EDOT Office of Communications

WordPress.com, WordPress, and WordPress.org

2012-03-12T12:01:00.002-07:00

The distinctions between WordPress.com, WordPress, and WordPress.org can cause some confusion. Let’s clear them up.

WordPress.com is brought to you by some of the same folks who work onWordPress, the open source blogging software. WordPress.com is a hosting platform that utilizes the same WordPress software that anyone can download from WordPress.org. With WordPress.com, the hosting and managing of the software is taken care of by the team here atAutomattic. With the freestanding WordPress software, you need to install it on your own server or a 3rd party hosting provider.

[read more]

5 Ways to Increase the Visibility of Your Church Website

2012-03-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Posted by Justin Wise
There's a dirty word in the land of church communications: Marketing.

That's right, marketing.

It conjures up images of sleazy, pushy, aggressive sales people who have one thing on their mind: CASH MONEY.

The reality is, however, that everyone's in marketing. If you're on staff at a church, or affiliated with it in some way, you're a marketer. Congratulations.

When you work for a church, you need to be mindful of this fact. When new folks move to your area, our research shows that before they show up on Sunday morning, they're looking you up on Google. And here's the cold, hard reality: If they can't find you on the first page of Google, they won't come to your church.

That's right. 90% of people never go past the first page of search results.

If your website is your primary way of marketing your organization to the watching world, stands to reason that you want people to find it. Correct?

If that's you (it should be), here are five quick steps you can take to get more visitors to your church website:

5. LIST YOUR CHURCH ON GOOGLE PLACES.

You need to tell Google where your church is, both online and offline. This is a simple step that you can take to greatly increase the search rankings of your website. Fill in the basic information and you're off and running. Sign up for Google Places today.

4. JOIN RELEVANT LINK DIRECTORIES.

Link-building (done rightly) is one of the best ways to increase the visibility of your website. Usually you can join context-specific directories for no charge and they give you the coveted "Google juice". Google says, "Hey, lots of other websites are linking to this church website over these others, they must be more trustworthy." Thus, you go higher in the search rankings. Run this simple seach in Google:

allintitle: church website directory

And then join all the ones that you feel are applicable. Done and done!

3. LIST YOUR WEBSITE ON ALL THE MAJOR SEARCH ENGINES.

You need to let Google, Bing!, and Yahoo know that you exist. Chances are they'll find you eventually, but why wait around? You want to be proactive. Visit each of the links below and tell each search engine where the URL of your website:

2. GRAB YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK PROFILE NAMES.

This one is most often overlooked, but it may be one of the more important steps you can take. Google is now indexing social networks into its results. Which means that the churches who take the time to establish their networks will fare better in search results. Take the time to create a Twitter, fan page, and Google+ account, even if it's a placeholder.

If your homepage URL is www.AnyLutheranChurch.com, use this formula for naming your accounts:

Twitter: @AnyLutheranChurch
Facebook: Facebook.com/AnyLutheranChurch
Google+: (using GPlus) GPlus.to/AnyLutheranChurch

You get the idea. Brand consistency is key, even for a church.

1. START A BLOG.

Research shows that organizations who have a blog get 55% more traffic to their website than those that don't. Statistically speaking, you cannot have a blog and not have your traffic go up. It's not possible.

That said, establish a consistent blogging pattern with regular and fresh content and your blog (and website) will fare much better in search rankings. In my estimation, there is no better way to boost the visibility of your website than by starting a blog.

NOTE: Blogging is hard work. It takes dedication, creativity, and planning to do properly. But if you invest the time, it will pay dividends for you and your organization.

Episcopal Church website nominated for award

2012-03-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

The website of the Episcopal Church has been nominated for a prestigious Blue Drop Award in the category Best Non-Profit/Education Website Built with Drupal.

The Episcopal Church

Working with Duo Consulting and Mike Devencenzi, creative director for Atmosphere Design of Cincinnati, the Office of Communication launched the new website on Tuesday, December 27, 2011, utilizing Drupal open-source technologies.

“Our team, led by staff member Barry Merer, Manager of Web and Social Media Services, delivered a website that for the first time offers an experience of our church,” noted Anne Rudig, Director of Communication. “We are honored by this recognition for our work.”

Of special note in the design of the Episcopal Church website is that it appeals to both current Church members while also evangelizing to newcomers and seekers.

“What We Believe, What We Do, and Who We Are are right on the homepage,” Rudig said. “Couple that with rich music and worship offerings, prayers online, uploads of local mission video and photos, bilingual functionality, and the ability for churches to edit their own information in the Find A Church section, and you can start to see how an open source platform can be used to create a welcoming experience.”

[read more]

Dropbox redesign brings better file management

2012-03-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

By Stan Schroeder, Mashable

Dropbox haslaunched a major redesign, simplifying many file management tasks and bringing a new video andphoto viewer.

The first thing you'll notice inthe new Dropbox UI is the action bar which lets you sort files by name, date,size and type.

Click on a file, and the actionbar will get new options -- for example, you can download, delete, rename, moveor copy a file from there.

You can also perform theseactions by right-clicking on a file, which makes Dropbox more similar toMicrosoft's Windows Explorer than ever.

Dropbox now also has a new videoand photo viewer, which lets you view these types of content on your entirescreen. Photos and videos (this includes Photoshop and Illustrator files) nowalso have thumbnails, which makes them easier to preview.

Finally, new Dropbox supportsdrag-and-drop, simple multiple file selections, and keyboard shortcuts (hit"?" for a full list). Dropbox search now also instantly pulls resultsas you type.

[read more]

Deleting Personal Information from your Computer

2012-03-07T08:24:00.001-08:00

With thanks to our friends in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem

A caller recently asked how to delete personal information without reformatting the hard drive. Now, on a Mac, this is relatively easy as all user data is under the user login so you just delete the user using secure delete and then use Disk Utility to erase the free space (I recommend at least a 3 pass on the free space for security). On a Windows machine it's a little harder and the older the machine and operating system the more complicated it gets. Kim outlines freeware programs to help you clean it up though so you get rid of all (or almost all) the user data as needed.

Check it out here

What is Prezi?

2012-03-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

The official Prezi introduction video. See how you can bring presentations back to life with Prezi. Present your ideas on a large canvas, and show their relationship with scale and placement. Try Prezi now for free on Prezi.com.

What to do About Google Privacy Worries

2012-03-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Social Media and Sexual Abuse: Establishing Healthy Boundaries

2012-03-01T13:47:00.002-08:00

Social Media Webinar

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

1:00 – 2:00 PM CDT

Sign-up now

The webinar will deal with the most common uses of social media in these settings; the risks for adult to adult, adult to youth, and youth to youth interactions; and suggestions for developing controls over the various social media options available to you.

