Faer:  Any possibility of getting photos (and captions) of overseas work? Items that could be posted on the UCCan website so people who want to know can be directed there? It seems to me that the overseas iniitatives you describe are funded by the M&S fund. Occasionally we have a Minute for Mission, as you describe, and in the new year we will be having a special Sunday featuring the M&S. But most people sleep through the Minute and I have concerns about how the special Sunday will go (yawns all around). It would be much more engaging if I could project some images that actually show what's going on.

Jesus said something like: "Nobody lights a lamp and puts it under a basket.  Instead he [sic] puts it up on a lampstand so that it gives light to the whole room"

Maybe we have chosen the basket instead of the lampstand?  OTOH, if your congregation reads the Minutes for Mission each week then some of thsoe stories are told.

spiritbear:  Yes, our unit's work is supported by the M&S fund.  As for pictures/stories/media, we are in the process of building profiles for all our global partnerships.  Alas, in the process.  We're also developing a "window" into the work we do called "Extra Measures".  It's about engaging congregations into that 'extra' step beyond their usual "yawns all around" givings, and about turning that step into a whole path of partnership - a true mutual relationship with a deeper understanding of global and justice initiatives.

I'm sure I sound like a poster child for the unit now, but I really can't stress how flabbergasted I was to discover the multitude of projects we have a hand in.  Part of my job will be dedicated to expanding this project of spreading awareness about the work, and I'm really looking forward to it.  I just wanted to know how much other folks in other situations knew about what we did.  So thanks for the feedback everyone!

GordW:  It really is about the stories, isn't it?

p.s. if partners at home and abroad are receiving the benefit of M&S funds, how difficult can it be to say "send pictures". Each picture, after all, is worth a thousand words. Just post them as they become available.

If it was only that simple!  It's a matter of changing hands, spiritbear.  The regional advisor has to ask for them from the partnership, then pass them on to the media rep.  The media rep then has to make sure there's a place on the web for them to be displayed - and as there's a very fun conversation going on in R&F about the ineffectuality of the website, you can guess that it isn't an easy task. 

But.  BUT.  When they are up, I promise I'll tell everyone!

Hi Faerenach,

Are you referring to The Hope Book that London Conference publishes?  They've been publishing it since 2003.

Here's a pdf if anyone is interested:

www.londonconference.ca/sites/default/files/PDF/The%20Hope%20Book%202010-2011.pdf

Is there a concern an National with it being packaged with the Observer?

Brad Morrison

Um, if I am, I don't know?  I've been loaded up with various resources to peruse ever since I got here, but I don't believe The Hope Book is one of them.

Wow... having looked at it, this is something I'm going to have to ask my supervisor about.  Believe me when I say I'm still learning!  I have an inkling though that this might be something done specifically with London Conference.

edited:  Ah, no.  This isn't what's in the Observer.  The December Observer has a World Visions insert.  Which, to me, seems a bit ridiculous.  I've only just learned that despite its status as being the voicepiece of the church, the Observer is an entirely separate organization.  Oy.

Faer, how wonderful to hear your amazement, and passion for this work!! I have always thought the church (national) tries pretty hard to get the news out, what with Mandate Magazine, stewardship education, Minutes for Mission (which we use always), articles in the Observer, and having financial aid ready for folks to go on overseas trips, and then report back.  To get the wider church to listen--aye, there's the rub.  I'm proud of what we do, and strongly encourage anyone who isn't using the Minutes to get on it!--get a kid to read them, that helps for folks to pay attention, and means the kids are learning about it, too. God bless you in your work!!

