These times call for collaboration and rapid innovation! I think a monthly crowdsourcing session would be good. Not just on multi-platform worship, but a wide range of issues.
These times call for collaboration and rapid innovation! I think a monthly crowdsourcing session would be good. Not just on multi-platform worship, but a wide range of issues.
Is your congregation considering new tech staffing? This is for you! Please share this with any congregation you know who is in discernment on this issue.
Here's the question I keep getting, often when the process is far along and jobs are being threatened....
Question:
Peter, should we downsize our existing program staff and invest in a full-time tech person?
Quick Answer: No! In my professional opinion that's a horrible idea for most congregations. Better to invest in your existing staff & volunteers, cultivate new volunteers, see how far you can go and grow together, adding tech & media skills and associated tasks to portfolios of your staff and volunteers. If there are tech tasks that you must have covered, start with temporary contracts to supplement your existing team.
Watch this for my long answer:
All congregations need to be working to develop their media and tech capacity. But this shouldn't be implemented as knee-jerk actions throwing money at staffing. I know it is easy to want to fix the problem by hiring a new staff person.
Some day you may need to, but if you are in an emergency "Ah!!!! We need to go hybrid / multi-platform, and I can't do one more thing lets hire a new staff position" state, that isn't fair to your team, your congregation, and isn't a responsible use of funds.
I hear staff saying that there are no volunteers so they have to hire staff ASAP!
Well, congregations that haven't been talking about vision, mission, their calling, the future, and the role of social media, technology, and other aspects of digital life won't have tech and media volunteers hanging around. They haven't been needed or appreciated.
Hiring tech and communications staff, especially if budgets are tight, should follow a process that highlights the importance of media and technology and the building of an associated volunteer & ministry capacity.
What, there are no volunteers in this area? If you have never done a THING before, of course, you have no associated THING volunteers around. But if you start talking about why that THING is so important, all of a sudden the people who are good at that THING and LOVE your congregation are like to show up.
It is also important to recognize that we are being called to integrate our ministry and technology. For most congregations, this means not thinking of technology as a separate role from other staffing, volunteer, and ministry roles but an integral part of them — a part we need to carefully and intentionally cultivate.
At the heart of any viable hybrid future are staff and volunteers (with appropriate skill & strategy training) who are actively BUILDING relationships, FACILITATING conversations, and ENGAGING with members, friends, and newcomers in digital and physical spaces.
Instead of rushing to hire a new staff person to handle all the tech, keep in mind that you can't outsource ministry. Yes, you can hire AV people to run cameras, and hire Zoom worship associates to do the logistics, but at the heart of our ministry is relationship.
We can teach existing staff and volunteers new skills and strategies!
• How to engage with newcomers in digital spaces!
• How to run amazing Zoom-based connecting events that out-perform anything you've done offline for newcomers to date!!!
• How to use social media video to tell the story of your congregation.
• How to use multi-platform streaming tools like StreamYard allowing you to reach more people, more spaces, and do it all LIVE like a digital rock star!
• How to use small groups to make your ministry more relational, meaningful and transformative while being able to move between online and physical gatherings with ease!
• And more....
But it is much HARDER to get a turn a tech staffer into a minister, a membership coordinator, a pastoral care associate, a passionate member, and a new-found friend.
I know many of you feel the urge to GO BIG with tech staff because you need the help making whatever is going to come next happen.
I understand. I get it.
But rushing in this direction while cutting other positions and failing to do the visioning, leadership, and volunteer development work is not the way forward.
Instead of new tech staffing, invest in your existing staff & volunteers, cultivate new volunteers, see how far you can go and grow together, adding tech & media skills and associated tasks to their portfolios. If there are tech tasks that you must have covered, start with temporary contracts to supplement your existing team.
Hope this helps!
I'm talking with leaders about regathering their congregations this Fall. One of my recommendations? Think about it like we are RELAUNCHING our congregations. That's the kind of spirit and energy I think we need to bring to our regathering efforts.
Not just gathering again, but a full relaunch. New energy, new models, new opportunities -- new and exciting!!!
I know that's a lot. But I think that's what we need to bring people back and to welcome new members in.
This is serious business, especially with the pandemic accelerating declining attendance trends. Enough to make me put on my serious face...
But it is also incredibly exciting!
Our challenge?
To reconnect our communities -- including outreach to newcomers -- we need more effective communication, leaders using social media and video in ways that build relationships and deploy intentional strategies to help people take their next steps in congregational life.
That's a lot to figure out.
So my recommendation is to NOT try and figure it out all on your own. Let me help you. I've been working on this for years.
Unitarian Universalist congregations (my home denomination) are invited to join my new UU Digital Ministry Academy program!
Our first live training is coming up Saturday. For those who can't make it, there will be other repeat sessions plus on-demand video content available.
Members of the program get access to all program live trainings, strategy sessions, implementation events, and replays and other content on-demand.
To learn more and join us visit: http://www.digitalministryacademy.com
PS -- Short on time? Below is a 90-second explanation of UU Digital Ministry Academy.
