Spirituality and Social Media for Episcopal Churches. Presentation from 2014 Leadership Days, Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan.

1. Spirituality
and Social Media
Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan
Leadership Days 2014
Monday, February 24, 14

2. Welcome & Introductions
Your hosts:
Ms. Karmel Puzzuoli
Assistant to the Bishop for Communications
The Rev. Nurya Love Parish
Associate Priest, St. Andrew’s, Grand Rapids
Blogger, www.churchwork.com
Monday, February 24, 14

3. Turn to the person next to you...
• Which church do you serve?
• Why did you choose this workshop?
Monday, February 24, 14

4. I remember... do you?
•
Before the Internet was a “thing.” (pre-1993)
•
Web 1.0 (static sites: 1993-2001)
•
Web 2.0 (social, engaged: 2002-present)
Monday, February 24, 14

5. Social Media: recent, trending, age-correlated
Source: http://www.pewresearch.org/data-trend/media-and-technology/social-networking-use/
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6. A Quick, Informal Poll
•
How many people have a Facebook profile?
•
How many people have a Twitter handle?
•
How many people use LinkedIn?
•
Are there any other social networks represented
here? (Instagram? Pinterest? Google+? Kik?)
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7. How do we compare to the general population?
Source: http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/social-media-update-2013/
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8. Social Media = daily virtual connection
Source: http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/frequency-of-social-media-use/
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9. Why does social media matter?
Remember, Christianity is fundamentally rooted in a communication
event.
The entire basis of our religion is predicated on God revealing
himself to humanity — communicating to and with us. His selfrevelation, or message, was delivered in a myriad of media
including angels, burning bushes, stone tablets, and even a donkey.
God is in the communication business.
So in a sense, any serious study of communication is a study of
God.
– Shane Hipps
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10. What is Social Media?
In order of popularity:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Google Plus
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11. Social Media is Fellowship
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,
and in the prayers?
I will, with God’s help.
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12. Let’s Discuss Facebook.
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13. Let’s Discuss Facebook.
• Does your parish have a
Facebook page?
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14. Let’s Discuss Facebook.
• Does your parish have a
Facebook page?
• Is your parish’s Facebook
page linked to the church’s
website?
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15. Let’s Discuss Facebook.
• Does your parish have a
Facebook page?
• Is your parish’s Facebook
page linked to the church’s
website?
• What are you posting?
Monday, February 24, 14

16. Why Post about Spiritual Matters?
Signs of grace. Signs of the life that is
already in every church community.
Social media doesn’t have to be world
changing, but simply reveal a bit of the
love and life that circulates in our
communities.
A sacrament.
– Jeremiah Sierra
ECF Vital Practices
Monday, February 24, 14

17. Your story is the best thing to post.
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18. Your story is the best thing to post.
• How has God transformed your life? How has
your church helped you to know God?
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19. Your story is the best thing to post.
• How has God transformed your life? How has
your church helped you to know God?
• What can someone who is seeking God find
within your community to get closer to God?
Monday, February 24, 14

20. Your story is the best thing to post.
• How has God transformed your life? How has
your church helped you to know God?
• What can someone who is seeking God find
within your community to get closer to God?
• What can you offer your community?
Monday, February 24, 14

21. From some
EDWM
church
Facebook
pages
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22. From some
EDWM
church
Facebook
pages
Monday, February 24, 14

23. From some
EDWM
church
Facebook
pages
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24. From some
EDWM
church
Facebook
pages
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25. The Church Facebook Page
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26. The Church Facebook Page
• Post at least once a week.
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27. The Church Facebook Page
• Post at least once a week.
• Share photos.
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28. The Church Facebook Page
• Post at least once a week.
• Share photos.
• Share the Gospel
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29. The Church Facebook Page
•
•
•
•
Monday, February 24, 14
Post at least once a week.
Share photos.
Share the Gospel
Share the collects

30. The Church Facebook Page
•
•
•
•
•
Monday, February 24, 14
Post at least once a week.
Share photos.
Share the Gospel
Share the collects
Spread goodwill toward the
community

31. The Church Facebook Page
•
•
•
•
•
Post at least once a week.
Share photos.
Share the Gospel
Share the collects
Spread goodwill toward the
community
• Share your joys, sorrows and
concerns.
Monday, February 24, 14

32. The Church Facebook Page
•
•
•
•
•
Post at least once a week.
Share photos.
Share the Gospel
Share the collects
Spread goodwill toward the
community
• Share your joys, sorrows and
concerns.
• Share content of other Episcopal
pages.
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33. Share content like this . . .
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34. Share content like this . . .
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35. Share content like this . . .
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36. And this …
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37. Monday, February 24, 14

38. Monday, February 24, 14

39. • The Episcopal Church
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40. • The Episcopal Church
• Episcopal Church Memes
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41. • The Episcopal Church
• Episcopal Church Memes
• The Living Compass
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42. •
•
•
•
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Memes
The Living Compass
Unfundamentalist Christians
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43. •
•
•
•
•
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Memes
The Living Compass
Unfundamentalist Christians
Unapologetically Episcopalian
Monday, February 24, 14