Yarrumph, as of one clearing his throat.  I am NOT boasting but here is what we have been up to:

- Our Outreach Discretionary Program fund has sponsored mission trips to El Salvador, Louisiana, Zambia, and has assisted individuals from Emmanuel on mission and educational trips to El Salvador, Kenya, Zambia and Ecuador.
- For 30 years from 1979 to 2008, the Emmanuel Refugee Support Group has sponsored and assisted a total of 32 individuals in 9 family  groups from 7 countries in Asia, Africa, Central America and Europe. 4 planned sponsorships did not proceed or were unsuccessful over this time.
- Each year our youth participate in the World Vision 30 hour famine and raise $2000.
- At Advent the youth organize the Just Gifts sale and coffee house in partnership with fair trade organizations.
- Number of adults and youth from Emmanuel who have travelled to El Salvador, Nicaragua and Cuba to visit Global Partners: 100 (plus 40 individuals from other groups)
- Number of individuals from Emmanuel who have participated in Habitat for Humanity housing build trips to various parts of the United States: 120
- Number of people we have hosted on mission visits to Emmanuel from El Salvador: 7, including three visits from Pastor Miguel Tomas Castro.
- Number of persons we have hosted from Kenya (1) and Cuba(4): 5
- Number of Emmanuel young people who have travelled to Africa, Asia and Latin America to carry out youth volunteer, educational and mission work: 52
- Number of people travelling to El Salvador as international election observers in 2004 and 2009: 12

If every church could do the same, what a wonderful world it would be!

IT

Russ

 wow, that is good stats, Russ...how big is Emmanual? Why do you think there is such support in travel?

Faer....I am jaded from the flurry of activity after the cuts at JC, when JGER folks seemed to all of a sudden realize there were people in the pews who needed to be communciated with, and massive outreach...for their own good.

If that same energy for communication was shown in the general work done, then, yes...we might know about it...

In addition, that sense of "our projects are better" doesn't go far, when "our projects aren't communicated" nor is there a good analysis of why our programs are better.

***re the pictures.

That is an excuse...

What is the issue...setup a flickr site, ask them to tag them as United Church of Canada, Partner, or whatever, then, put a link to that site in a communique, with a caveat that the photos have not been screened by United Church of Canada personnel.

Done.

*** sorry, but the refernces to how do we complete with slick...or World Visions' save the world with chickens, etc.....has the sense of someone high & mighty looking down on something that works.

*** yes, I am jaded....because I have heard these excuses which you are now hearing for a long time....Faeranach..maybe you can be a breath of fresh air looking at alternatives that are united church worthy, but do not always answer the question with a "no"

** another example of our failure to meet current is that the minutes for mission are still a bloody book shipped to the church.  Why isn't it a pdf? Why can't I go to a site and get it.  Why is this important? If we miss a minute for mission, it would be nice to cut/paste it into a bulletin or into the church newsletter.  We don't have to worry about who has the book, orwhere the book is, we can email/message the material from teh PDF to the person doing the reading the week before, (or dang, they are capable, they can look it up), and we can even have a backup available in the lectern for the sunday....

argh...archaic

Why not let the Minute for Mission also be available as a youtube clip for congregations that are set up to use technology?

 There are some good ones that you use can use, Kay.

The site is: http://www.youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada

One of the difficulties of youtube was an inability to offload the video easily...which meant that you couldn't ensure you could show it in the sanctuary.  Picture your connection to youtube dropping during the service. Muchbetter to have a downloadable video available in addition to the youtube video.  Unsure if that situation has changed.

Having said that, a Minute for Mission from Wesley Urban Ministries was shown at our church on Sunday.

pinga - downloading youtube videos is no longer a problem. Just install RealPlayer and a Download now button appears over the video box. You can then save it in an mpeg4 format which powerpoint can show. No worries about connections (especially in churches without wireless).

THe Minutes for Mission are available as a .pdf (or at least past years are, I have to double check for current year).  But for many (maybe most) the book works best.  Otherwise we are downloading the cost of printing to the PAstoral Charge (which is a favourite trick in the name of looking modern).

I was wrong, it is available as a word processor file in RTF (Rich Text) not as a pdf

http://www.united-church.ca/sales/publications/CH10618

 Gord...why would you have to go to the UCRD site to download the pdf instead of finding it on the Minutes for Mission page....oh wait. it is there...just further down..the first note is for UCRD> (in the box),...and then if you look further down you see the RTF.

