Digital Discipleship: Transforming Ministry Through Technology

What “Penance” for Lent?

February 21, 2012

Jonathan Sullivan has invited all Catholic bloggers to write on the theme of “Penance” for Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012!

As I reflected on what I wanted to do with this theme, I thought about how we change from simply doing “penance” by giving up candy, pop, chocolate and more to really understanding what “penance” we are called to do in the complicated world we live in during this season of reflecting on the life, suffering, and death of Jesus!

I’m inviting high school teachers and catechists to engage their students in a reflection and response to the question – What “Penance” for Lent?

Here are suggested steps to integrate technology into a lesson with your high school students:

  1. Direct your students to read the American Catholic article LENT: FASTING FOR THE FEAST by Jim Wilwerding.
  2. Invite the students as they read the article to “highlight or underline” the sentence(s) or phrase(s) in the article that help them to understand what “penance” (or fasting) means. (They may want to print out the article.)
  3. As they identify the phrases, use a highlighter or underline them to mark the phrases that answer the question – Why Penance?
  4. Then ask the students to look back over the highlighted or underlined material.  Read through the phrases to achieve a deeper understanding and answer the questions – What “Penance” for Lent?  Why “Penance” for Lent?
  5. Then invite the students to write a dialogue between two persons – where one person is responding to questions and comments from another person about – What “Penance” for Lent? (See example below)
  6. Introduce an online moviemaking tool – Dvolver – to your students by showing them how they can create an animation movie with their script.  Check out the example – What Penance?
  7. Remind the students with this tool that their text is limited to 100 text characters for character’s lines.   Also, you can only develop three scenes.
  8. If you are using the Dvolver Moviemaking Tool, carefully consider your dialogue as you are limited to100 text characters per line.

For example:

Scene 1:

  • Mary: I’m not sure what it means to sharpen my senses and renew my perspective – on life, on faith.
  • George: During Lent, when we do “Penance,” we are really learning more about ourselves and others.
  • Mary: That seems so meaningless!
  • George: Well maybe.  I’ve learned that if I fast from music to prepare for the feast of a concert,. . .
  • George:  I hear the music differently.

Scene 2:

  • Mary: I never thought about doing that!
  • George: When I’m at the concert, I do hear the music differently than if I had listened all week to the group.
  • Mary: I’ll try that the next time I go to a concert.
  • George: Great! You will be learning what “penance” is about.  That is giving up something in order to improve what you see and hear!

Scene 3:

  • Mary: In this case, to appreciate the group’s music
  • George: Right!  So during lent, when we do Penance, we’re really preparing for the feast of Easter!
  • Mary: My life is so busy right now.  Maybe I need to simplify what I’m involved in.
  • George:  If you simplify, you will have time to pay attention to ….

Once they’ve completed the dialogue, then go to – Dvolver MovieMaker .  This is a Web 2.0 tool that will allow you to create an animated movie that you can easily share with others.  However, it will only allow you to create Three (3) Scenes.  See the example.

When the students have created their animation story, they will have the opportunity to send the link of their animation to you and others.  (Note:  If you have a class blog, you can incorporate this activity into the blog.  As students create their stories, then they can include their animation movies as a Response to your post.  Or, you may want to post them all on one page and invite your students, parents, and friends to vote for the most meaningful animation story.

(c) 2012 Caroline Cerveny

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Lent, Religion

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Interactive Connections 2012 Reflections

February 13, 2012

By:  Guest Blogger – Rhonda Carrier

Rhonda Carrier

The following are some notes from the Interactive Connections Conference and from the Florida Educational Technology Conference. I have not had a chance to visit all of the websites but thought I would pass on those that were highly recommended.

The Interactive Connections conference organized by Sister Caroline was a wonderful gathering of Catholics learning about the use of and implementation of technology to develop and expand our Catholic faith communities.  Many of those attending the Interactive conference stayed to attend FETC but we gathered together each evening as a Catholic group for fellowship and to compare notes and ideas from the day.