Britt Darwin-Looney, the director of Youth Development Services for Praesidium will conduct the webinar. Questions will be taken during the last 10 minutes of the session and Britt will answer questions by e-mail or phone after the webinar.

Communication is Holy Work

2012-02-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

Communication is holy work. When you consider that church is a volunteer organization, it’s a shame to use all that talent and not share the stories of the transformations and mission that take place. When we wrote a Diolog magazine about welcoming visitors it hit home for a parishioner of St. John the Divine, Houston. Because she was reminded of her responsibility to help make new people feel welcome on Sunday morning (“this is everyone’s ministry”), she excused herself from a circle of friends after worship when she noticed a couple standing at the edge of the room. They were from Iran, working at M D Anderson as researchers, ane were interested in learning more about the Christian religion. She invited them to join the inquirer’s class and also invited them to dinner at her home. Read about more examples of communication as part of your ministry here:

Shares or Likes: Which Is More Important?

2012-02-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

BY JOSH MENDELSOHN | Constant Contact
Every relationship has its stages.

Depending on your age, the first step could be a first drink at a bar, an online chat, a slow dance to “Stairway to Heaven” (do they still do that?), a blind date, or stumbling into each other in a supermarket.

If that goes well, you give the other person permission to call you (or be called by you), and keep the relationship growing through conversations and shared experiences. And eventually you make a long-term commitment to one another.

For better or worse, that’s exactly how it works with social media marketing, too. It’s all about graduating from one level of relationship to another.

So, when I was recently asked, “What’s better on Facebook, a Like or a share?” My answer was yes.

You need both to build strong relationships with your current and potential customers. And without one or the other your relationship is destined to fail.

Why Page Likes are great for your business or organization

We talk a lot about the concept of permission-based marketing, and much like subscribing to an email list, “Liking” a Facebook Page is a form of permission that lets a brand keep talking with people — or other brands who are interested in their content.

Likes are that first dance, the beginning of a relationship. They are also a social endorsement that your new fans’ friends may see in their newsfeed.

Your new fans have stated that you have an affinity for your brand. But the work is just starting because once you have someone interested in what you have to say, you have to keep up the momentum or you’ll lose them as quick as you found them (or they found you.)

Why shares are great for your business or organization

In many ways, a “share” is even better than a “Like” because it’s a much stronger social endorsement and is far more likely to get noticed in the newsfeed of the friends of the person who has shared (what we call the network effect).

It’s like being brought to a wedding or a work function. People are proactively telling the world about how great you or your content is.

On Facebook, shares usually come with a picture and a comment from the person sharing, and with Facebook’s new Timeline, this content can really jump off the page. (Not to mention that it has a much bigger impact on the EdgeRank algorithm for people who share, making it more likely that they will see your comment in the future.)

Those are all great things, but like a single great date, they aren’t any guarantee of a future relationship. In fact, having someone share your content doesn’t give you any sort of relationship with them if you don’t already have one.

You need both

The truth is, to build strong social relationships with your target audience, you need to have that great first date, you need to get permission to keep talking, and you have to keep producing great content or offers that people want to tell their friends about.

Likes are the beginning, shares are an endorsement that you are doing well, and that your fans want the relationship to continue. Your future interactions — both online and offline — are the building blocks of a long-term relationship.

Welcoming Ministry 100 Online Training Course

2012-02-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

How welcoming is your church?
There’s always room for improvement. In Welcoming Ministry 100, you’ll learn how to lead your church in cultivating a dynamic ministry of welcoming. This four-part, online course can be completed in six weeks. Work at your own pace.

In this course, you’ll discover:
• What it means to be a welcoming, hospitable congregation•How to identify and enlist congregants for your church’s welcoming ministry•Ways to assess what your church does well in regard to welcoming — as well as areas for possible improvement•How to identify what your church is known for•How to reach out to the local community.

Cost: $29

Dates: Feb. 29 to April 11

Registration Open through Tuesday, Feb. 28
[more]

The Duderino Explains Lent

2012-02-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

by: texasbishop

Is Microsoft Office For iPad For Real?

2012-02-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

BY MATT HICKEY, THE DAILY

Back in November, The Daily initially uncovered the existence of an iPad version of the Microsoft Office Suite. Sources now say that the app will soon be submitted to Apple for approval.

A brief hands-on with a working prototype of the software revealed a number of new things. The app’s user interface is similar to the current OneNote app, but it has hints of Metro, the new design language that can be seen in Windows Phone and in the as-yet-released Windows 8 desktop operating system.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be created and edited locally and online. But it’s unclear if Microsoft will support other Office apps at launch or at all.

Sources close to the matter also commented that an Android version of Office is not in the works, and that an updated OneNote iOS app will also be released to reflect the Metro design language.

An exact launch date is unknown, but the design team has since wrapped up the project, meaning it could be released in the coming weeks.

Ash Wednesday & Lent in Two Minutes

2012-02-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

Web Training Courses Registration Open

2012-02-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

WebMinistry Training Courses
Registration Open through Tuesday, Feb. 28

Pop quiz: How many people are online?

If you guessed 1.6 billion, you are right. That’s why a web ministry can besuch a powerful way to reach people where they are (which is online!).

Do you want to start a web ministry?

We are offering four online courses to help you understand howto integrate a web ministry into the broader picture of your church’s outreach.Specifically, learn how to:

Set a purpose, goalsand action plan for establishing a web ministry.
Identify your usersand how to meet their needs.
Learn the nuts andbolts of websites — from domain name registration to hosting services and fromprivacy issues to site maps
Find software andother resources to enhance your site.
Develop content andgraphics for your website.
Build efficient,effective site navigation.

[learn more]

Many Paths: One Church

2012-02-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

The 2012 Episcopal Communicators Conference

Kanuga Conference Center

Hendersonville, North Carolina

Tuesday, March 20 - Friday, 23, 2012

Click here for online registration form.

Coming from a distance? Consider arriving Monday, March 19 as our program begins at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, with optional activities beginning 9:00 am Tuesday. Plan your return trip any time after breakfast on Friday.

The 2012 conference will include: Plenary and workshop opportunities; opportunities for networking and community building; shared worship; and the Polly Bond Awards.

For general conference questions contact Nancy Davidge.

Conference Schedule

Conference Fees

Plenaries & Workshops

Diocese provides Lenten Resources

2012-02-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Lenten appeal: Help rebuild the Haitian cathedral

"Ashes to Go" Brings Ash Wednesday into the Community

Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast

Lent Madness Widget

Easter Walk Script

Children's Lent calendar

Holy Week Resources

[see more]

Contact Jamie Martin-Currie, Missioner for Christian Education for assistant with other Formation resources.

