| "Breaking Our Insularity" Workshop in Cleveland Deanery - May 5 - 9:30 AM |
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 Parish Councils to Discuss Evangelization & Charitable Outreach
On Saturday May 5, all parishes in the Cleveland Deanery will participate in a workshop titled "Breaking Our Insularity -- Letting Our Light Shine".
Background
Parishes that are not growing become insular. They focus inwardly on their own problems and issues. Conversely parishes that are insular don't grow. Conceptual and real walls are built around the community keeping their light under a bushel. Insular parishes are reticent to share their faith with the neighborhood and immediate surroundings.
Workshop Content
Designed for parish council members, leaders and interested parish members the workshop will use examples from other Orthodox parishes to explore:
- How do non Orthodox discover our parish?
- How do non-Orthodox view us once they find us?
- How can we be more seeker sensitive?
- How do we see and respond to others with selfless, charitable acts of love?
- What keeps us from doing more?
The goal of the day is for each parish to explore and commit to at least one goal & action.
Registration & coffee begins at 9:00. The session begins at 9:30, includes lunch and will conclude by 3:30.
Cleveland Deanery parishes should register through their parish priests. Other can contact the Dean Fr John Steffaro. (330) 755-4931) jrsteff@zoominternet.net. or parishfacilitator@midwestdiocese.org
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| Parish Communication Survey |
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 How Parishes Communicate; What Practices Are Most Valuable
Does it seem like your parish could do a better job with with internal and external communications?
Please participate in the Midwest Diocese' Communication Practices Survey. It will expose you to a variety of approaches for communication -- as well as helping us to build a baseline of current parish practices in this area.
Anyone can contribute. It involves mostly yes/no questions. A piece of cake!
We'll share results with you via Parish Pulse.
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| Websites Are Important Communication Tools for Breaking Insularity |
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| Keep Them Up to Date
Some anecdotes.
- In Oregon on business on a Wednesday a friend wants to attend presanctified liturgy. The local parish' website states "Presanctified Liturgies 6:00 PM". He waits 30 minutes in an empty parking lot only to later learn: "This week we had it at the Antiochian parish."
- A person finds herself within striking distance of a mission parish the night before a majr feast. He checks their website to determine if a service will be held. No data --only general service times. ("Sunday at 9:30")
- A parishioner stands up in a parish discussion to report on an Orthodox evangelization conference he attended. He learned of the significant role of the web in helping people find the Orthodox Church.
The point?
- Websites are important tools for Orthodox communities.
- As a minority they are probably more valuable for us than for other faiths. Technology levels the playing field by making (numerically) small groups more accessible. It offers an opportunity to present a bigger footprint.
- First stop for many is www.oca.org.
- Websites and oca.org listings need to be kept up to date and to sound and be welcoming.
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| Toward Better Parish Websites |
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 Dos & Don'ts
So how to get better websites?
After taking a cyber tour of parish websites, we offer some suggestions:
- What's the goal?
- Watch the clutter!
- Tell your parish story!
- Its about people- use photos! (like the one at right!)
- Enough with the parish histories already!
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Newspaper Articles Highlight Diocesan Parishes |
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Cincinnati & Nashville OH Parishes Receive Good Press about "Good News"
Speaking of communicating. At least two Diocesan parishes received good press from their local newspapers during Holy Week and Pascha.
Holy Cross parish in Nashville OH has been featured in a series of articles in the Holmes County Daily Record.
Fr Daniel Swires, parish priest, has been working with the reporter for about a year. The result has been an article about Theophany, another about Holy Week and another focusing on the growth of Orthodoxy through converts. (The articles are available only to paid subscribers.)
The Cincinnati Enquirer focused its Easter Sunday coverage on the growth of Orthodoxy in Cincinnati. While the perspectives of many parishes were covered, Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit parish dominated the article "Timeless Faith Sees Good Times".
The article occurred in part because the parish took the initiative to contact the religion editor and suggest that an article focusing on Orthodoxy as a faith -- not a series of ethnic festivals --could make good reading! |
| You've Written It -- But Will They Read It? |
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| Matushka Magdalena Berry
Having struggled through some hard to digest newsletters from Diocesan parishes, (not yours -- those other parishes!) we contacted Matushka Magdalena Berry, instructor in Technical Writing at Missouri State for some suggestions.
Parish bulletins, as with all newsletters, have many functions. They can be used to inform members about:
- Service schedules and special events
- Parish organizations (Sunday School, youth groups, etc.)
- Events at the Archdiocese and national level
- Special needs and projects
Considerable time and effort go into any kind of writing, and we want to make sure that what we write meets both our need to inform, and our readers' needs.
Here are a few helpful tips...
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