Bishop Noonan’s Welcome on Sister Caroline Cerveny’s Cyberpilgrim’s Blog

Fr. Larry Rice’s Keynote and summary of the crises facing the Catholic Church: On the Catholic Couponer’s Blog. Although many of the comments on the blog focus on the use of technology during mass, Fr. Rice’s message included using technology to extend our Catholic communities.  He suggested that we put the bulletin online rather than printing so it can be accessed at any time; allow online discussions so there is two-way communication and not just a one-way push of information; use online databases to gather information; allow online donations and contributions without the need of a signed piece of paper; translate publications into appropriate languages and make them available online; etc. He recommended that we read the book from Gutenberg to Zuckerberg. 

You may wish to review the Media Timeline that Fr. Larry shared with us Monday evening

FETC

Keynote: Michael Wesh, Anthropologist, spoke about the need to move students past being knowledgeable to being knowledge-able which means we need to help them develop their knowledge-ability. We must find ways to inspire them and to bring them to wonder. He said, “A great teacher can bring life into anything. A great teacher can bring wonder into anything. A question inspires wonder and inspires ideas. A question is: a Quest for mastery, Embraces our vulnerability, Invites connections”

  • Wonder flourishes where there in inspiration and where they feel safe. 
  • Quest for mastery requires freedoms to learn
  • Vulnerability requires Freedom to fail
  • Connections require Freedom to love

Empathy is lower than in the past. We see birth and death and life intimately and daily because we live in a “capsular civilization ” with TV, phone, computer.  We are numbing ourselves, which also numbs ourselves to joy. But there is a solution, the media are not just tools, they’re a means of communication. They mediate how we relate. (This brought me back to Fr. Rice’s message to use technology to communicate and to build communities.)

View From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-able, an 18-minute video and a short version on TED, of the topic he presented at FETC.

Heidi Hayes Jacobs, President of Curriculum Designers, Inc, presented a keynote session and a breakout session. I attended a workshop of hers several years ago, so was delighted to have a chance to say “hello”. (I have used her curriculum map concepts to organize curriculum since then. The Curriculum by Design presentation that I did for ICS that referenced her work is available for viewing on Slideshare.)

At FETC she asked the following questions:

  • How can we prepare students for the future?
  • Who owns the learning? Do students?
  • 12% of the 21st century is over and students are time traveling. They have 21st century at home but 20th century at school. What year are we preparing student for?

We need to help students with the following:

  1. Social production – Example: Wikipedia
  2. Social networking – Example: Curriculum21.com
  3. Semantic web – At least once a teaching unit, it should be upgraded with a new resource. Have a faculty meeting that just allows teachers to experiment and share new technology. Examples: Tag Galaxy (Enter a word such as childhood, then click on a bubble to go deeper – Wordle.net (creates word clouds) – Zooburst (digital storytelling pop-up books) – Visual Thesaurus  
  4. Digital literacy – related to media literacy – related to global literacy. Examples: Check out Earth Pulse website on national geographic – Gap minder –  Museum Box to replace dioramas –
  5. Global literacy – Brazil has a huge growing economy and middle class. Also Russia and India and China. We don’t study geo enough, we must also study geo literature, geo politics, geo economics. Example: World Mapper (this one is a wow!) -

I was happy to finally meet Kathy Schrock, whose work I have followed and used for many years. Her website is the basis for a large portion of the research model that I use with our students. View Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Almost Everything.

A few other good website to check out are:

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Bishop Noonan, FETC, Fr. Larry Rice, Heida Hayes Jacobs, Interactive Connections, Michael Wesh

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IC 2012 Learning Sessions

February 2, 2012

IC 2012 is a wonderful opportunity to network and meet with those who are leading the way of bringing faith-based educational technology (which is integrating social media and more) into your catechetical sessions.

For those who would like a glimpse of the workshop learning sessions come and visit:

Zingers! 7 Free Resources to Catch Your Students Attention  with Co-presenters Anita Brady and Laura Salaka.