Sign up to be a Moderator

2012-02-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

The Sharing Faith Steering Committee is looking for enthusiastic coordinators to help make this event a spirit-filled evening across our diocese. You will be our primary contact with your church to help facilitate the event in your congregation.

Each congregation is being asked to identify a Dinner Coordinator for their church members’ participation. If you wish to be a Dinner Coordinator, please inform Gail McGuire in the Diocesan Office immediately.

Role of Dinner Coordinators:

Must have access to email
Coordinate selection of host families and moderators with your local clergy person
Communicate all information to church members in your congregation
Register church members who don’t have access to email
Distribute question cards to host home contacts

[read more]

Sign up to be a Moderator through the Dinner Coordinator at your church. For more information, see your Church’s Dinner Coordinator.

Role of Moderators:

Must have access to email
Must participate in a one-hour training prior to the event
Moderate discussion with questions provided by the diocese

[read more]

Bishop Andy Invites You to Dinner

2012-02-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

How not to annoy people via e-mail

2012-02-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

More often than not, e-mail can be a backdrop for obnoxious behavior, say CNN.com's Netiquette columnists.

(CNN) -- E-mail can be a lovely way to connect, an easy and instant medium for getting back or keeping in touch, a canvas for hellos and sorrys and XOXOs.

But more often than not it's a backdrop for obnoxious behavior, and you, gentle readers, just don't stop giving us reasons to wag our fingers at you.

We're not talking about the content of your digital missives (though plenty of you could stand to take a course in Spelling 101 or How to Avoid Coming Across as Brusque and/or Angry).

No, we're addressing the very way you use e-mail, the logistics of hurtling e-mails into the tangled switchboard of the Web. Here, three blatantly annoying sins to avoid before hitting send.

[read more]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Don't be that dummy who piles spam atop spam by replying all
Remember that work and personal e-mails are not interchangeable
Delete all the headers in the body of your e-mail so the relevant material is at the top

ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT! This Friday: Adobe Muse Workshop

2012-02-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 3, 2012, 9:00 am-12:00 pm Spacetaker
2101 WinterStreetHouston, TX 77007map it!

We will beraffling off a copy of Adobe CS5.5

Create websites as easily as you create layouts for print. Without writingcode, you can design and publish original HTML pages to the latest webstandards. Now in beta, Muse makes it a snap to produce unique, professionalwebsites.

In this workshop, you will learn to how to plan, design, andpublish all in Muse. Muse enables fast planning and site design featuringsitemaps with drag-and-drop thumbnails and master pages for easy templating andcontrol of elements common across your site. Laying out text, images, andgraphics is a cinch. With all the precision you expect from Adobe design tools,you can apply styles and effects, and control page layouts completely whileworking creatively.

REGISTRATION Now Available! Spaceis limited.

AIGA Members: $5
Non-Members: $20

Speaker: AprilClark

April Clark, owner of Nuance Consulting LLC, is a consultant and trainer for web andprint publishing professionals. April is an Adobe Certified Instructor and amember of the Adobe Community Professionals program. April Clark is alsoco-chapter representative of the Cleveland InDesign User Group. She currentlyteaches Adobe classes for the Cleveland Institute of Art Continuing Educationprogram and she has presented the Adobe Creative Suite to many AIGA chaptersincluding AIGA Chicago and AIGA Boston.

For more information or questions, email Ashley Everett,Programming Director programming@houston.aiga.org

50 New Tech Tools You Should Know About

2012-01-30T07:55:00.000-08:00

Evernote Food helps you preserve and share eating experiences.

(CNN) -- You may have dozens of apps on your phone and scores of websites bookmarked on your laptop, but that doesn't mean you have all the latest tech tools at your fingertips.

New mobile apps, services, social networks and other digital tools pop up so frequently that keeping up with them is a nearly impossible task. Just when you think you're up to date, something newer and hipper comes along.

But before you wave the white flag, let us help. Once again we have sorted through hundreds of new and emerging tech tools to bring you 50 of the most buzzworthy ones. (Last year's list can be found here.)

These apps and services can help you do everything from shooting better smartphone photos to cataloging your bottle-cap collection to finding the best pad Thai in your city. Not all of them are brand new, but we've probably listed some you haven't heard of. We hope you find them useful.

[read more]

Twitter Boycott Planned To Protest Twitter's Censorship Plan

2012-01-27T14:43:00.000-08:00

Twitterers have a message: Tomorrow, turn off the tweets.

Users of the social media site are planning a Twitter boycott to protest the company's new ability to censor tweets on a country-by-country basis.
Twitter announced Thursday that it can now block tweets, as well as individual accounts, from appearing to users in specific countries, and that it may use the feature to comply with governments' request to censor information . Before, Twitter could only block tweets and accounts globally.

Some users are calling on fellow Twitterers to silence their tweets on January 28 as a way of expressing their opposition to Twitter's plan. They are using the hashtag #TwitterBlackou t to organize the boycott, and tweets tagged with the hashtag are rolling in at a clip of about 12 per minute. The tweets span a range of languages, including English, German, Spanish and Arabic.

[read more]

How Google keeps your secrets private

2012-01-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- How does a company that collects so much information from its users keep all that data private?

Meet Alma Whitten, Google's director of privacy.

"We've made incredible progress on this over the past year," said Whitten in an interview with CNNMoney that took place last month. "We've built the car, and now we're just doing the tune-up."

As part of that tune-up, Google on Tuesday made the major announcement that it has streamlined its privacy policy. Instead of 70 policies across each of its products -- search, maps, Gmail, etc. -- Google will consolidate most of them into a single, shorter, privacy agreement. Whitten wrote in a blog post Tuesday that the move is designed to add clarity to Google's privacy stance.

Google has begun notifying its users of the changes. The company also began a massive publicity campaign this month, putting advertisements about privacy in major cities throughout the country. [read more]

7 Hard Truths About the Practice of Hospitality

2012-01-27T14:25:00.000-08:00

By Jenn Chinn

1. There will be someone you don’t really want to welcome walking through your door at least once every day. This is human – which is not to say you shrug your shoulders and ignore it. Acknowledge it, cut yourself some slack, and say hello.

2. Never kick someone out of your heart. But you can ask them to leave the space.

3. Self-forgiveness is non-negotiable. As a wise priest once told me, “You are not perfect, but you are divine.” You will make mistakes. Tomorrow is a new day.

4. Setting rules, boundaries, and limitations is not easy, especially when you see people in need. But remember, the people in need will benefit from the peace and well-being that is created in the space by the rules you established.

5. The power of your hospitality will not always be seen in the moment. A warm, heartfelt welcome is a gift that can be difficult for some to receive. Have faith. Keep showing up. Hospitality is, above all, a practice.