The downloading of cost is only relevant if 

a) you are truly printing every page

b) you aren't photocopying the page so that hte book doesn't get lost.

c) you aren't retyping the stuff to put into your newsletter.

d) you aren't including the time spent by church secretary or minister looking for the book ..the panic of the reader hwo can't find it, and the shipping costs of the book / publishing.

Go ahead  & order it..but, honestly, I wouldn't be bothered.

Anyhow, I don't know why I couldnt' find it, but I did look.  I even googled it.  

Hi Faerenach,

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but as previous folks have indicated none of this is rocket science, it's mostly about JGER catching up with technology. Getting pictures and posting them is not that difficult. The JGER staff visiting overseas could start carrying cameras. I know there will be a howl of protest about objectifying our partners, but if you want to keep the aid flowing.....A lot of congregations are moving to projecting images and songs throughout the worship service. Images would compliment Minutes for Mission (which really needs to be online). I've seen General Council staff post pictures on their Facebook page, but they can't share them with the wider church?

Why doesn't JGER have a Facebook fan page? The passions and interests of lots of students I deal with at the University of Toronto are communicated through their Facebook pages - that's the way to get the word out. And don't rely on the United Church Facebook page, it's informative, but way too general.

The real challenge is that the United Church has not reached out to the wider public, debating how well we are servicing our members is a valid question, but essentially it's navel gazing. Years ago when the United Church was still widely appreciated by Canadian society we could have gone public with the Mission and Service Fund, but never have. Now I'm not sure the general public can distinguish us from the Unitarians - again I know most U of T students can't. Meanwhile the Roman Catholic's publically promote the Development and Peace program on the subway, the Anglican's promote the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund in newspapers, ads for the Salvation Army are everywhere, but who outside the church has ever heard of the Mission and Service Fund? We don't even promote KAIROS within the church for folks who may want to make donations, let alone publically because we're afraid it will eat into givings to the United Church - talk about hiding your light under a bushel.....

In short the reason why JGER, the Mission and Service Fund, or the United Church is not included in the recent list of Canadian Charities published by the Globe and Mail to remember at Christmas time is because the United Church chooses not  be listed. Why is that?

Who is the staff person at National who decides what content goes on the website?

Who, specifically, has the power to decide to convert documents like Mandate, Gathering, and Exchange Magazine to pdf and provide a link on the national website?

I feel guilty every time I read a print copy of Mandate.

Brad Morrison

 Awesome spiritbear, thanks.

Suggestion to anyone reading this from the united church of canada tech team.

How about adding the following at the end of the description for the video's.

Just install RealPlayer and a Download now button will appear over the video box. You can then save it in an mpeg4 format which powerpoint can show

A)  the book--two copies I believe-- arrrives automatically for free as it is, which also increases the chacnes it will be used--knowing that many places wouldn't go through the extra effort

B) and D) are merely organizational issues.  I am more likely to not remember to download and print it out whereas when the book lives on the pulpit it is always available..

as for C) that is a good reason to have it in both formats (which it is).

 Ok, it may work for you....we have multiple readers, and people like to read in advance, and they also have a habit of walking away with it.

Being able to read something online at your leisure, as compared to having to get into the church...during appropriate hours...and read it...or copy it.

you can call it logistics...I call it overhead that places unnecessary burden on the lay readers and decreases their desire to participate

(ps..per the one site i found, you get one book for free, you have to ask for a 2nd)

pps...a minute for mission messaged out once in a while, or placed as a note with a good image will have a different impact and reach more people potentially then read in church...not saying you don't want to do the reading, but the usage of different media is important.

Pinga, thank you so much for responding so thoroughly! 

I'll start by saying that I'm really unaware of much of the JGER's past, both within congregations and within the Head Office, as I've never served on anything remotely resembling 'Outreach'.  So I don't know what the 'cuts at JC' are (what's JC?), or what JGER communication initatives you're talking about, but I can assure you that I feel that the emphasis in the office here is far more about doing the work than communicating it.  Which is why I started this dialogue to begin with.