Digital Storytelling and Marketing Techniques by Rhonda Carrier.

Tim Welch’s workshop Technology in Catechesis: What’s Going On? included a number of web tools to harvest videos from the Internet, resources to create your own content, and video samples to stir your learners’ digital storytelling imaginations. Additionally, his email address is listed for continued collaboration. You can find them, and more, by visiting Surf to Notes for Workshops. You will find the links Tim used in his presentation on his Social Bookmark website.

Come visit the workshop presentations by Joe Luedtke, Mobile Technologies in Your Ministry and Church and What Makes a Great Church Website.  You may also want to visit his blog article about Mobile Technologies.

 21st Century Catechists: Sharing the Faith in a Digital World with Caroline Cerveny, SSJ-TOSF 

Putting the Tech into CaTECHesis with Andrea Slaven and Cheryl Smith.  This blog was used more like a powerpoint.  It is not completely scripted.  We showed a quick example of how to create each of the items during the session and showed examples of how each can be incorporated in lessons. “How to videos” will be included eventually.

Thank you to all presenters for your excellent presentations! 

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Catechetical Leader, Catechist, Catholic, Orlando

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Words of Wisdom and Welcome!

January 24, 2012
Bishop of Orlando, Florida

Bishop John Noonan

On Tuesday, at INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS, we were welcomed by Bishop John Noonan to the Diocese of Orlando, with these wonderful welcoming words:

Welcome to the Third Interactive Connections Conference!  I am grateful for the presence of pilgrims such as yourselves in our Diocese of Orlando, especially when you graciously visit to become more skilled and enlightened ministers of the Gospel. I understand some of you hail from throughout the United States, including our neighbors in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida.  Some of you are visiting from Japan, and my own native Ireland. I pray you find the Spirit of the Lord upon you throughout your learning and sharing experiences during the Conference.

Pope Benedict XVI said in his homily for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, “I would like to underline the fact that, in the face of the shadows that obscure the horizon of today’s world, to assume responsibility for educating young people in knowledge of the truth, in fundamental values and virtues, is to look to the future with hope. And in this commitment to a holistic education, formation in justice and peace has a place.”

Today, you have an extraordinary opportunity to explore the tools of technology as wondrous gifts of the Lord to form our young people with a message of justice and peace.  Our young people are growing up in a world that has become smaller, where contacts between each other and different cultures and traditions are constant.  As Pope Benedict also said, “For them, now more than ever, it is indispensable to learn the importance and the art of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, dialogue and understanding.”

In a young person’s world where technology is ever present, I encourage you to spread the Good News through its use.  Bring them a message of justice and peace.  Show them how this message can be communicated and how these tools, which are God-given, can also be sacred vehicles to bring about joy and good will and alleviate pain and suffering. Integrate grace and culture, technology and media.

Technology cannot replace the presence of each other with each other.  It cannot offer the feel of a person’s hand upon yours; nor strength of arms to hold you; nor the widening of our faces into a smile as you reach out to greet another.  When we use technology to glorify the Lord, it blossoms relationship and draws us closer still to our God.

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ, may we at all times bless the Lord God, and ask Him to make all our paths straight and to grant success to all our endeavors and plans.

Thank you Bishop Noonan for welcoming us to your diocese!  We are becoming Digital Disciples!

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Bishop John Noonan, Catechetical Leader, Catechist, Catholic, Orlando

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We will be in Orlando next week!

January 20, 2012

The third annual Interactive Connections Conference takes place Monday (evening), January 23 thru Thursday, January 26, 2012 at the Doubletree Orlando at Seaworld. The theme “Incarnating the Gospel in the Digital World” will bring together leading Catholic educators from around the world to explore the evolving role of technology in their ministries.  Responding to Pope Benedict’s call to use new technologies in the cause of evangelization, the participants will get firsthand experience of best practices and how to incorporate them into their ministry. Attendees at the conference will network with others in integrating technology into parishes and/or schools and every facet of catechetical ministry in the 21st century.