6. Everyone deserves beauty. Providing that for another is part of the practice.

7. Everyone likes to help. Never be totally ready for the party. Receiving gifts is part of hospitality, too.

Jenn Chinn is Program Manager for Charlotte’s Place. Since opening in March, Charlotte’s has welcomed parishioners, homeless, local families, students, and OWS protesters, practicing its “open to all and free to use” policy day by day.

Cathedral Urban Service Experience host Day of Service

2012-01-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
CUSE Plans Day of Service, Evening at the Brewery, February 25

The Cathedral Urban Service Experience is hosting a Young Adult Day of Service for all Houston-area 20s and 30s. They will spend the day serving the community by painting houses and doing home repair for low-income families. After work, the group will have dinner and drinks at Houston's new Buffalo Bayou Brewery. They will be one of the first groups ever to see the brewery. All of this for just $20.
[read more]

Do you have a Dinner Coordinator?

2012-01-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Each congregation is being asked to identify a Dinner Coordinator for their church members’ participation. Please inform Gail McGuire in the Diocesan Office of the Dinner Coordinator’s name, email and contact information immediately.

Role of Dinner Coordinators:

Must have access to email
Coordinate selection of host families and moderators with your local clergy person
Communicate all information to church members in your congregation
Register church members who don’t have access to email
Distribute question cards to host home contacts

Ready or not, you're getting Facebook Timeline

2012-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Facebook announced in a blog post Tuesday that Timeline will be coming to all users in the next few weeks.
[read more]

Picnik is closing

2012-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

Sincejoining Google in 2010, we have been creating editing magic in Google productswhile continuing to keep Picnik awesome. But now we get to focus on evenawesomer things. Picnik will be closing on April 19, 2012.
Yourphotos liberated
Amazing photos are created in Picnik, so we have launched a new feature, Picnik Takeout, that easily downloads yourphotos to your desktop in convenient zip files. You may also elect to copy yourphotos to Google+ where you canstore and share your creations. You may request your photos at any time and usethis handy tool as many times as you like until our closing date of April 19,2012. Learn more.
PremiumRefunds
To our primo Picnik Premium members, we'll begin processing a full refund ofyour current membership fee within a week of this announcement. By "infull" we mean the whole darn thing. Yep, this means even if you are onyour very last day of an annual membership, we will refund you the entire$24.95. Just because we want to say thanks.
Now the Good News - Free Premium for ALL!
To express our gratitude for your support over the past 5 years, Picnik Premiumis free for everyone! Use Picnik in all of its premium glory, for free, fromnow until our actual closing day. Touch-up, Textures, Advanced, and more areall free for you to use!

We havebeen incredibly proud of building a product that is used and beloved by so manyof you. We continue to be amazed and humbled by the photos you create and weare immensely grateful for all of your support, creativity, and passion.
We areexcited by the photo-editing fun we have already brought to Google products,like Google+, where you can find many of your favorite Picnik effects in Creative Kit.We encourage you to visit Google+ and give it a whirl.
Pleasevisit the Help Hubfor more information on our wind down, and check the Picnik blog for updated information on ourApril closure.
It's been awesome,
Team Picnik

Watercolor Art Society-Houston to Hosts Major Workshop

2012-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

International Exhibit Juror and Workshop – Judi Betts

Spring 2012 is around the corner with WAS-H's International Exhibit and workshop! They are excited to have Judi Betts as their Juror and Instructor at their 1st major workshop of the new year.

WAS-H will be experimenting with the major workshop format. Their primary goal is offer our membership a 5 day workshop with a well known artist/instructor. Since some members have indicated interest in a 3 day workshop, we will also reserve 6 slots for those who wish the 3 day option. The options/dates/costs are as follows: 3 day option on March 12-14 for $300, 5 day option on March 12-16 for $450.

Enrollment has already begun – a nonrefundable deposit of $100 and your completed workshop registration form will hold your place in class.

[read more]

Trash or save? Dealing with your outdated Web pages

2012-01-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

By Andrea Bartz and Brenna Ehrlich, Special to CNN

January 18, 2012 -- Updated 1205 GMT (2005 HKT) | Filed under: Web

The Internet is home to millions of pages of unwanted or abandoned debris.

(CNN) -- At this very moment, 500 miles above yourfreckle-pocked head, a half-million pieces of junk are orbiting around theEarth.

Derelict spacecraft, chunks of machinery deliberatelyejected from their vehicles, defunct satellites and even sad specks of paintfrom spaceships long gone all loop around the vacuity, a sad, eternal ballet ofuseless crap (according to an alarmingly cracker-barrel website from NASA).

But much closer to your fingers lies an equally vacuousvoid: the Internet, home to millions of pages of unwanted or abandoned debris,swirling slowly in the churn of search results and spider-combing.

But figuring out how to handle your own outdated Web contentis tricky business. Instead of doing the online equivalent of littering --sweeping yesteryear into a dustbin of 0s and 1s -- refer to our handy guide fordealing with the past. [read more]

Dark day for Wikipedia, other sites

2012-01-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Websites blackout in protest of Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Wikipedia was one of several websites that were shut down Wednesday in protest of anti-piracy bills before Congress that critics say could amount to censorship.

Instead of the usual encyclopedia articles, visitors to Wikipedia were greeted by a message about the decision to black out its English-language Web page for an entire day.

"Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge," a stark message in white letters on a black and gray background read.

"For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia." [read more]

WACC Photo competition 2012 launched

2012-01-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

The annual Photo competition of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), 2012, has been launched. The theme is: Communication for All

DESCRIPTION: Communication rights invoke spaces and resources in the public sphere for everyone to be able to engage in transparent, informed and democratic debate. They invoke unfettered access to the information and knowledge essential to responsible democracy, empowerment, active citizenship and mutual accountability. They invoke political, social and cultural environments that encourage the free exchange of a diversity of creative ideas, knowledge and cultural products. Communication rights invoke the need to ensure a diversity of cultural identities that together enhance and enrich the common good.

The WACC Photo Competition 2012 seeks photos that illustrate the notion that communication is a basic human right, essential to people's dignity and community; or how communication promotes democratic values and social justice; or how communication helps restore voice and visibility to people, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

Winners of the competition will be awarded cash prizes. There will be one first prize and five commendations. The first prize is $500 and each commendation will be awarded $200. Winning photos will be seen around the world, so preference will be given to photos that convey meaning without relying on the written word.

To participate in the competition, photos must be loaded on Flickr. If you do not have an account on Flickr, you need to create one by following this link: http://www.flickr.com/ and then join the competition.

The closing date is 1 May 2012. Winners will be announced later in May.