Elitism:

"Our projects are better" is a really good place to start asking questions.  Are they better?  What makes them better?  Well, in the context of the World Vision catalogue, I would say that for basic fundraising purposes, they probably excel.  But the JGER unit here is trying desperately to create a program of partnership - a relationship that goes beyond the first layer of 'charity'.  I think buying a goat for a farm in Zambia or wherever is a great idea.  But an even greater one would be finding out why they need a goat in the first place, who that family is, and what I can learn from them about their needs and most pressing issues.  It's a fear that that will come across as elitist - and I totally get that.  But how then do you suggest encouraging a second step?  How can we engage openly with a person who doesn't really want to do more than give $50 or so every Christmas?  Do we say that we're good with just that?  Or do we try to impress the need of getting more involved with our charity?

Re: Pictures

I am so on this, Pinga.  I am a very visual, creative person, and I can't begin to tell you how overwhelmed I am here with the amount of text thrown at me.  Give me pictures!!  But change is slow around here, and while developments are being made on the visual/resource side of things, an overhaul of how things are done doesn't seem to be about to happen any time soon.  We are doing some things - for example, we have a photosharing site for our Overseas Personnel to upload to.  But to set up a photo site that everyone has access to uploading into would take a huge team just to administrate!  I can't speak to much more of this 'excuse', as I am not really in the communications unit, but I have heard a shared frustration that they have plenty to do and less staff to handle it.  Thus are cuts, and I imagine that it will take a little time to adjust.

I can understand why you're jaded, Pinga.  And I'm hoping that I can bring as much outside opinion from the WC here and from elsewhere into what I'm working on now.  I'll also try to keep everyone updated as to the goings on.  Because hearing news from someone you 'know' is a million times better than hearing it in passing.

And great suggestion about the Mission for Minutes being a PDF.  I will pass it along!

Richard Chambers:

Our JGER Facebook page is actually nearly developed.  In fact, I think I just saw an email float into my inbox two seconds ago with a draft...!  I promise you, it's coming!

I fully agree about pictures, as I mentioned in my post to Pinga.  I like my visual foci, so I will fight hard and long for those.  I feel that people here want to see their work get shown off to the 'outside world' (and not our navel), but that they're unsure the best way, and then they end up deciding later than expected.  Like releasing beta tape players after VHS won the war.

GUC:

I've got to be honest, I have yet to remember the roles of everyone here outside my unit, and I'm not sure who handles Mandate, Gathering, etc.  But the idea of PDFing seems so simple to me, that I will try to suggest that to whoever can pass it on.

I'm really excited about the amount of feedback I've got already from this thread, but just be aware that I have limited access in units other than the JGER!  I'll see if I can find out whether there are WCers in other units, but let's face it - the WonderCafe is huge, and isn't necessarily meant to be a suggestion box for Head Office.  Perhaps if we can have a few honest voices get passed through both ways, we might be able to get some things changed for the better.

Nice to read this bit, actually (Hi Faer, I work on 3 in HR :)

The push to put everything online is laudible, but only if (DKS, are you nodding?) one can actually get it; read it; download it; use it...you get the picture.

I spend A LOT of time encouraging people to access our (HR) resources online, for example, but many (and this is NOT a criticism) prefer the paper for lots of reasons: mostly accessibility for eyes that have a hard time reading online. My eyes, for example, love a print resource!

And the issues of M&S and story telling and visibility are HUGE. Faer, you'll no doubt get the gist of this in the coming months. 

In the meantime: the Exec. Officer of Resource Production and Distribution (RPD) is Dan Benson and I'm sure he'll be interested in feedback on publications like Mandate. Look him up online, or send email to INFO@united-church.ca and use the subject line to direct the communication.