 Keynote speaker Fr. Lawrence Rice, C.S.P,  previous Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at Ohio State University and an Associate at Paulist Media Works and Paulist Communications, will focus on Preparing for the Post-computer Church. Currently he is a member of the Paulist Congregation team, as first Consultor. Learning sessions will include topics such as: Lead by the Technology at the Service of Catechesis, Mobile Technologies in Your Ministry and Church, Parish Websites: Tools of Evangelization, and other cutting edge outstanding programming.  Attendance will afford you the opportunity to interact with passionate practitioners who are ground-breakers in e-technology integration into all areas of catechetical ministry.

A new feature is Speed Dating Learning Sessions!  Here is an opportunity to meet practioners who are applying what they are learning to their parish ministries.  You will learn about – Serving Busy Catechists through Web tools for Catechist Certification, Evangelizing Through Geocaching, Parent to Parent Podcasting, and more.

A featured highlight and unique offering of the 3-day Interactive Connections Conference will be spending one or two days – at no additional cost with the FETC (Florida Education Technology Conference) in Orlando, one of the largest, most successful K to12 conferences in the United States devoted to educational technology. This gives our conference even more access to  cutting edge technologies and social media across the curriculum while being exposed to the latest hardware, software, best practices in student technology use and the opportunity to visit some 300 technology vendors.

If you are coming, I look forward to welcoming you.  If you are not, join us on Twitter at hashtag: #IC2012.  All attendees are invited to share their stories, insights, and learning’s in this space!

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Serving, Ministering and Evangelizing in a Digital Culture

January 12, 2012

Gigs, Geeks, and God 2.0

Wow – 2012 has begun!  Our New Year resolutions may be focusing around exercising.  Eating more vegetables.  Yes, even house cleaning.  But there are some who are beginning the year via Gigs, Geeks, and God 2.0: Technology in Faith Formation.

I shared my thoughts about  The 21st Century Catechetical Leader: Serving, Ministering, and Evangelizing in a Digital Culture today.  Yes, it is a challenge to be a 21st century leader!  Digital skills are needed.  Many of us  were not raised with computers or any other digital tool.  Often we may feel like a fish trying to swim in unfamiliar waters.  Yet, swim we must!

I love being on the other side of the camera.  Many folks are unaware that I once was a wedding photographer for Edward Fox studios in Chicago.  So today, I am on the other side of a webcam delivering a keynote at a Milwaukee technology day for Catechetical Leaders, Youth Ministers, and other Parish Staff.  When I began my catechetical ministry, I never imagined that I would ever be able to do what I did today from another part of the USA (sunny Tampa) presenting to a group in Milwaukee.  With the simple tools of a computer, webcam, mobile phone, and Internet connection while using GoToMeeting to connect with one another.

It takes some practice to do digital presentations.  Yet, the practice results in an event that not only saves money (travel, housing costs, and food), but we have the capability today to do what are called “blended” events.  The blended event uses technology for a purpose and of course on-site face-to-face interaction in the program with others who are in the same geographic location and travel to the hosting location.

What are the advantages of blended professional development events?  Of course, you get to interact and hear others who are not in your part of the world.  The disadvantages?  Yes, I’m one that loves to see folks, interact with them, have coffee or a beverage with them, or just laugh with them.  Well, even in the Digital presentation that is all possible.  I’d encourage you to read the eLearning Advantages and Disadvantages article.  Then come back to this blog to share your insights and learning about the potential of doing blended professional development.  What possibilities do you see in your parish? deanery? diocese?

We’re now able to interact with each other in various ways – before, during, and after an event.  Those who are onsite, will share coffee, donuts and conversation with one another.  In addition, for this event, we can now do the following:

  • Before the conference, go to the Gigs, Geeks, and God Facebook page to follow and participate in the pre-conversation.
  • During the conference, using your mobile phone, Twitter your comments to those who are following you on your Twitter account.  If you add a hashtag  to your 140 character message – for this event use #gigsandgeeks as your hashtag.  Why?  Go to your Twitter page and at the search field enter in #gigsandgeeks.  In a few seconds all tweets associated with this event will show.

