Information Systems Services presents Church Technology Ingersoll Deanery

Information Systems Services presents Church & Technology Ingersoll Deanery

Proposed Patron Saint of the Internet St. Isidore of Seville • proposed patron saint of the internet • lived in 7 th century • created world’s first database: a 20 -volume encyclopedia of ‘all human knowledge’ • Etymologies used as college textbook for 900 years

Prayer to our patron? Prayer to St. Isidore When programs crash and cursors freeze, with warnings: “fatal error”, our systems drive us to our knees— can this be cyber-terror, or mere demoniac possession? We need some saintly intercession! Ah, what comfort to implore, “Pray for us, St. Isidore!”

Prayer to our patron? Prayer to St. Isidore When files we’ve saved cannot be found (not even by Outlook), when viruses and worms abound, and eat the address book, when through the Windows data’s flying, the desperate cyber-slaves are crying, prostrate on the office floor, “Pray for us, St. Isidore!”

Prayer to our patron? Prayer to St. Isidore When “You’ve got mail!” but it’s all spam (or files that won’t unzip), when all at once there’s no more RAM, we start to lose our grip, and filling with the foulest hates, we would defenestrate Bill Gates! “Our charitable hearts restore— pray for us, St. Isidore!”

Prayer to our patron? Prayer to St. Isidore When downloads fail, when disks erase, when life-work’s lost in cyberspace, remind us in our dire frustration: The goal here is communication. “Oh, heed our pleas (but don’t keep score)— pray for us, St. Isidore!” -— Mary W. Cox Copyright © 2002 Mary W. Cox

Church & Technology Who are we? We are not TECNOLOGICAL EVANGELIST

Church & Technology Why are we here?

Church & Technology “Church leaders are obliged to use “the full potential of the ‘computer age’ to serve the human and transcendent vocation of every person, , and thus to give glory to the Father from whom all good things come” The Church & the Internet Encyclical letter

Church & Technology Three Es of Technology

Church & Technology ENABLE ENRICH EMPOWER

Church & Technology

Church & Technology Modern technology is given by the almighty to bring glory & praise to HIS name.

Church & Technology: Is this an oxymoron?

Church & Technology “God has spoken to humanity according to the culture proper to each age. Similarly the Church, which in the course of time has existed in varying circumstances, has utilized the resources of different cultures in her preaching to spread and explain the message of Christ” Pope John Paul II XXIV World Communications day

Church & Technology Sometimes the church waits a long time before she sees the benefit of these technologies and begin to use them in the mission of the Church.

Church & Technology “The Church would feel guilty before the Lord if she did not utilize these powerful means that human skill is daily rendering more perfect. It is through them that she proclaims ‘from the housetops’ the message of which she is the depository” Evangelii Nuntiandi, 45

Church & Technology The Role of Technology in the Mission of the Church.

Church & Technology Role of Technology q Process Automation (PA) q Objectives Advancement (OA)

Church & Technology Process Automation (PA) üProcessing financial statements üProcessing of bills & payments üProducing mailing labels

Church & Technology Process Automation (PA) Process automation must begin with Process Re-Engineering (PR).

Church & Technology Process Re-engineering As users of technology we must identify time consuming, repetitive tasks and look for ways to improve the process.

Church & Technology Process Re-engineering ►First and foremost we must eliminate processes which are not adding value to the end result and/or to the objectives of the organization at large. ►Secondly we must streamline processes. ►Thirdly we must consider using technology to improve and/or automate the process.

Church & Technology Process Re-engineering Automating a badly defined manual process is like throwing good money after bad.

Church & Technology Objectives Advancement (OA) üCommunication üEvangelization üOutreach üStewardship

Church & Technology Objective Advancement (OA) Let us challenge ourselves and look for opportunities to use technology tools to improve processes and to advance the mission of the Church. Let us think outside the box

Church & Technology What is the mission of the Church? Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. “Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and earth; go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. ” Matthew 28: 18 -19

Church & Technology It means Communication

Church & Technology The Church, formed by the Word of God , nourished by the Word, and given life by the Spirit, seeks through her communication to make real the desire for communion, the formation of community, the proclamation of God’s word, and the voice of God’s little ones. Taken from Pastoral Plan for Church Communication, United States Catholic Conference.

