Just Clone Me! - Communication

P•R•A•C•T•I•C•I•N•G
Monthly
Local Church
Communication
Newsletter
Communicating
Official Communication Publication
pril
of the North American Division
and the Society of Adventist Communicators
A
By Dolly, Just
2007
Clone Me!
I
What I’ve Learned About Video
Producing and How You Can Do It, Too!
t’s probably not
something I should
admit in print, but
I have wondered if
the sheep cloning
experiments could
benefit Adventist
communicators. It
usually happens when
I’m in a bind and need
to complete many
tasks simultaneously –
you know, like finishing
a union paper deadline,
updating the website,
working on something
for my president,
covering an event,
sleeping, eating, and
oh, nowadays, working
Technology has opened up a whole new
on
the podcasts, videos
realm for communication, and the sky is no
longer the limit. What an awesome time to be a and blogs.
professional communicator. Technology
has opened up a
whole new realm for communication, and the sky is
no longer the limit. What an awesome time to be a
professional communicator. What a daunting time to
be a professional communicator. What an opportune
time to discuss cloning!
In This Issue
The last time I found myself contemplating such
thoughts
was in India. There I was clad with a home
• “By Dolly, Just Clone
video camera, a digital camera, a tape recorder, a
Me!”
notepad and a pen. I needed to return with a print
story and photos for our union paper and website,
interviews for our podcast and footage for our new
• “Unconventional
video series. Therefore, I had to play reporter,
Communication”
photographer, director, producer, videographer,
lighting and sound engineer and planning editor—
simultaneously. While I am a certified (and maybe
certifiable) multitasker, even I was overwhelmed.
When I came home, my producer assessed the
footage like a pathologist, told me I’d done “alright,”
1-2
2-4
and worked a miracle (see the March Visitor News
Video*).
So what have I learned from my video-producing
foray? You mean, besides never go to India without
DEET-powered mosquito repellent, a tripod and a
professional video crew?
1. Six of one, half a dozen of the other – Organizing
a video story is much like organizing a print story.
It needs a news element, facts/information, a
good lead, a point and a satisfying conclusion.
It comes to life with poignant quotes and good
visuals.
2. Hire an Adventist producer – Don’t underestimate
the value of working with people who are familiar
with our ABCs – “Adventese” idioms, beliefs and
culture. It makes a big difference and will save
you time, money and energy that you don’t have
or want to expend. Adventist producers know our
mission, our target audience and how to speak to
them.
3. Set the budget and monitor it – Producers at work
are like gastronomes at a buffet table; now is not
the best time to discuss cutting calories! Consider
your budget ahead of time and how much you can
spend on this project. A
signed contract means
you both agree to
work within the budget
you have created
together. Be fair, even
frugal, but not cheap.
If necessary, consider
what you can do to
help save money (i.e.,
I assist my producers
at the shoot and do all
the interviews; that’s
Set the budget and
Continued on Page 2
monitor it.
Page 1
one less person we need to hire). Maybe you
can help write the script, record the voiceovers
or create the graphics/logos needed. Make an
agreement with your producer that he or she will
add nothing to the video budget that’s not in your
contract without your express approval of the
idea and cost. Trust me, these wonderful little
á la carte items can really add up.
by Celeste Ryan Blyden, pictured here
on her trip to India. Blyden serves
as assistant to the president for
communication at
the Columbia Union
Conference and
editor of the awardwinning Visitor
magazine. *Look for
Visitor News Video
stories, AudioVisitor
podcasts, and
photo blogs at www.
columbiaunion.org.
4. Get involved in the process
– Be engaged in the entire
process and make sure the
story you want to tell is being
told. Make sure it’s in your
contract that you need three
meetings with the producer:
a planning meeting to clearly
outline the story you’re seeking
to tell, a meeting at the shoot
to make sure you’re getting the
footage you need to tell that
story effectively, and a meeting
to review a rough cut of the
video and discuss changes.
No matter what you do, have fun, and
remember that if we have any hope of
reaching the “YouTube” generation for
Christ, we’re going to have to expand
our communication horizons beyond the
monthly union paper.