Milwaukee Hashtag Summary

  • After the event, search for the conference Twitter Hashtag and/or go back to the Facebook page and/or respond to this blog.

Using Hashtags allows for what is called Backchannel Communication.  As you think of things during (or even after) the conference tweet the 140 character messages to your followers with the hashtag.  If you are interested in learning more about the Backchannel style of Communication, I recommend reading: The Backchannel: How Audiences are Using Twitter and Social Media and Changing Presentations Forever

Today, we are in a participatory culture!  Henry Jenkins, Director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in a paper on digital media and learning titled Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century describes this culture as -

A participatory culture is a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations, and some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices. A participatory culture is also one in which members believe their contributions matter, and feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they care what other people think about what they have created).

We need to ask ourselves – How will we evangelize and share our faith in this ever evolving Digital Culture?  How we catechize is changing!  As Marshall McLuhan said, “The medium is the message.”  And I recently heard a friend say, “Without the medium, there is no message.”

So a big congratulations to Milwaukee for their Gigs, Geeks and God 2.0 professional development day.  Here’s an article by Gary Pokorny, CSA Supports Catholics Called To Pass On the Faith.  Gary highlights what his office is doing and how Gigs, Geeks and God is related to it.  It’s wonderful to see how a Diocesan Office is integrating technology into the training and development of their catechetical ministers.  Do check out the Catechesis and Youth Ministry website.  I so appreciate the Technology in Faith Formation page.  One way to engage our catechetical leaders in the importance today of integrating technology into their ministry.

Note:  The following is a recorded version of today’s presentation.

21st Century Catechetical Leader: Serving, Ministering, and Evangelizing in a Digital Culture from Caroline Cerveny on Vimeo.

 

(c) 2011, Caroline Cerveny, SSJ-TOSF

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Catechetical Leader, Catechist, Catholic, Religion

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A Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

December 22, 2011

Christmas Blessings!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is one of my favorites!  Why? It is a time of celebrating the Birth of Christ, remembering the gifts, blessings, and sorrows of the past year, and of course we are each hoping for a better year than last year!  On New Year’s Eve, many of us make a number of New Year Resolutions. One of my resolves will be to continue “blogging” and “sharing” as the Digital World is very important today for evangelizing and sharing the faith!

As I stop to reflect on this past year and look forward to 2012, I want to thank each of you for visiting this blog and to thank my friends and the SSJ-TOSF’s for your support in this ever evolving digital ministry.   It has been an opportunity for me to share with you a view of what is on our doorsteps – digital learning!  When you return to this blog in 2012, I will continue to share with you insights, hopes, and dreams related to digital tools and learning.

Of course, my wishes are –
Like the star that led the Wise Men
Like the angels who announced the news,
May your holidays shine with joy
And fill your heart with Light
Wishing you a peaceful, blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Christmas, Religion

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Retelling the Christmas Story

December 19, 2011

Parents, are you looking for a way to engage your children to tell the story of the Birth of Jesus?  Well, here is a wonderful tool (and it’s FREE) that you can use with your children – Little Bird Tales.  Very easy to use!

When you are on the LIttle Birds website, click on the LittleBirdTales.Com Demo Video (that looks like the following image) for a quick overview of how to use this website.

Little Bird Tales

In three easy steps -

your child can create their Christmas story and share with members of their family.

All you need – imagination, drawing tools and paper, microphone, and a digital camera (a cellphone camera works)!  Check out the public stories that you find in the PUBLIC TALES tab.  One that caught my interest is an Easter Story.   Here is a wonderful example of a child telling their story.  Sorry – it’s Easter, not Christmas!