This competition, in its 9th year, brings together hundreds of photographers from around the world with each photo on the subject of communication.

For more information about the competition, contact Terry at mt@waccglobal.org

[Editor’s note: Members of Anglican Communion Churches are on regional and the global board of WACC]

************

Upcoming Adobe Webinars & Workshops

2012-01-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

A Master Class intensive 2-day seminar using InDesign, Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Aquafadas, and more to go from blank page through to producing a polished interactive digital magazine running on the iPad. The same publication will also run on Android-based tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Motorola Xoom, and other tablets.

We all use PDFs and Adobe Acrobat on a regular basis–the modern world couldn’t function without PDFs. Still, despite the constant use, there are many features and almost mystical powers within Acrobat Pro that even the most experienced users don’t know about. In this 2-hour session we’ll explore those hidden gems and what they can do in the real world for you and your work.

Take this course and you’ll be producing fast, easy, well-designed PDF eforms as easily as you create visually rich InDesign pages for print.

[and more]

5 Questions You Should Answer on Your Church Website's Home Page

2012-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

Your website is too complicated. There, I said it. But deep down, you know it's true.

If people can't figure out what you want them to do within 30 seconds of coming to your church website, you're on your way to becoming a ghost town. The average surfer has a short attention span (anywhere from five to 12 seconds, depending on who you ask), so your site has to provide users what they want, when they want it.

If you don't, well, you're asking for trouble. Why? According to our own research, 27% of people we polled found their church online. That means over a quarter of folks said, in essence, "if we didn't like the church website, we didn't go to the church."

Yikes!

How to Help People With Your Website

In our work with churches, ministries and nonprofits, we have found that users of church websites are almost always looking for the same types of information. Here's a list of the four questions your site should answer on the home page:

5. What is your church like? In other words, what are people to expect when they come to your church? Yes, we know you're Gospel-centered (so are most other churches!), but what makes you, you? Tell people who you are, what you believe, who works there, and what visitors can expect when they show up. (And make sure you have pictures from real people in your congregation. Stock photos, though pretty and sterile, are a no-no.)

[read more]

Is Your Website Turning into a Ghost Town?

2012-01-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

7 Warning Signs That Your Website is Turning Into a Ghost Town

If you're wondering where your organization stands, here are seven warning signs that your website has turned into a ghost town:

1. Contact requests are never returned. If you have contact information listed on your site (you should), it is a realistic expectation to receive correspondence from people. If they contact you and you don't respond, this sends a message. If someone takes the time to contact your organization, you need to have a process for responding to those folks. Anything else is ghost town behavior.

2. There is an "Under Construction" notice posted anywhere. On any page. You've seen these. So have I. The "under construction" notice with an animated gif of a builder or dump truck or some other nonsensical character. If your site has a page with this anywhere on it, take it down immediately. It sends a message that says, "we're too lazy to figure this out." Unpublish the page if you must. Just don't let your construction show.

3. There is a stat counter in the footer of the site. Need I say more?

[read more]

Web Ministry 100: What Is Web Ministry?

2012-01-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

Web Ministry 100: "What is Web Ministry?” online course provides foundational information and theological basis for creating and maintaining Web ministry for your context. Web Ministry 100 is a pre-requisite for advanced Web Ministry courses. Click here for the course syllabus. Click here to see a feature of the course called “Weaving a Web.” [MORE INFORMATION]

50 Super Cool Photoshop Actions You Might Want to Use

2012-01-05T07:14:00.000-08:00

Using Photoshop actions can make your life easier and help you edit your photos more quickly. Basically, actions are nothing more than a series of normal Photoshop operations recorded so you can run them in sequence quickly, without having to remember just what steps to do, and in what order.

Whenever you perform a repetitive task in Photoshop, you can save yourself time and effort by using actions. Here they have listed 50 awesome actions for your reference.

24. Sharp Action

How to Create a Paper Sticky Note in Photoshop

2012-01-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to design a nice and clean paper sticky note. Sticky notes are very useful when you`re building creative website layouts for example. Combined with other elements, the result might be stunning.

Click here to see tutorial and download .psd file.

40 Things Killed by Technology

2012-01-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

Resolutions! Five tech behaviors to drop in 2012

2012-01-03T08:55:00.001-08:00

(CNN) -- If your New Year's resolutions have lastedthis long, congratulations. You're 1/366th of the way home.

But it's not too late to throw a few more on the pile. And sincehalf of us spend an hour or more online everyday, according to the Pew Research Center's Internet and AmericanLife Project, it's worth considering a few Web resolutions to go along withthose vows to drop some....

Here are a few suggestions for digital behaviors you might want toresolve to drop in 2012. You can feel better about yourself while making theWeb a happier place.

2012 Polly Bond Awards

2011-12-08T08:28:00.001-08:00

I'd like to encouragemembers to enter the 2012 Polly Bond Awards which both recognize outstandingwork and provides an opportunity to have your work reviewed and critiqued byprofessionals from outside our organization. I look forward to readingthe judges' evaluation of my work, often picking up ideas to incorporate intofuture projects.

This year, the deadline for entries is December 21, 2011. Information oncategories, entry requirements, and entry forms is available on the EpiscopalCommunicators website.

New this year:

1. A parish communications category whichincludes awards in the areas of newsletters, visitor/welcome or special eventmaterials, and website. In establishing this new category we hope toencourage our parish communicator members to submit their work as a way to bothshare it with other parish communicators and to take advantage of the valuablefeedback participants receive from our professional judges.

2. All submissions, except category 33 -promotional materials, will be submitted online.

Awards will be announced at the Polly Bond Banquet, scheduled for March 22during our conference at Kanuga.

Questions? Please contact Mary Getz at: mgetz@episcopalchurch.org

Why QR codes aren't catching on

2011-12-08T07:56:00.001-08:00

QR codes eliminate the need for typing a URL on your phone, but you need to have a barcode scanner app installed.

CNN) -- Quick response (QR) codes -- thosetwo-dimensional barcodes that resemble a checkerboard on LSD -- are appearingmore frequently on billboards, magazine ads, business cards, stickers, T-shirtsand anything that is used to promote stuff.

But evidence suggests many people don't understand what QR codesare or what to do with them.

You might think that if anyone would know how to use a QR code, itwould be college students -- a demographic that is immersed in technology andbombarded by marketing. But a recent study foundthat nearly eight in 10 college students had no idea what to do with a QR code.

For Your Ears: "Design Matters"

2011-12-08T07:47:00.001-08:00

In some ways, I feel silly recommending a podcast featuring Debbie Millman. After all – among designers, who isn’t familiar with Debbie and her work? She isn’t exactly low-profile in the design world, having just ended her very successful term as President of AIGA. Most of you reading this I would imagine have at least one of her books in your collection. Yet it surprises me how often I run into people who’ve never heard of the Design Matters podcast.