Love this thread  - I'm the multimedia producer at the General Council Office who creates most of the video content on www.youtube/com/unitedchurchofcanada and we have posted most of our video Minutes for Mission to date in their own playlist on the channel.  In the next couple of weeks,  I'll put up another 12 that are also in the Minute for Mission 2011 DVD, two copies along with the Minutes for Mission books are being sent to every congregation the first week in Dec. And if you want another copy of the Minute for Mission DVD, just call UCRD at 1-800-268-7365 - it's free but I think there is a small charge for S&H.  This is the fifth collection of Minute for Mission DVDs we produced over the past few years - now that more churches are using projection there is a big uptake in their use.

So, in the next few months we will be moving the most recent ones to the cloud so you can all download them with ease at a good resolution, rather than going through the contortions some of you now are.  In the meantime, just get the hard copy DVD  - it's much nicer.  All our videos are cleared from non-broadcast , educational use so show them wherever you want in a church setting!  If you want to contact me directly with story ideas, or other comments, my email is crodd@united-church.ca.

Hi kaythecurler  -  posted a long answer at the bottom of this thread, but the short answer is they are there at www.youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada in the Minutes for Mission playlist. 

Faer!! Look what you started!! Keep up the good pushing!! There are GC'ers on WC!  And you can make a difference, push some 'start buttons,' and encourage us all to get and use great resources!

This is cool - thanks for putting out a link.  I've mentioned before that I rarely find what I'm looking for when I check the UCCan webpage.  I will send this on to the people I know who attend the UCCan.

Pinga

Emmanuel averages 200 -250 every Sunday.  I think our roll is something like 500 families.

Now that is an interesting question.  We just seem to have a very good core of keeners,  and a super youth minister that wants the youth very involved,

IT

Russ

aaah -- youth minister -- you answered the question -- you are investing in your youth

Thanks, Martha.  I've sent an email to Dan.

Brad Morrison

 Faer: re the facebook jger page -- awesome.  I considered creating one for presbytery; however, there just isn't critical mass of keeners who are technical to make it worthwhile...it would become dead very quickly.

What is the vision of the jger facebook page?

I love this thread!

The knowledge is out there, and you know it is, but the person who desires it cannot find it. The desire is also there but they cannot find the knowledge... they just have to meet. This is where we can meet and DIALOGUE and SHARE.  

My biggest UCCan complaint has always been communication.

Thanks Faeranach and everyone who posted to this thread.

  The problem with DVD's for those of us doing service planning is they usually aren't where you want them to be...or...you can't send a dvd to someone who you are planning a service with to review.  Having them online & easy to find, plus the DVD is awesome.  I personally would not bother with the DVD if I could download.  I wonder how many actually need the DVD.  Thankful you are putting the information online. Would be good to include in the description the basic information about how to download, including HD for those with highspeed connections. (yeah, i know, some do  not have it but why punish us who do)

This is where I feel that a membership site would be so useful. We have so many databases with bits & pieces of information.  

Utilize the same db as is used for the minisites and let the admin register individuals to receive material.  Have your default be hardcopy for now, with an ability to go green and be online only or online plus order hardcopy by exception.  People can then log in and get a page based on their pre-recorded interest area, plus general news. In addition, they could emails pushed to them based on interest areas.

If you check out Seasons of the Spirit, they allow me to subscribe our church school teachers to classes/curriculum.  It is awesome....but also could be improved.  A VBS program that we run in the summer self-generates a website for us to register our church school students....I can also setup a schedule and it will generate the itinerary for the classroom, the groups, and the material lists for the groups.  Talk about making my life easy as a program facilitator.  

