Angela Bengtson
Membership and Communications Office Support, Zion Lutheran Church, Buffalo, Minnesota
RCCongress 2010 Workshop:
Top-Notch Congregational Communication
Like many church secretaries, Angela did not plan to go into communication ministry when she took a four-hour-a-week front office position at her home congregation. She did not have a degree or experience in either church work or communications. What she discovered is a calling to help members of the congregation connect with leaders and each other. Angela’s responsibilities now include the congregation’s web site, church newsletter, email communication and social media (Facebook and Twitter).
Top-Notch Congregational Communication
Local congregations need web sites and other communication tools that are informational, appealing and engaging. They need to be able to provide both answers that visitors are looking for and details that members need. They should also help members make connections. Unfortunately, most congregations have little time and less money to invest in their communications.
Zion Lutheran Church had a web site that was essentially an out-of-date billboard. It was hard for members to navigate, didn’t have the information they were looking for, and was difficult for staff to update. In this workshop Angela will take you on a tour of the features of Zion’s current site, describing along the way what she learned about top-notch congregational communications, and offering insight into free and inexpensive tools and resources for help and inspiration.
I frequently lead workshops around the country on “Effective Use of Technology for Congregations.” Whenever I do, I try to contextualize them by adding examples from area congregations. It is a dismal job because so many are so awful!