Church & Technology therefore…

Church & Technology “Communication must lie at the heart of the church community” Aetatis Novae, 6

Church & Technology After the family, people experience the Church first in then local parish, where bonds of charity begin and where the worshipping community takes shape. This occurs through communication: the sharing of faith, the preaching of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments, service to the poor and marginalized, and the union of the larger body. Taken from Pastoral Plan for Church Communication, United States Catholic Conference.

Church & Technology Re-Engineering your church communication is as important as your other ministries.

Church & Technology Are we afraid of the word “Marketing”? Whether we like it or not we are in the business of marketing the Word of God to all Nations. “Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and earth; go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. ” Matthew 28: 18 -19

Church & Technology Common Mistakes of Communication

Church & Technology Be Clear. Communicate, Communicate. Publish it frequently

Church & Technology Not every one is in the club. Try to use “Non-Churchy” language as much as possible.

Church & Technology ●Tell stories. Make connection to their day to day living. ●Try to communicate to their head and well as to their heart.

Church & Technology ●Understand your audience. ●Try to use tools and methodologies that are appropriate for your audience.

Church & Technology ●Publish your vision frequently. ● Explain your vision frequently. ● Connect your vision to your local ministries. ● To be successful your parishioners have to own your vision.

Church & Technology Do not go from Vision to Action. This will be a failure.

Church & Technology Vision Communication Action

Church & Technology What is the first piece of communication people receive when they walk into your Parish? Parish Bulletin What is the average life cycle of a Parish Bulletin? 3 days

Church & Technology What percentage of Parishioners read the complete Bulletin? 0. 3 % How frequently do Parishioners attend the Sunday liturgy? 20 -30 -20 -30

Church & Technology Do you take into consideration that your Parish Community is very diverse in terms of age groups, ethnicity, etc. ? In most cases NO Is your parish bulletin faith friendly to visitors and people from other faith communities? In most cases NO

Church & Technology ►Stop making assumptions such as “everyone knows”, etc. ►Be specific about upcoming events. If possible have a separate insert for upcoming events in the form of an event calendar. ►Use non-traditional ways to distribute your bulletin. Remember not all your parishioners come every Sunday. ►Keep in mind you are communicating with people of all back grounds, all ages, both genders, etc. ► Use appropriate tools & methods.

Church & Technology ►Establish an annual communication budget ►Form a communication team. Make sure you have representation from all groups ►Use your regular parishioners to do part of the communication work for you.

Church & Technology Five Steps of effective ministry communication INSPIRE INSTRUC T INCLUDE INFOR M INVITE

Church & Technology Modern society increasingly defines itself by communicationnewspapers, magazines, books, telecommunications, radio, television, film, internet, electronic mail, digital media. etc. Taken from Pastoral Plan for Church Communication, United States Catholic Conference.

Church & Technology “Since the very evangelization of modern culture depends to a great extent on the influence of the media, it is not enough to use the media simply to spread the Christian message and the Church’s authentic teaching. It is also necessary to integrate that message into the ‘new culture’ created by modern communication. This is a complex issue, since the ‘new culture’ originates not just from whatever content is eventually expressed, but from the very fact there exist new ways of communicating, with new languages, new techniques, and a new psychology” Redemptrois Missio, 37

Church & Technology Medium is the message Marshall Mc. Luhan

Church & Technology Using the Internet/Email to COMMUNICATE with your parishioners and others.

Church & Technology PARISH WEBSITES How important?

