses and enhance strengths." Other "Occasional Papers" in the series include "Ordinary and Extraordinary Discipline" by Charles Wiley; "Bearing the Marks of the Church," with essays by Darrell Guder and others; and  "Identity – Polity – Praxis: Ecclesiology and the Presbytery," by Paul Hooker.	Home             About the News Service             Open Meeting Policies             Subscriptions             Story Archives             PC News in RSS
Who We Are | Congregations | News and Events | Ministry and Vocations | Resources/Publications  Giving and Funding | US and World Mission | Search pcusa.org | Home
Copyright Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). All Rights Reserved

 
 

Inserted from <http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2008/08927.htm>

Sound/Technical Engineer has sent you an article from ChristianityToday.com

Sound/Technical Engineer has sent you an article from ChristianityToday.com:

Church Products Services Electronics Vendors Resources Sound Systems

A personal message from Sound/Technical Engineer:

I thought this article from ChristianityToday.com might interest you.

Click here (or copy URL into your Internet browser) to read the article:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/cbg

------------------------------
Free E-mail Newsletter
To keep up-to-date on new articles and features, sign up now for the FREE
weekly ChristianityToday.com Connection newsletter.
http://christianitytoday.com/lyris/subscribe/connection.html

ChristianityToday.com: Engaging, Encouraging, and Equipping the Church Worldwide
http://ChristianityToday.com