Friends, here's a quick update on what's coming this Summer 🌞
This is just a preview. Training topics include digital ministry, social media, small groups, and membership development. That and lots of time to talk strategy and issues related to re-gathering and re-launching this Fall.
I'll share the full details, dates, and open registration after July 4th.
I know some of you are taking a break, others are leading Summer services and programming, and others working hard on preparing for the Fall. My goal is to be there to support you whenever you are ready!
PS -- Watch to the end for my sea monster impression. 🐉
🚀 SUBSCRIBE HERE for free content, online training event invitations, and more for Unitarian Universalist religious professionals, staff & volunteers!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Based on your survey feedback and resulting conversations, I'm launching a 100% redesigned Unitarian Universalist Digital Ministry program.
Here are some features of the new program:
• Open to all UU congregations
• Offers ongoing digital ministry strategy, skill training, and support
• For teams: volunteers, staff, and religious professionals
• On-demand content
• Live strategy sessions via Zoom
• Additional live stream Q&A sessions in response to your questions
• Monthly subscription affordable for congregations of all sizes and budgets
Do you like the idea of our doing Unitarian Universalist DIGITAL MINISTRY together? I can't wait! I'll be sharing much more shortly.
This is just a quick "I listened! Change of direction..." update.
What about the other program? I'm following up with those who expressed interest in that program.
Thanks to all who completed the survey. I greatly appreciate your sharing your ideas, insight, and support needs with me.
Questions, comments, ideas?
I'm working hard at adapting to the needs of our congregations as conditions shift season by season. If you have ideas or special requests, I'd love to hear from you. Contact me.
Update: Based on your feedback I'm 100% redesigning my training programs! Make sure you sign up to get training updates. Details are coming out the week of June 23, 2021.
Friends, here's an overview of my new Digital Ministry Accelerator program, DMAX for short. It is a 12-week program for Unitarian Universalist parish ministers (this round) and their congregations. Interested ministers, I'd love your feedback!
Please complete this brief program survey: SURVEY COMPLETED
Your responses will help me finalize the program design and the day and time we'll hold our weekly strategy sessions. Thank you!
Friends, recently I had the opportunity to be a guest on the new Unitarian Universalist podcast "The Flame" by Roddy Biggs!
Grateful for the chance to reflect on a range of issues related to UU life, ministry, media, and the pandemic through this conversation. Thanks, Roddy!
If you'd like to have future episodes delivered to your device, subscribe to The Flame podcast.
About the podcast
The Flame is a Unitarian Universalist faith-centered podcast offering voices and stories of hope, love, resilience, and community. Witness real conversations, ones that sometimes tackle challenging topics but safely and bravely. Whether you are a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, new to the faith, or this is the first time you are hearing of the Unitarian Universalist faith, I welcome you just as you are.
As we enter year two of the pandemic, uncertainty is a core aspect of our ministry context. How can we lead when so much is unknown?
Leaders and their congregations must have great clarity of mission and the vision they want to work toward. To work toward a clear mission-driven vision, facing the unknown as a community together is the path.
We can't have productive conversations about models, approaches, and staffing if we don't have clarity on our mission in 2021 and a powerful vision specific to our present ministry context.
YouTube video chapters
(0:00) Welcome
(3:19) Covid19 Year One.
(7:28) Covid19 Year Two?
(9:16) Leadership, Clarity, and Uncertainty
In this interview with the Rev. Christana Wille McKnight, minister of First Parish in Taunton, MA , we discuss the principles and strategies that helped this Unitarian Universalist congregation move from being at risk of closing to becoming a thriving small congregation playing a major role in Taunton’s revitalization efforts.
Get the "Playbook"
Rev. Christana Wille McKnight has kindly shared a Google Doc on the 11 points we discussed in this interview. To get the playbook, click here to open the Google Doc and then hit the add to drive icon to save a link to it in your drive.
WATCH
VIDEO CHAPTERS
(0:00) Countdown
(0:43) Welcome
(2:00) Overview of Transformation
(6:00) Rev. Christana Wille McKnight's "playbook"'
(6:25) 1. Live Invitational Culture
(9:29) 2. Use Accessible Language
(12:05) 3. Put Your Words into Action
(17:15) 4. Create Intentionally Welcoming Community
(19:20) 5. Reflect Your Community and Context.
(20:48) 6. Understand that Every Person Who Comes to Your Church Will Change It
(25:18) 7. Know Your Community’s History, Culture, Demographics and Needs Deeply
(32:25) 8. Create the Infrastructure to Help the Church You Want to Become Thrive
(37:35) 9. Create a Multicultural Worship Experience
(39:45) 10. Talk About Racism, Classism and the Injustices in the World in Meaningful Ways and Work to End These Unjust Constructs
(45:10) 11. Understand That Unitarian Universalism is a Theology, Not Culture.
(53:45) Wrapping up!
• Due to internet issues we had to use a cell phone for an internet connection. We decided to go forward as is instead of rescheduling. There some resulting audio pops. Sorry for the glitch.
• You may watch here as well as on my Unitarian Universalist Youtube Channel and Facebook Page.
LISTEN
Listen to this interview via my podcast below. You may subscribe here and have new episodes automatically delivered to your device.