Church & Technology The faithful are rushing online to commute, debate and share. Almost overnight the World Wide Web has become a high-speed spiritual bazaar that is altering the character of the Internet and could even change our ideas about God. Rita. Mary Bardley, sfcc Religion in Cyberspace

Church & Technology Cyberspace is not going to destroy religion. It energizes and illuminates it. It brings into focus all the teaching and communication tools of the past and enables us to use them in dynamically new combinations. Rita. Mary Bardley, sfcc Religion in Cyberspace

Church & Technology “The Church sees these media as ‘gifts of God’ which, in accordance with his providential design, unite men in brotherhood and so help them to cooperate with his plan for their salvation” Pope Pius X 11, 1957 Encyclical letter

Church & Technology “The Internet is relevant to many activities and programs of the Church—evangelization including both re-evangelization and new evangelization and the traditional missionary work. ” The Church & the Internet Encyclical letter

Church & Technology “The Internet is relevant to many activities and programs of the Church-evangelization, …catechesis and other kinds of education, news and information, apologies, governance and administration, and some forms of pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. The virtual reality of cyberspace. . , can attract people to a fuller experience of the life of faith, and enrich the religious lives of users. It also provides the Church with a means for communicating with particular groups-young people and young adults, the elderly and home-bound, persons living in remote areas, the members of the other religious bodies-who otherwise may be difficult to reach” Pontifical Council For Social Communications, Ethics In Internet

Church & Technology “Church leaders are obliged to use “the full potential of the ‘computer age’ to serve the human and transcendent vocation of every person, , and thus to give glory to the Father from whom all good things come” The Church & the Internet Encyclical letter

Church & Technology

Church & Technology

Church & Technology The faithful are rushing online to commute, debate and share. Almost overnight the World Wide Web has become a high-speed spiritual bazaar that is altering the character of the Internet and could even change our ideas about God. Rita. Mary Bardley, sfcc Religion in Cyberspace

Church & Technology Cyberspace is not going to destroy religion. It energizes and illuminates it. It brings into focus all the teaching and communication tools of the past and enables us to use them in dynamically new combinations. Rita. Mary Bardley, sfcc Religion in Cyberspace

Church & Technology “The Church sees these media as ‘gifts of God’ which, in accordance with his providential design, unite men in brotherhood and so help them to cooperate with his plan for their salvation” Pope Pius X 11, 1957 Encyclical letter

Church & Technology “The Internet is relevant to many activities and programs of the Church—evangelization including both re-evangelization and new evangelization and the traditional missionary work. ” The Church & the Internet Encyclical letter

Church & Technology “The Internet is relevant to many activities and programs of the Church-evangelization, …catechesis and other kinds of education, news and information, apologies, governance and administration, and some forms of pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. The virtual reality of cyberspace. . , can attract people to a fuller experience of the life of faith, and enrich the religious lives of users. It also provides the Church with a means for communicating with particular groups-young people and young adults, the elderly and home-bound, persons living in remote areas, the members of the other religious bodies-who otherwise may be difficult to reach” Pontifical Council For Social Communications, Ethics In Internet

Church & Technology As we speak, there is a new ministry being created in Churches

Church & Technology Ministry

Church & Technology This ministry should be at the higher level and directly reporting to the Pastor or Pastoral Council

Church & Technology “E-Ministry is a method (a technology) approach in seeking to reach people. Because there is so much out there, our church leadership felt the need to develop a ministry to be used as a tool to facilitate the various needs of all ministries” Rev. Wayne Cole, Executive Pastor Riverland Hills Baptist Church Columbia, SC

Church & Technology “E-Ministry allows each ministry in the church to continue with their focus, but this helps take some of the demands off. It seeks to express the entire congregation through website, mass media and other ways that will allow members to gain more understanding and knowledge of all ministries that are taking place in the life of the Church” Rev. Wayne Cole, Executive Pastor Riverland Hills Baptist Church Columbia, SC

Church & Technology If the apostle Paul was living in this era, he would be using all of these technologies in his communication.

Church & Technology Are U ready?

Church & Technology We at ISS can help you establish this ministry in your Parish.

Church & Technology We deliver… What we promise Sounds like Sears commercial?

Church & Technology Modern technology is given by the almighty to bring glory & praise to HIS name. Technology is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Church & Technology “We accomplish in our lifetimes only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. …We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. ” From the prayer of Archbishop Oscar Romero

Church & Technology Thank you