44. •
•
•
•
•
•
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Memes
The Living Compass
Unfundamentalist Christians
Unapologetically Episcopalian
Episcopal Relief and Development
Monday, February 24, 14

45. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Memes
The Living Compass
Unfundamentalist Christians
Unapologetically Episcopalian
Episcopal Relief and Development
The Christian Left
Monday, February 24, 14

46. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Memes
The Living Compass
Unfundamentalist Christians
Unapologetically Episcopalian
Episcopal Relief and Development
The Christian Left
Episcopal Network for Science,
Technology and Faith
There are many more!
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47. But don’t forget that spreading the Gospel
is not just for the official church page.
And he said to them,
“Go into all the world and
proclaim the good news to
the whole creation.”
– Mark 16:15
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48. Post about God, church and your
theology on your personal page
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49. Post about God, church and your
theology on your personal page
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50. Post about God, church and your
theology on your personal page
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51. Post about God, church and your
theology on your personal page
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52. Consider Twitter: It’s Growing
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53. Twitter vs. Facebook
•
Facebook’s network is mutual: individuals
have to agree to friend each other.
•
Twitter’s network is autonomous: you
follow anyone, anyone can follow you.
•
Facebook is better for staying in touch with
people and groups you already know.
•
Twitter is better for meeting and learning
from people you don’t know yet.
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54. Twitter is different!
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55. Twitter is different!
• 140 characters or less: short & sweet
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56. Twitter is different!
• 140 characters or less: short & sweet
• Highly public, in real time.
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57. Twitter is different!
• 140 characters or less: short & sweet
• Highly public, in real time.
• Twitter has different jargon: @mentions, @replies,
RT, MT
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58. Twitter is different!
• 140 characters or less: short & sweet
• Highly public, in real time.
• Twitter has different jargon: @mentions, @replies,
RT, MT
• #Hashtags are keywords that start with a # (pound)
sign.
Monday, February 24, 14

59. Twitter is different!
• 140 characters or less: short & sweet
• Highly public, in real time.
• Twitter has different jargon: @mentions, @replies,
RT, MT
• #Hashtags are keywords that start with a # (pound)
sign.
• Instead of Facebook ‘likes,’ in Twitter you have
‘followers.’ Follow others to get followers yourself.
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60. Benefits of Twitter
for Churches and Church-Goers
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61. Benefits of Twitter
for Churches and Church-Goers
• Reach the unchurched members of your community
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62. Benefits of Twitter
for Churches and Church-Goers
• Reach the unchurched members of your community
• Connect with people of faith around the globe.
Monday, February 24, 14

63. Benefits of Twitter
for Churches and Church-Goers
• Reach the unchurched members of your community
• Connect with people of faith around the globe.
• Reconnect with “lost sheep,” or those who’ve fallen out of
the congregation. (Facebook works for this too).
Monday, February 24, 14

64. Benefits of Twitter
for Churches and Church-Goers
• Reach the unchurched members of your community
• Connect with people of faith around the globe.
• Reconnect with “lost sheep,” or those who’ve fallen out of
the congregation. (Facebook works for this too).
• Raise awareness about the needs of the community
Monday, February 24, 14

65. hashtag
Retweet
@mention
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66. Churches on Twitter
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67. Churches on Twitter
“Leading people to a
relationship, or
a greater relationship with
Christ is everything! And if
social media gives me the
tools to do that, affect my
community, and inspire
spiritual maturity in God’s
people…then I’m all for
it!”
Monday, February 24, 14

68. Churches on Twitter
“Leading people to a
relationship, or
a greater relationship with
Christ is everything! And if
social media gives me the
tools to do that, affect my
community, and inspire
spiritual maturity in God’s
people…then I’m all for
it!”
– Michael Holmes
Monday, February 24, 14

69. Churches on Twitter
“Leading people to a
relationship, or
a greater relationship with
Christ is everything! And if
social media gives me the
tools to do that, affect my
community, and inspire
spiritual maturity in God’s
people…then I’m all for
it!”
– Michael Holmes
Churchbrand
Monday, February 24, 14

70. Churches on Twitter
“Leading people to a
relationship, or
a greater relationship with
Christ is everything! And if
social media gives me the
tools to do that, affect my
community, and inspire
spiritual maturity in God’s
people…then I’m all for
it!”
– Michael Holmes
Churchbrand
Monday, February 24, 14

71. Continuing in the apostle’s fellowship... via Twitter!
Around the church, people were caring and praying for us.
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72. 30
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73. 31
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74. 32
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75. Monday, February 24, 14

76. 34
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77. 35
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78. 36
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79. EDWM Social Media
Facebook: Episcopal Diocese of
Western Michigan
Twitter: @WMichEpiscopal
Vimeo: Episcopal Diocese of
Western Michigan
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80. Resources
• Internet Toolbox for
Churches
• ECF Vital Practices
“Sacramental Social
Media”
• Meredith Gould’s Guide to
Live-Tweeting Church
Events
• The Holy Geek
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81. Christ Has No Online Presence but
Yours
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours,
Yours are the tweets through which love
touches this world,
Yours are the posts through which the
Gospel is shared,
Yours are the updates through which hope is
revealed.
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours.
Meredith Gould, adapted from St.Theresa of Avila
Monday, February 24, 14