In addition, let me supply the stats through that, and allow the right people to update the right stats....Currently, it is a piece of paper which is handed out, gets lost, and drives me crazy...Let the overall admin see whether the information has been upated.  In small charges, it would be one person who enters the data...but, in larger ones, with multiple staff, it could be those who are responsible.  They would do it, if they could see a benefit, so let them do comparitive analysis.  Give us some metrics capability.  Set objectives, we want to see 10% growth in youth invovlement in activities over a period of time...have some fun with it...sigh..so much potential

An example of my frustration with communication is that I  get two copies of the GC Secretary's email..why?  Well, I asked..and was told the one is sent to one group and the other to the other, and it is too difficult to figure out who on the second list got it on the first........ok, to be honest, that is a symptom of a lack of technical ability and comprehension of communication.  I don't want two emails,especially given they don't get sent on the same date, so I am not always sure if they are the same or not, so have to read them.  I put up with it, just like I put up with lots of stuff coz I want the material, and recognize that the UCofCanada does its best with limited resources and technology...and I don't have time to be part of the solution.   but.....I don't like it.

Faer: JC..should have been GC...  There were cuts in staffing in JGER.  At that point, there was significant energy into rallying the troops nationally, with letter writing campaigns, meetings, buttons, etc.  Even at Kairos national event, when we were pulled together as United Church of Canada, what did we talk about...how to strategize to not have any more cuts.  Sorry, but that just ticked me off...and I wouldn't bring it up, but i am not seeing any difference in the behaviour or recogntion of jger is a team which includes the people in the pews...

re the "just want to give $50"...should we be good with that? Dang right!.  That person who does not have time now, may have later.  and why would it be an either or.  I couldn't go to an exposure tour, nor did I have any children who could go, but I was very happy to give funds to help someone else go.  hmm......me thinks it is bloody elitist and is part of the large gap that has been created.  If we don't figure out how to handle this difference, then we are toast.  Now...I think we can talk about thngs like the shoebox campaign and explain that one...but, until such time as the united church campaigns can actually understand human needs and motivation, then any attempts to speak against the $50 for a goat are going to come across badly.

Also, why would anyone expect the Observer to ask permission for includign a World Vision.  That kinda feels like...oh, dang, I never thought of that....it's your fault....and actually speaks to me of a lack of bridges and utilization of networks.

anyhow, again a vent.....

The vision of the JGER's facebook page is the usual - try and enhance communication between what's going on and who's interested in it, making it exciting, and encouraging good clean dialogue regarding the issues.  Sounds like here a bit, doesn't it?  I'll post a link when it goes live!

As for the "$50 gift" topic (as we've boiled it down to be now), this is one of those interesting dialogues that is great to hear feedback on.  If people just want to give $50 or so a Christmas, more power to 'em.  But our job here at JGER is to create resources that take that gift beyond the first step, beyond the "that's all I can do right now".  It isn't about elitism, though I can see how it comes across as that.  It's about choosing what resources we're pouring our work time into.  It just isn't worth putting tons of manhours into a catalogue of $50 gifts that encourage one-offs.  Putting tons of manhours into a catalogue with $50 gifts and tells a story that engages the giver into a next step?  I could get into that.  I think that World Vision catalogues are snazzy, eye-catching and clever, and they get people interested in buying things like goats or stables - a good start.  But I also think that as ambassadors of the United Church, we should be encouraging longer, deeper engagement on top of that good start.

 Absolutely.....faerenach.   For example, the heifer project was a project that came to our church as one of the youth was involved.     It is when the $50 is snubbed....without having a valid alternative.  It's kinda like looking down on the popular kid...jsut coz they are popular...it's not their fault they have a natural ability to connect with others.  Learn from them and develop a set of friends that are right for you..rather than hang back and pointing fingers without engaging others.   sorry if I sound frustrated.  People need to be able to feel connected to a project. That has been said for years, and years....I am hopeful that you say it is coming to fruition.

re the facebook.  What I meant was...would it be open, would it have events, is there a sense that presbytery jger chairs or people would be able to be admins or get their events added, how about conference staff...or is it going to be a GC focussed item.

A decade ago we had a Division of Communication who had the responsability to... communicate. Alas, it was a victim of cutbacks in the 1990's.

re: Facebook

Well for one, I don't actually sit on any kind of Committee - I'm just a staff member here.  I believe that we will encourage our committee to get involved with the page, but it will ultimately be moderated by staff.  It will of course be open to anyone who wants to join!  I promise to post the link when it's up, and you will have every option of being a 'fan' or not.  It's basically a space where we'll be able to share upcoming events, dialogue about justice issues we're passionate about, and communicate, which seems to be a theme I've heard a lot in this thread.