In Design Matters, Millman interviews the biggest names in the creative world. From rising stars like Jessica Hische to design legends like Milton Glaser, DM is one of the best resources I have found for perspective and philosophy from the greatest minds in design, all in a casual, conversational format that makes the interviewees’ personalities shine through. It’s one thing to admire a designer’s work on a visual level. But to really hear from the designers themselves about how they approach their process, their career ups and downs, and especially how they got to where they are, offers a level of personal insight we rarely get to experience. Debbie Millman has a knack for asking all the right questions and coaxing the most relevant insights from her subjects.

Occasionally, Millman deviates from the standard interview format and strikes a more personal note. My personal favorite DM episode was her interview with Stefan Sagmeister from November of ’09 (her second DM interview with Sagmeister – the former occurred in ’05). Listening to Sagmeister is always engaging and worth one’s time, but it was the intro portion of this episode I found so endearing. Rather than launch directly into the interview, Debbie related a story about her early career, where she faced a series of personal and career setbacks, culminating in an impromptu trip overseas she was too stressed out to truly enjoy. I won’t spoil it for you, but essentially her relating a personal story of career anxiety and learning from one’s failures resonated with me as much – if not more – than any of her 100+ interviews with the icons of design. It’s Millman’s personal touches that make Design Matterssomething special.

You can subscribe to Design Matters via iTunes.

Be sure to check out the Design Matters Archive as well. Debbie Millman’s Twitter feed is @debbiemillman.

Launch Your Church Website with iThemes Builder

2011-11-15T05:03:00.001-08:00

iThemes Builder makes creating page layouts quick and easy.

We made Builder forourselves because we were tired of the way page templates used to work. WithBuilder, you can make your own page layouts in seconds without touching anycode.

Watch the demo

Visit the iThemes Builder site

5 Tips for Welcoming Church Visitors

2011-11-15T04:47:00.001-08:00

Kids and technology: The new rules of online safety

2011-11-15T04:37:00.001-08:00

By Scott Steinberg, Special to CNN

updated 8:04 PM EST, Thu November 10, 2011 | Filed under: Gaming and Gadgets

(CNN) -- Betweensmartphones, social networks, tablet PCs and Internet-ready gaming systems,today's families are more connected than ever, with schools, libraries andorganizations nationwide increasingly rolling out programs devoted to extollingthe virtues of technology. But in the rush to welcome new generations to thegrowing high-tech community, we're also making a grave mistake by doingperilously little to prepare children and adults for life in a wireless world.

Consider that more than 7.5 million children underage 13 utilize Facebook in violation of the social network's terms of use,according to Consumer Reports. More than five million of them are 10 and under.Many parents are even actively lying to help underage kids join the service, anew study in peer-reviewed online journal First Monday further reveals.

[read more]

Adobe abandons mobile Flash development, report says

2011-11-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

By Mike Isaac, Wired.com

In an abrupt about-face in its mobile software strategy, Adobewill soon cease developing its Flash Player plug-in for mobile browsers,according to an e-mail sent to Adobe partners on Tuesday evening.

And with that e-mail flash, Adobe has signaled that it knows, as Steve Jobs predicted, the end of the Flash era on the web iscoming soon.

Thee-mail, obtained and first reported on by ZDNet, says that Adobe will no longer continue to"adapt Flash Player for mobile devices to new browser, OS version ordevice configurations," instead focusing on alternative applicationpackaging programs and the HTML5 protocol. [read more]

Photoshop again: What is the best way to add a smile to someone's face?

2011-11-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Ask Dave is a weekly podcast from Photoshop Guy, Dave Cross. In his videos, Dave answers viewer questions about Photoshop tools, actions, settings, etc. Check out the entire series on KelbyTV or subscribe to the feed. In this episode Dave answers, What is the best way to add a smile to someone'sface? [email more]

Here's How to Build Social Media Fans

2011-11-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

In the video, MONK covered:

How to do social media like Snooki, Rick Warren and Lady Gaga
Social web apps that will give you bigger ears for listening to your audience
How to identify social media influencers and add them to your fan base
Creating killer content for the nourishment of your fan base
And, as always, MORE!

Advent Conspiracy: Enter the Story 2011

2011-11-07T12:16:00.001-08:00

Virtual Tour of Martin LutherKing, Jr. National Memorial Monument

2011-10-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is conceived of as an engaging landscape experience tied to other landscapes and monuments, not as a single object or memorial dominating the site. The composition of the memorial utilizes landscape elements to powerfully convey four fundamental and recurring themes throughout Dr. King's message: justice, democracy, hope and love. The semicircular geometry of the memorial, juxtaposed within the triangular configuration of the site, engages the Tidal Basin and frames views to the water.

Support the Dream

Ask Dave Podcast: When to Use Opacity vs. Fill

2011-10-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ask Dave is a weekly podcast from Photoshop Guy, Dave Cross. In his videos, Dave answers viewer questions about Photoshop tools, actions, settings, etc. Check out the entire series on KelbyTV or subscribe to the feed.In this episode Dave answers, When do you use Opacity vs Fill? [email more]

Hands On: India’s $35 Android tablet, the Aakash, lands in America

2011-10-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Indian government thinks the $35 Aakash Android tablet has the power to change the world. After testing one out, we’d tend to agree.

An Aakash tablet was brought to the VentureBeat office on Tuesday by Vivek Wadhwa, a Washington Post columnist and visiting professor at the University of California at Berkley and Duke. Wadhwa, who is researching the Indian education system, was given the tablet by Kapil Sibal, the Indian minister of human resources and development, who has been the driving force behind the tablet project. The device (whose name means “Sky” in Hindi) was produced entirely in India — a point of pride for the Indian government.

The 7-inch Android-based device will be distributed at a government subsidized price of $35, making it the world’s cheapest Android device. The general retail price will be $60, which is still remarkably cheap for such a powerful device. A contract between the Indian government and Canadian development partner DataWind, should put between 10 and 12 million devices in the hands of students across India by the end of 2012, according to Computer World.

Death of the Keyboard: Laser-Guided Typing

2011-10-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

By Bill Weir | This Could Be Big – Tue, Oct 11, 2011

Going Deeper in "Community"

2011-10-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Congregations certainly don't agree on everything, but nearly all are committed to supporting their local communities at some level. And they do this in generous and powerful ways—by collecting school supplies for needy children, stocking food pantries for the poor, and engaging in an expansive list of other tasks.

These are good and necessary tasks. But many congregations find themselves called to doing more. They seek to engage their communities in ways that require greater levels of commitment and resources, with the potential for affecting more dramatic change—through adoption, educating youth, job training, and supporting international relief, to name just a few possibilities. With these greater commitments, however, come greater chances for failure, and for changing the very nature of a congregation.