5. Build a virtual team, and other miscellaneous
tidbits – I’m not sure why, but freeplaymusic.com
charges about $100 per song. Get your music
producer friends to help out and record segments
as needed. Also, hire more than one video
producer (be open to newcomers and teach them
“the ropes”). Finally, ask all your producers to log
and store your footage so that when it’s time to
do your constituency report, you’ve got plenty of
material already “in the can.”
No matter what you do, have fun, and remember
that if we have any hope of reaching the “YouTube”
generation for Christ, we’re going to have to expand
our communication horizons beyond the monthly
union paper. As I’m learning, photo blogs, podcasts,
and short news videos are great ways to start.
C ommunication
Unconventional
Communicating
at the Local
Church
by Richard
Seltzer, Director of
Communication Ministries
and Office Manager
(bulletin editor), at the
Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Redding,
Calif. Seltzer has a
Bachelor of Science in
Communication from
Pacific Union College.
Page 2
P
erhaps the term that would best describe the
work of the church Communications Secretary
would be “public relations.” I would describe public
relations, in the church context, as getting your church
in the media as often as possible in the best light
possible. Following are some unconventional
uses of communications that I use regularly
either through the church or as an individual.
Greeting Cards
This started by sending one or two cards
(actually high quality letter-size paper) a week to
our shut-ins.
When that list was exhausted, we found
that the opportunities for sending cards are
limited only by imagination and resources. You
will find that members will begin to share names
of people who need a card. The cards are displayed
on a table in the lobby. A printed list with the cards
and in the bulletin explains who they are for. We now
send, most weeks, between two and 10. Each card
is specifically designed for the
recipient and includes:
• Upper right corner—a small
picture of our church with our
web site address (put your
web address on everything!).
• Upper left corner—a greeting
to the person or organization
receiving the card “from
your family (or friends, as
appropriate) of the Redding
(California USA, if being
sent abroad) Seventh-day
Adventist Church.”
• A picture below our church
photograph that is appropriate
for more details. I thought she would use that among Redding Seventh-day
to the recipient.
others for a future column. Instead she devoted
Adventist Church
• The signatures of as many willing church
an entire column to my e-mail in an article titled,
members as possible to sign the cards.
“Beauty boosts spirits, spreads good feelings across
Our list of
Redding.” The most recently published
categories for
“Many letters
letter was in response to the paper
card recipients
come across
publicizing some local organizations’
my desk in a
continues to
Christmas projects. I wrote that there
year, but one
grow. In broad
are many projects by individuals and
that arrived
terms, this
churches that do not get attention and
last January
list includes
listed five or six that our church was
25 was extracongratulations,
doing. Our church was not mentioned
special. It
condolences,
by name, as I intended the credit to go
came from Richard Seltzer,
greetings and
to
all
those
who are anonymously helping others
office manager of the Redding
thanks. We send
at Christmas.
(California) Seventh-day
cards to church
In general,
Adventist Church. When he
members and
took that position some two
regard it as part
non-members
years earlier, he had the idea of
of your job as
locally, regionally, sending a card or two a week to Communications
the church’s shut-in members.
nationally and
Secretary
Page 11 - Church motto,
Page 1 - Welcome, date,
From that beginning, however,
internationally.
to promote
mission, vision, values,
logo, pictures, adult
the categories of members
The more we
and church goals
happiness in your
Sabbath School topic,
receiving cards multiplied . . .”
do this the more
sermon title, speaker
community.
Roy Adams, Associate Editor
Page 12 - Finances
information
opportunities we
Adventist Review
see to do even
Page 13 - Church
Page 2 - Mission
November 23, 2006 The Church
projects
more.
