Families Workgroup ReadOut Steve Hirsch Nancy Falk Suzanne

Families Workgroup Read-Out Steve Hirsch Nancy Falk Suzanne Lofquist Sandy Bonshahi

Churches Contacted • • Westshore UU Church – Rocky River, OH Orinda Community Church – Orinda, CA Hillside Covenant Church – Walnut Creek, CA St. Matthews Lutheran Church – Walnut Creek, CA First Unitarian Church of Portland – Portland, OR Unity in the Gold Country – Grass Valley, CA Arlington Street Church – Boston, MA Shepherd of the Sierra Presbyterian Church – Loomis, CA

Key Challenges • Declining/stagnant and aging membership – families becoming a decreasing percent of total population • Families are time-pressured/over-extended – children booked solid so quality family time is precious and limited …how best to spend it? • Needs of families and seniors/empty nesters vastly different – across the board (programs, worship, RE, premises/facilities, fun/community ) it is challenging to effectively meet the needs of both with limited resources • Sustaining active engagement of middle schoolers and teens – Youth programs are suffering due to lack of critical mass of involved tweens and teens • Dependable stable of RE volunteers – Volunteer teachers are the lifeblood of church RE programs; lining up adults willing and available to teach is becoming increasingly difficult

Trends/Best Practices • Full integration of families and children in all church programs – integrate needs of families and children in every aspect of church (not separate and “equal”) • Build effective family ministries – intentionally staff and administer ministries targeted to support families/children (these ministries extend well beyond RE) • Build sustaining relationships between adult community and the children/youth – family connections to the church are strengthened through relationships between children/youth and adult non-parents • Engage families/children in community through “fun” activities and events – Field family-oriented events and encourage member’s children to invite their friends (create compelling reasons to come to church)

Effective Strategies • • • Family-friendly worship – enable children to participate more fully in worship (special service designed for families, support for children during regular services) Family ministries – create targeted ministries to serve families in their many stages (mothers of preschoolers, family camps, family nights at church); assign Family Ministry role to professional staff and formally welcome in new families Worship participation – create meaningful roles for children/youth to serve in services (chalice lighters, ushers, music, readings) Mentor/friends programs – partner non-parent adults with children and youth to establish ongoing relationship and connection outside the family Family/multi-generational events – involve families/children in fun events, service/social justice work, educational field trips along with adults, seniors, teens RE support – Build strong network of volunteers committed to children’s RE; create clusters of volunteers that provide sustained coverage and continuity

Communications Workgroup Read-Out Bob Mc. Nally Sue Polgar Joanne Scott Marianna Laurence Steven Falk David Hovey Sandy Wright Michele Carroll

Blue Sky Discovery Research UUA and UU Churches • First Unitarian Church of Dallas – Dallas, TX; 1, 000+ members, fifth largest UU church in US • All Souls Unitarian Church – Tulsa, OK; 1, 800 claim as their spiritual home (members? ); 20 full-time staff/50 part-time employees • Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) – 3, 500 members; all staff (16 staff/5 interns – some only part-time) work remotely; communications function also managed remotely • UUA – Chris Wulff, Communications Specialist, Pac West Region • UUA – Carey Mc. Donald, Promotional Outreach Director (Promotional Toolkit) NON-UU Churches • Fellowship Church of Antioch – Antioch, CA; 2, 300 members, 12 staff, 800 “dream team” volunteers • Highlands United Presbyterian – Jacksonville, FL; ~350 members • Community Presbyterian – Atlantic Beach, FL; ~500 members

Blue Sky Discovery Research (who we contacted, cont’d) NON-UU Churches • Fellowship Church of Antioch – Antioch, CA; 2, 300 members, 12 staff, 800 “dream team” volunteers • Highlands United Presbyterian – Jacksonville, FL; ~350 members • Community Presbyterian – Atlantic Beach, FL; ~500 members Non-Churches • Kaiser, Costco, Google, Apple – Silicon Valley, SF Bay Area HQ, 10, 000+s • Carrollco Marketing Services (400+ clients, Integrated Communications, PR)