[read more]

5 ways to support special-needs members and their families

2011-10-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

From: United Methodist Church
It is easy to say your church welcomes people with special needs, but creating a welcoming environment takes proactive action.Sometimes church members with special needs – such as those with limited mobility – live independently. Often, though, family members assist in their care. It is important to address the needs of both.Similarly, be aware that some disabilities will require individualized accommodations. However, because you may not know these in advance, lay the groundwork that will address special needs of members – both adults and children – generally, and be open to making adjustments as needed. [read more]

Five Steps to Grow Your Facebook Congregation

2011-10-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

Bishops Blend Christmas Boxes Now Available

2011-10-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

Episcopal Relief & Development and Pura Vida are offering four boxes this year, with combinations of Fair Trade and organic coffees, teas and chocolates. [read more]

The Substance of Things Seen

2011-10-07T10:06:00.001-07:00

By Megan DeWald Kline
Do pop culture icons have something to teach congregational leaders about how to embody a message and communicate effectively? Let's consider Lady Gaga and U2.[read more]

People of the App?

2011-10-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

By Guest Author
One writer finds that, despite her love for technology, letting go of the printed pages of her scripture difficult--after all, we are people of the book, right? [read more]

Check out this video, St. John the Divine, Houston

2011-10-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Anyone Listening?

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Listening Theologically, Communicating Effectively

By Martin Davis

Two important studies were released recently that have an interesting bearing on how congregational leaders relate to those in their pews.

The first, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology and described at Yahoo! News, asked if there’s a relation between our approach to thinking and whether we believe in God. Turns out, there’s reason to suspect that’s true. Intuitive thinkers, people who “trust their guts” when making decisions, are more likely to believe in God than those who look at the world more analytically.

The second, a study conducted by Baylor University’s Paul Froese, looked at the correlation between how people perceive God acting in the world and people’s faith in government. Generally speaking, those who see God active in the world and believe God has a distinct plan for their lives tend to favor smaller government and less intervention than those who don’t see God acting so directly in our lives.

One should always take news of such studies with a grain of salt. After all, these are two of thousands of studies like them over the past decade or so—these two just happened to capture the news highlight reels. [read more]

Save the Date

2011-09-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

2012 Episcopal Communicators Conference: Many Paths: One Church

Kanuga

Hendersonville, North Carolina

March 20 - 23, 2012

Learn more about our annual conferences and Polly Bond Awards, go to Annual Conference & 2011 Polly Bonds

Is access to technology a luxury?

2011-09-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

1 PHOTO, 1 SENTENCE

2011-09-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

In the late spring of 2012, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas plans to launch a new initiative that will encourage congregations to get to know one another and help Episcopalians learn to share their stories of faith.

What 1 photo & 1 sentence represent you & your faith?

Please encourage members of your congregation to submit 1 photo & 1 sentence.

Linotype the film — final push

2011-09-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

FCC, FEMA offer new tech tips for emergencies

2011-09-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

By Amy Gahran, Special to CNN

In anemergency, do you know how to best use your cell phone to stay safe, informedand in touch?

Recognizingthat Americans have been getting mixed messages from many sources, this weekthe Federal Communication Commission and the Federal Emergency ManagementAdministration teamed up to publish a new list of tips for communicatingbefore, during and after a disaster.

These tipscomplement the advice already offered in the Get Tech Ready section of thegovernment's emergency preparedness site, Ready.gov.

Thursday'sFCC Open Commission meeting focused on next-generation 911, or NG911, systems.

[read more]

How E-mail Can Enhance Sunday Morning

2011-09-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

by Amanda Gagnon
On Sunday morning people need time to settle in and getprepared for worship. It’s Sunday-morning settle-down hour: Your congregantstrickle in, check out the bulletin, mentally plan their afternoon and finallyfocus on the service.

Then it takes a prayer, a song and half the message for them to get their hearts in a receptive place. By the time they’re truly ready, the service is over.

A weekly, congregation-wide e-mail offers an opportunity to connect with your church members and help them prepare for the worship service before they get there.

There are two ways to tackle this:

1. Send a weekly heart-preparing devotional.

Introduce Sunday’s sermon topic. Suggest a related passage to read and ask a few thought-provoking questions, like this e-mail from the pastor of Landsdowne Baptist Church.

[read more]

More Than 60 Church Marketing Gurus Contribute to New Book, Outspoken

2011-09-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

Sept. 15, 2011 (Los Angeles) - Center for Church Communication (CFCC) and its flagship blog, Church Marketing Sucks, release their first book, Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communication. Featuring more than 60 church marketing experts, Outspoken is a first of its kind resource for church leaders and communicators.

“The church has the greatest story ever told,” says CFCC founder Brad Abare, “And we need more help than ever to communicate it.”

Outspoken brings together some of the leading voices that are impacting and shaping the way churches communicate, including:

Jon Acuff, author of Stuff Christians Like and CNN contributor
Leonard Sweet, professor, author and one of the “50 Most Influential Christians in America”
Kem Meyer, author and communications director at Granger Community Church
Phil Cooke, Hollywood producer and author of Branding Faith
Charles Lee, Idea Camp founder and compassionary

Published by the Center for Church Communication, the nonprofit parent organization of Church Marketing Sucks, Outspoken is comprised of over 70 short essays covering a variety of topics related to church communication, including branding, design, leadership, technology, creativity, outreach and more.

“When you can reach millions of people with the click of a mouse, you have a tremendous responsibility,” says Outspoken editor and CFCC co-director Tim Schraeder. “It’s time churches take the opportunity and resources God has given them and communicate his story in a way that connects.”

Outspoken will release on Sept. 15, 2011, at the STORY conference in Chicago, an event that draws 1,000 church creatives. Additionally, the book will be featured by the Willow Creek Association, Catalyst, Pastors.com, Hillsong, ChurchLeaders.com, Outreach and more during the initial launch.

Outspoken will be available in print and Kindle format on Amazon.com with a portion of sales benefiting Creative Missions, an annual ‘missions trip’ for church creatives. Learn more about Outspoken by visiting www.OutspokenBook.com.

Founded in 2004, the Center for Church Communication is a firebrand of church communicators, sparking churches to communicate the gospel clearly, effectively and without compromise. The organization’s most visible project is Church Marketing Sucks, the church communications blog with coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, How Magazine, The Boston Herald and more.