 Faeranach....the point that I am trying to make is that GC is part of a team... a team which inclues conference & presbetery and the people in the pew.  If those groups / networks have not been consulted on their dreams for facebook / jger, then, it is something being done in isolation.

Within facebook pages, there are admins, and there are also general members....the question was more around the strategy for the group.

I recognize that I am likely asking questions that you are not party to the answers for.  A plan for usage, and input from various parties may have been done as part of the strategy.  If not, if that strategy was not determined, including the maintenance for it, ie, who will be repsonsible; how many hours per week at startup, and then, in the "run" time...then....it is likely doomed to failure, and will be an "i told you so" to those anti-socialmedia types.

Hey Pinga,

As I said, the Facebook initiative is being supported/administrated by JGER staff, where we will certainly have people dedicated to keeping it going and updated, etc.  We would like to include as many different voices and members as we can - whether that's what you mean by strategy or not, I'm not sure.

I think what you might be concerned about is the communication of this group to the congregational level.  We've discussed promotion, and we're doing what we can - including using the WC as a platform for that.  But I think that the overall connection between Office and Congregation is something far bigger than this Facebook group.  Perhaps even its own thread? (hint hint)

Pinga - I think you have identified a crucial element in your post.  It seems to me that there is some sort of disconect playing out in the UCCan.  Some sort of Head Office can send out entire forests of printed matter, cd's of information, endless webpage links and appeals for more money to fund it all.  If this isn't what the people in the pews dream of, what the ministers need to help them inspire their congregations, what seekers seek when they get an urge to find a church - it is all a waste of time and money.

I don't mean any disrespect but I'm reminded of the Emerging Spirit campaign.  I expect the Head Office place sent out information.  Unfortunately many people in the pews were still taken completely by surprise.  Locally at least some of them were horrified by the media coverage of Bobblehead Jesus!  Last week in conversation with someone I had just met learned that she was a member of the UCCan.  I said how much I enjoyed the Wondercafe and she said "What's that?"  At least one church in Alberta had some young people show up one Sunday morning expecting to find a modern church with lively discussion on controversial topics.  They attended for a few weeks and then quit.  The advertising they read didn't match the reality.

For a campaign like that to succeed it (imo) should have started with congregational education, locally and in the expanded groups (can't remember what you call them).  What resources did various congregations want to help them kickstart Emerging Spirit activities in there area?  Did anyone ask?  Would they have listened to the answers?

To Faerenach I can say 'good on you' for trying to communicate your excitement in your new job.  Good luck as you bring young energy into your workplace.  

Thanks kaythecurler!  I'm starting to realize that my enthusiasm to engage all levels is not a common gift.  God give me the strength to continue on with the fervour I possess now.

Several people have expressed interest in photos: our UCC global partnership photo site is at unitedchurch.smugmug.com. There are photos from partners and overseas personnel in 13 countries. Visitors and comments more than welcome!

Question: why would smugmug be used instead of flicker, which is where the GC stuff went?

Thanks though for posting pictures, will look at them when I get home. The site is blocked by filters from my current location.

Faer:  we will try not to beat you up to hard.....you are a breath of fresh air..and yet, we have a habit of  dumping our frustrations out on the person who reaches out to us....not fair, and will do my best to remember..you are someone working to a solution.

I know this thread is dated... but wanted to let you know that Minutes for Mission 2011 is now online.  You can download the various RTF files (can open in Word, WordPerfect, or OpenOffice) for the full text, snippets, and snapshots.  These are designed to be easy to copy/paste into your bulletin or for projection.

As a first this year, we're also offering our video clips in HD for download. The files are large, but the video quality is great.  These files should download fairly quickly if you're on high speed - we're hosting them on a cloud server for quick, reliable access.