Key Challenges • Shifts in Changes in Congregational Demographics – Impacts Communications and Resourcing - Churches (not non-church organizations) currently caught in transition as younger, tech-savvy members prefer digital communications and many elders prefer print, phone – Puts a burden on resources (small minority prefer paper/snail mail) as both digital and analog channels require ongoing support • Digital translation of church materials and programs is challenging – – Trial and error process for determining when to use digital channels and for what – (e. g. creation of electronic Sunday Service program was unsuccessful; use of screens during services was distracting to some; digital hymnals failed) • Social media: a Challenge & An Opportunity; – how to best use Facebook, Twitter, You. Tube, Instagram and integrate with church Web site – (But note opportunity: wholly online fellowship is our denomination’s largest!) • Results/impact tracking – – Tracking results and impact from the various communications channels is challenging; – None has an effective system for assessing channel effectiveness • Resourcing – – Communications management (content, channel management and distribution) is often a full-time job whether or not there are sufficient resources available to staff it – Channel knowledge is increasingly becoming a job “requirement”

Trends/Best Practices Communications & Message = Valuable Intellectual Property – • • Content is treated as a valuable “proprietary” asset that is monetized (both literally and figuratively); Some market and sell content and all feature their content prominently on their Website and social media Integrated content across digital channels– • • Construct content and delivery to stimulate click-throughs and drill downs. E-mails/electronic newsletter include links to content on Website – cross-channel navigation/sharing increases readership and engagement Maximize Efficiency– ‘Create Once, Publish Many’ • • Write an announcement, then place it in email, newsletter, on website, printed program, bulletin boards Stream services and other events; publish and display multiple times (via screens/other media) across the church campus Make content/services accessible – Crisp, clear, clever • • • Design and delivery are critical; content must be easily digestible (intuitive and quick); Single announcement focus on a given Sunday – costumes, themes (tool belt announcing workshop) Understandable signage that directs members/others to services, facilities or information Commit resources • • Full time staff at larger churches – Communications Director common Double the size – Ten-fold the staff! Build 2 -Way support Systems & Processes • • • Create easy-to-use channels for member communication back to leadership/ministerial staff; Connection cards, web site links (e-mail/web forms)and invitations used to enable members to easily and directly communicate and engage with leadership (of the church, of relevant committees, of events) ‘Owners of digital 2 -way channels - Facebook

Effective Strategies Multiple communications channels most effective reaching current diverse audience • • Newsletters (printed and mailed, digital versions – digital brief) Weekly e-mail (BRIEF content blurbs with links to Web for more info), Web site content/announcements, Facebook/Instagram posts and invitations and Face-to-face at church (spoken) Video – Strategic use of video to deliver content/advertise classes and events Bulletin boards and posters Effective mix of digital and print • Channel selection to match channel appropriate for the content and audience it’s targeted to INTEGRATE Communications – Crystal Clear Message Across ‘Medium’ • • Deliberate processes to ensure that messaging across channels is integrated and impact maximized Employ the principle that “less is more”; Sacrifice awareness of some items to ensure clear break-through communications on those most critical Demystify for newcomers/visitors • • Accessibility of information = Welcome! Websites and physical church areas thoughtfully labeled to help newcomers navigate and find the services they need/are most interested in (guest packets provided to newcomers) Elevate mission and connection • Overarching Message Content (written and graphic) defined and placed to maximize spiritual, emotional impact (e. g. messages on walls of the church or projected on the screen; web site pages)

Discovery Implications for MDUUC Key Takeaways • We’re in Good Shape – New website, Social Justice effort, Programming, Growth, Respected leaders, Lay involvement, blend of old and new, engaging in strategic planning – PR is good and the story is true. • AND we’re at a pivotal time for our Church Community – To live into our Mission – And be the ones to Make it So • “It Takes a Village” – Communications and Ministry and Programs must all weave seamlessly together to be effective • Time to Invest in Ourselves – Churches with double the membership size are staffing at 4 X-10 X the support staff! – Churches of the same size with double and triple. – More than part-time resources needed to effectively manage communications; treat as another area of professional ministry – Plan an interim step while we figure out longer term resource need • Integrated Communications Management Will be Key – To Manage Inreach & Outreach – Sample