Here’s an opportunity where you can visit the crèche at your church after Mass and have your child use the camera to capture images of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.  Once they have their photo’s they can come back home and use them to tell the story about the Birth of Jesus which they heard in their class, or you read the story to them, or – who knows where they heard the story. Here’s the chance for them to pass on this wonderful story to others!

Now is the time to encourage them to tell the story in their own words and with their own creativity!  What better way to have them engaged in one of the great stories of our Christian tradition.

DRE’s and others who are involved in your parish catechetical/religious education programs.  You may wish to send this link to your parents, or add the link to your parish website, or use this link in any way to encourage your parents to involve their children in telling the Christmas story.  When the children have completed this Digital Storytelling, they can email the link to others in their families!  What about to grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins who live in other cities?

Hope you enjoy and have fun with this activity!  Would love for folks to come back to this post to share the links of the stories that have been created.

Remember, if you like this post, click on the “Like” button!

Copyright ©2011 Caroline Cerveny

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Catechist, Catholic, Christmas, Educational Technology, Faith-based, Family, Religion

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Why INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS?

December 12, 2011

Do I need to attend the INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS conference?  Yes!  Why?  It is ONE of the few places where you can gather with other religious educators and focus on the integration of technology into your catechetical ministry.  When we attend other conferences we are immersed in our ministry world with a “dab” of technology in the program.

Come to IC 2012 and you will begin to understand what I mean.  You are immersed in the culture and language of educational and social media technology.  It’s like learning French, Spanish, Russian or any other language.  I can learn to speak a few words of French or any language for that matter.  However, to really speak a foreign language it is best to be immersed in the culture of the country where the language is spoken on a daily basis.

That’s right – to become a native – it is important to “immerse” yourself in the language and culture of the country.  It is the same today with “technology!”  If you are an immigrant, and most of us who are older than 30, are Digital Immigrants!  It takes time, patience, and immersing ourselves in this ever evolving Digital World.

Yes, on Monday evening and Tuesday, we are focused on issues of Pastoral Technology.  Check out the program.  INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS co-locates with the Florida Educational Technology Conference.  Why, for four simple reasons:

  1. Our faith students come from public schools where technology is an integral part of the daily curriculum.  We need to know and understand the educational technology culture that our faith students are exposed to on a daily basis.  If we do not integrate this culture into our learning experiences, we will appear outdated and antiquated to our Digital Natives in our teaching practices.
  2. To benefit by what we are exposed to in the Exhibit Hall.  Many of the exhibitors provide mini-workshops to highlight new products and services for educators.  I often spend a whole day in the Exhibit Hall.  New services, new ideas, and new connections are very important to stay on the cutting edge.
  3. I’m listing the workshops that I believe would be of interest to you as a catechetical minister from the FETC program.  It is very easy to listen to the educational presenter and then to bring the best ideas back to your parish or diocese.  For example, if I am a DRE and I’m trying to figure out how to form iCatechists, I may want to attend – CS1136 – Shaping the iTeacher, 10:00 am – 11:00 am Wednesday, January 25, 2012, with Len Scrogan with John Adsit. Or if I’m curious about how iPads can be used in the classroom, I will attend -CS4441 – Getting Started with iPads, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Wednesday, January 25, 2012 with Cathy Hutchins.
  4. By networking with other catechetical ministers, we are creating and developing a group of faith-based educational technology and social media specialists who will be leaven in their parish and diocesan areas.  By networking we share ideas with one another in order to quickly learn what we must learn to be Digital Disciples!

So if you are ready to IMMERSE yourself into the language and culture of educational and social media technologies.  Come and join us in Orlando.  Here is what others have said about their experience of the conference:

  • Able to see how others in ministry are using technology successfully. Learned about new resources available and new ways to using existing tools Interacting with others, sharing challenges was helpful Reminder to me that the new digital continent is in its infancy and we are the ones who need to lead others in our parish on how to use these tools for evangelization and catechesis. Helped to overcome my fear of this unknown world… I need to just do it!
  • It made me even more excited about sharing/utilizing technology in my ministry. It also taught me so much that I can teach/share in the Syracuse diocese. I also feel that I am now involved in a growing network of support and learning which gives me confidence to “keep on growing” in the world of technology.
  • My head was spinning from all the wonderful ideas, insights and technology that was shared. As a diocesan and church employee, I came away from the conference with so many wonderful ways to not only enhance what I am currently doing, but also new ways to reach out and evangelize to those who find themselves outside the church community. I find myself looking for new ways to ‘go where they are,’ through technology. Thinking outside the box – thank you for letting me see that there never was a box in the first place.