15th Annual Museum District Day

2011-09-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a free day in the Houston Museum District on Saturday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the 15th annual Museum District Day. Visitors can hop on free bus shuttles at any participating museum and spend the entire day exploring favorite museums and discovering new destinations. Museum District Day will feature fascinating exhibitions, hands-on activities, demonstrations and performances throughout the day. Seventeen museums will waive their general admission fee to offer the community the opportunity to enjoy the District's diverse displays of art, science, nature and history. [find out more]

Participating museums include:Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
Byzantine Fresco Chapel
Children's Museum of Houston
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
Czech Center Museum Houston
Holocaust Museum Houston
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
Houston Center for Photography
Houston Museum of Natural Science
The Health Museum
The Jung Center
The John C. Freeman Weather Museum
Lawndale Art Center
The Menil Collection
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Rice University Art Gallery
Rothko Chapel

Bayou City Arts Festival Downtown Houston Oct. 8-9

2011-09-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

The 40^th Anniversary Bayou City Art Festivals – in Downtown Houston in the fall and at Memorial Park in the spring – are produced by the Art Colony Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality art festivals and events. Over the past 40 years, the festivals have raised $2.6 million benefiting local arts and service organizations, as well as Houston parks throughout the Greater Houston area.

In 1971, Houston’s Montrose-area retail owners and residents came together to start a community arts and crafts festival to raise money for the beautification of lower Westheimer Road. Due to the success of the first festival, the group organized the Westheimer Colony Association (WCA), and by 1973, the WCA began producing two small art and crafts festivals each year with proceeds used to beautify the surrounding areas with esplanade plantings.

In the mid 1970s, the festivals had grown in popularity and a street festival began to develop around the Westheimer Art Festivals. Artists from across the United States placed Houston on their calendars and Houstonians knew where to go for exceptional art, food and people watching. [find out more]

The Social Media Storm

2011-09-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

BY RYANMCHOATE

The sun is warming your skin. Waves are keeping you in a peaceful trance. With sand between your feet, you…

Knock, knock, someone’s at your office door rudely interrupting your day dream on this lovely Monday morning. You knew this was coming and have been avoiding it for the previous 18 hours.

“Delete it. Delete the post!” you hear the voice say. While bringing yourself back to reality, you hear your boss demand a negative Facebook post on the church’s page be deleted immediately. You feel yourself getting defensive. The waves have just turned into a tsunami blocking the sun and blowing sand into your mouth. It’s taken a year to build the fan base and you can tell the page is becoming a major communication channel. People are actively asking for information and talking between themselves and the church.

Your boss continues to go on about how the post must be deleted. It put the church in a bad light. It made the church look incompetent, ignorant and any other five-dollar word he thinks to use. As he begins walking out of your office, you say, “We cannot delete it. It will make us look fake and censored.” You go on to tell him the reasons why and how the controversy should be handled.*

Why Negative Posts Should Not be Deleted

The problem is ignored instead of faced head-on. Ignoring the issue only causes it to grow.

[read more]

8 Ways to Improve Church Communications with No Money

2011-09-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

BY PAUL STEINBRUECK

One of the biggest myths I hear (constantly) is that lack of money is the reason for lack of excellence in church communications. That's not a reason. It's an excuse. I hate it when I hear people say it. It's a bummer.

A small budget is NOT a hurdle to progress. It does NOT prevent you from WOWing your guest and it does NOT restrict you from adding value.

I jotted a few things here that you can do RIGHT NOW to improve your church communications with no money. You can do this for a church of 10 or a church of 10,000. Either way. Money or not, this list is a great place to start.

Have conversations. Lots of them.Help coach the people you work with to stop thinking brochures and start thinking about objectives and customer service.
Create a Style Guide. A consistent stylistic approach will have a positive impact on the overall excellence of your church.
Identify your specific audience. You need to know who you're talking to before you know how to say it. [more]
Document your communication values. What is the method and context of yourculture. [more]
Outline a strategy. Determine what gets communicated, in what priority using what vehicles. Every bit of news for each ministry is not appropriate for all church consumption. [more]
Reduce emotional overload. Create less and say more. [more]
Implement an official proofing team and process. Have a group of volunteers review everything for accuracy and consistency before it's printed or distributed.
Assemble a group of consumer advocates (or secret shoppers). This team of critical thinkers can experience your church delivery vehicles from the shark's perspectiveand provide input to what's working and what isn't. [more]

Wildfires and drought cost Texas billions

2011-09-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

By Aaron Smith @CNNMoney September 8, 2011: 1:18 PM ET

Scorched earth conditions have caused more than $5 billion worth of damage to Texas agriculture.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Texas wildfires are adding economic trauma to a state that has already suffered billions of dollars in agricultural damages from an ongoing drought.

Wildfire damages to homeowners could exceed $100 million, a record high for the state, according to Mark Hanna, spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas.

"The fire losses for 2011 are already the worst on record in Texas," said Hanna in a press release. "These wildfires over the Labor Day weekend will only add to what has become a catastrophic year for Texas."

[read more]

Fun with glyphs

2011-09-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

By John McWade August 30, 2011
Once upon a time, I knew everything there was to know about Page- Maker, at least from a user’s point of view, and in the infancy of desktop publishing that made me something of a guru, the guy atop the mountain up which you’d trek to get answers. Even Apple would phone.

But that was then. Life got busy (thank you, Before & After) and took me in other directions. Today, software-wise, I’m in with the crowd. InDesign, for example, can do so much that I don’t even know half of its features, much less use them. I just figure I’ll learn as the need arises, and, yeah, I’d be more efficient at this or that small task if I knew the shortcut, but hey, it’s small, and I don’t have the time.

So last Monday I get a note from type designer
Ulrike Wilhelm (left), along with her latest typeface, which she’s calling LiebeDoni — Liebe meaning love in German, and Doni being short for Bodoni. Like her others, it’s hand-drawn, only this one comes with more than 600(!) glyphs, which are alternate characters and swashes and ligatures and all the rest.

I install her font and start typing. But when I try using the standard Option and Option-Shift keys (Mac) to access its special characters, all I get are the normal diacritical marks, not the fun stuff.

Hmmmm. With more-ordinary typefaces, one gets to special characters — small caps, for example — by selecting a different typeface. There’s Adobe Garamond and Adobe Garamond Expert, and the special characters are in the Expert set. But LiebeDoni is a standalone font.

“Ulrike,” I write back, “what’s the secret for accessing your glyphs?”

Next morning she sends me a (simple) lesson in InDesign glyph-finding. This makes me only slightly embarrassed until I begin asking around the office, and no one else here knows this, either. So I figure that if it’s new to us, it may be new to you, too. So here’s a look at Ulrike’s new LiebeDoni, plus how to make magic with big character sets.

By the way, she says that if you like the font, it’s 30% off for Before & After readers through September. Enter bamagazine_30% in the gift code field. [READ MORE]