Bulletin
emphasis/Bible study
It is reality that most cards are not
and
Sabbath
School
In my church,
Page 14 - Lists eight
classes list
acknowledged. But we do get thanks, even pictures,
the Director of
beliefs, with Bible
from around the world. In January, 2006, we sent
references and then
Communication
Page 3 - Worship service
a link to the church
a card to Roy Adams at the Adventist Review. He
Ministries and the
program
website
did not reply. Not, that is, until November 23, 2006,
Office Manager, and,
Page 4 - Welcome, list
when his Review column was devoted entirely to our
therefore, bulletin
Page 15 - Prayer page
of greeting cards, list of
card under the heading, “They Made My Day.” This
editor, are the same
people participating in
Page 16 - Contact
article also told the story of a card we sent to Mission
person. This is not
the church service, list of
information for many
Spotlight and the incredible answer we received—if
church
officers
usually the case. But
denominational
you didn’t see it, try to find the November 23 issue.
the bulletin should
institutions
Redding Church’s
Bulletin Design
Letters to the Editor
I also write letters to the newspaper or to
individual columnists. With a few exceptions, I resist
the temptation to educate the ignorant who also
write to the paper. My letters are positive. Most
are published. They do not mention my church.
They are intended to promote a positive attitude (a
Christian attribute) in the community. One e-mail to
the paper’s most popular columnist brought a request
be considered one of
your church’s primary
communications
media and even an
evangelism tool. If you
do not edit the church
bulletin please pass
a copy of this to that
Page 5 - List of services
Page 6 - Membership
transfers, thank yous/
congratulations/praises
sections
Page 7-10 - Calendar
We will send a sample
of a greeting card and
our bulletin to anyone.
Just send your request
and a dollar to:
Redding Seventh-day Adventist Church
2828 Eureka Way • Redding, CA 96001-0221
Continued on Page 4
Page 3
N
Ashville
Tennessee
October 11-14, 2007
Almost 200 Adventist communicators attended 2006’s
convention in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dcommunication, it is necessary for those in our
Photo Credit: Gary Layda
ue to the constant change in the world of
field to stay informed; this is why the
Society of Adventist Communicators
was formed. Specifically, the annual
SAC Convention is a time where
communication personnel can learn
about the most recent trends in
communication, discover the best
technological tools available, and
network with other professional
communicators.
We hope you will attend the 2007 SAC
Convention, where we will deal with both the newest
computer technology and the communication basics
– what to say and how to say it.
You don’t have to work for an Adventist
SAC, and membership is free. Just
visit www.adventistcommunicator.org
for more information.
institution to join
w w w. a d v e n t i s t c o m m u n i c at o r . o r g
North American Division
www.nadadventist.org
Society of Adventist Communicators
www.adventistcommunicator.org
Each month, Practicing
Communicating is put in pdf
form on the North American
Division’s web site and the
link is e-mailed out to church
communication directors
across the NAD. You can find
it at nadadventist.org. Click
on the “Communication”
link under the “Ministries”
heading.
Past issues are also
available in an 8 1/2 x 11
or 11 x 17 pdf format.
Page 4
person. Ours is not the usual church bulletin. I am not suggesting
that everyone duplicate ours but that, possibly, some things could be
incorporated into your bulletin.
First, size. Our bulletin is printed on four letter-size sheets
which, when folded in half yields sixteen 5 1/2 inch by 8 1/2 inch
pages plus inserts which can number from two to 10. Much of the
copy does not change. Some question this redundancy, which gives
me opportunity to explain that the bulletin is intended for the guest
who is not a local Seventh-day Adventist, perhaps not an Adventist
at all and maybe not even a Christian. The bulletin is designed so
that even the visitor can know who, what and why Seventh-day
Adventists are, and more specifically, the same for the Redding,
California, Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Integral with this is the assumption that most people do not
understand Seventh-day Adventist jargon. We do not use acronyms
or abbreviations. We never say “SDA” but “Seventh-day Adventist.”
We do not say “RAA” but “Redding Adventist Academy.” We do not
say “NCC,” “the Conference” or “the Northern California Conference”
but “the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.”
We do not say “the Anderson church” (is there only one church in
that community?) but “the Anderson Seventh-day Adventist Church.”
We do use acronyms that are widely understood in the general
population. (Please see the box on page 3 of what the Redding
Church includes on each page of their bulletin).
Our God is a God of love and of beauty. There are many ways
to express that to others, keeping in mind that everyone does not
speak Seventh-day Adventist, or even generic, Christian jargon. As
you gain experience in non-traditional ways of communicating God’s
love, your scope will expand and you will find, or be shown, ever
new ways of representing God to your community.