To Register click here.  Use the PROMOTIONAL CODE – FAC25 – for a $25.00 Registration Discount.

Looking forward to meeting you in Orlando!

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Catechetical Leader, Catechist, Catholic, Educational Technology, Faith-based

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What to Avoid in Social Media

December 5, 2011

As I was reading “Mistakes to Avoid in Social Media” my mind was adapting this article to ministry language.

We are often encouraged to get involved with social media in our catechetical and parish ministries.  Many of our colleagues are blogging, facebook-ing, twitter-ing and more!  Some with a great deal of success and others struggling to leverage the power of social media.  Allow me to reinterpret  what Dawn Papandrea shares in her post.  Here are the top seven things that others are doing wrong.  Here is where you want to do right.  Wonderful suggestions for your success!

1. Boycotting social media

If you’ve avoided setting up a Facebook page or a Twitter profile for your ministry, using the excuse that social media is a passing fad, it’s time to join the crowd.  These platforms, and others such as Google+, are here to stay (or at least they’re here until the next big thing comes along), and they’re where your families and students are spending a lot of time.

2. Expecting immediate results

Sorry, but you can’t assume that once you announce to the world that you’re on Facebook, you’ll have all sorts of followers. Social media is all about brand awareness – in ministry terms – it is about creating relationships through technology, engaging your families and students, and building a community–and that takes time!

3. Sounding like a commercial

People will lose interest in your stream pretty quickly if you use your pages to promote, promote, promote. Instead, think of what value you can give to your audience. Perhaps it’s a Scripture quote for the day, or a tip for daily prayer, or inviting Scripture faith-sharing during Advent or Lent.  Once you become a trusted authority, people will stay connected, and you’ll come up on their wall, twitter post or other digital locations. I recently heard about a parish priest who invited those who were interested to be involved in a 10-week Scripture reflection.  200 participants joined him!

4. Not engaging or responding

If you aren’t actively conversing with your network, you’re wasting your time. Make it a point to answer questions about your ministry, or address issues, in a timely manner. Even something as simple as sending out a happy birthday message to your users will let them know you care about them.

5. Letting an intern run your social media

Don’t pass the responsibility of your social media efforts off to someone else, unless you’re sure that person is a good representative of your ministry. While it’s true that social media can take up time, it’s vital that it’s done properly.

6. Being all business, all the time

As relationships develop, it’s great to let your hair down. Let your clients get to know the person who cares about them. For example, many companies on Twitter make it a point to use an employee’s photo, instead of the company logo.  Do you hide who you are with those awful looking digital faceless avatars? A photo of you adds the personal touch!

7. Not targeting the right people

When you’re starting up your pages, it’s great to add your friends and family, to get your numbers up. Ultimately, though, you want to attract your target ministry market. Do this by letting your families know that you’re on social sites. Add the links to your email signature and to your business cards. Put up a poster in your office. And give people an incentive to connect, by offering something of value, like a contest or discount coupon.

Remember to pay attention to your diocesan guidelines regarding your relationship with minors in a social network environment.  Every diocese offers suggestions.  Check out to see how the Diocese of St. Petersburg offers guidance in this area of Social Media.

By avoiding these social media mistakes, you’ll reach more new people, and strengthen relationships with your existing families. And those are results that you’re sure to “like.”

What is the most helpful point for you in this post?  Would love to hear your comments or click on the “like” button if this post is helpful to you!

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Blogging, Catechetical Leader, Religion

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