FYI...each Pastoral Charge in Canada was also mailed two hard copy books and DVDs with the same content.  This online version is designed to compliment/supplement the physical editions.

Download today: www.united-church.ca/sales/publications/minutes

Feedback welcome!

- Bill G. and Kate R.

Pinga - in answering your question, I believe we went with SmugMug as they were ad-free.  After using the site more frequently, I personally think I like it better than flickr.

thanks BG, passed on the info to the committee responsible for mission at our church.

Do I know what great work M&S does?-

I didn't know for the first 10 years I attended a United Church in Canada regularly. I had no clue what M&S was and like most of the other church members, tuned out when the lengthy minutes text was read by someone who couldn't pronounce the foreign names and was often an overall bad reader.

Don't you know from school that if you read a lengthy text like that, people tune out after the first couple of sentences?

Pictures of a video would certainly help- but somehow the whole thing does not really fit into the context of a service-unless the service is geared towards it. Another reason that people tune out- suddenly they are asked to wrap their head around a different issue for a few minutes, after that, we return to the theology of the day. It just doesn't work.

So I know about this, because I am reading Mandate. When I read it, I read it because I want to know what's going on in the church and the world, I am not fitting it between a prayer and a sermon.

The benefit of paying $50 for a goat is, that it is an easy message:

This goat will give the family a living, pay $50.

Same is for: The church burned down, we need $20 000 to fix it.

But the M&M stories go way to much into details- which are nice in a magazine, but don't send a message in 5 minutes in a church service.

If there was videos, they could be played while people come into the church before the service (like the advertising before the movie) and I would bet, people would know a lot more about M&S  after a while.

The other question the church must ask itself is- do all the churches/ denominations have to have their own oversea missions? Why can't they amalgamate? The goals should be the same?

With shrinking membership and alternative non-church related organizations- why should people support the UCC projects compared to other organizations? Other organizations work for social justice, too.

Then there is also that M&S also funds the GC- so likely no non- united church people would donate to it.

Hi mrs.anteater!  I think I can address some of your questions.

I would say it's a mix between being dense, and finding the right reader.  Heck, if Patrick Stewart or Alan Rickman were narrating them, I'd be riveted.  But I agree that there are some things that are hard to listen to if too dense.

There are videos, as BGillard referred to, that are very available for any United Church to use as they please.  Whether this is in a service or beforehand - congregations differ! 

Do you have any other suggestions on how to share the work?  Videos are great, yes, but what else?  What do you think congregations need most to pay attention to the story?

We do actually work alongside many other organizations and churches/denominations in many fields.  We're part of KAIROS, for example, which is an ecumenical social justice group in Canada fighting for equality and human rights among other things.  We are in direct contact with other ecumenical groups and denominations regarding mission personnel and overseas opportunities.  Our goals ARE the same - we believe that God's mission is not resigned to a specific church, but rather the binding between us and many other global partnerships.

These are good questions.  I suppose the question is why do you choose to give to any group, and not to another?  The UCC is very clear about its mission, and chooses its global projects based on the same principles that the church stands for.  So for those who trust the church to be in line with their own ethical stances, giving to their global partners would be extending that trust in the same direction.

Faerenach

I think the time, when people gave to the church because "that's what you do", is coming to an end. That generation is dying out.Organizations now have to show what they do. M&M stories just don't cut it for the younger generations.

Here in rural NS, with church attendance of 50 and under, it seems to me, the older generation is holding up the congregation, financially and volunteer-wise, but is also quiet set in their ways. A lot of people of that generation has never made it out of the province. Financially, just keeping up with the bills is the focus, and while we like to be generous and "the church" somewhat expects "the tenth" from the congregation, they try to meet that expectation. But I find, that getting exited over justice work or environment is more something the middle age and younger generation gets enthusiastic about. The older generation is more "hands on"- help thy neighbour build his barn, give baskets for Christmas, sent flowers to the sick and shut ins. (Something the younger generation don't identify with as much, as long as they are healthy.). Not to say this as a judgement- just an observation.