Register now: https://faithcomms.eventbrite.com
Presented by the Diocese of Sacramento Office of Communications in partnership with the Office of Family & Faith Formation (OFFF)
Truth & "Likes" is a five-part workshop series for bulletin editors, webmasters, myParish App administrators, social media managers, and any parish staff who is looking to improve the effectiveness of their communications.
This series will dive into the various communication tools available and how to better use them. We will cover bulletins, websites, graphic design, myParish App, emails, photography, videography, and social media.
Through this series, attendees will be:
- Equipped with a practical skill set for improving church communications
- Empowered to engage both the faithful and the un-churched with technology
- Encouraged to foster a culture of community that is supplemented, not replaced, by technology
Series dates and information
Registration is $25 per class and lunch is included.
All sessions are 9:30am - 2:30pm • Hospitality available beginning at 9:00am
Pastoral Center, 2110 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818
Session 1: Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Out of an abundance of caution related to the Coronavirus, the first session of the Truth & “Likes” Essentials of Church Communications series, scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, has been postponed.
Bulletins and Graphic Design - Building the Foundation of Faith
"The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration." – Evangelii Gaudium, 28
- Design principles to consider when designing your church promotional materials
- What are we really communicating in our parish bulletins?
Session 2: Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Websites, Emails, and myParish App - Communicating with Brevity and Clarity
"We need to be realistic and not assume that our audience understands the full background to what we are saying, or is capable of relating what we say to the very heart of the Gospel which gives it meaning, beauty and attractiveness." – Evangelii Guadium, 34
- How does the parish website act as a digital front door?
- Best practices for church web design
- Engaging parishioners through email
- Using shorter form communication to engage the audience
- Tips for better use of myParish App in communications
Session 3: Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Photography and Videography - Telling a Compelling Visual Story
"[Each] of us should find ways to communicate Jesus wherever we are. All of us are called to offer others an explicit witness to the saving love of the Lord, who despite our imperfections offers us his closeness, his word and his strength, and gives meaning to our lives." – Evangelii Gaudium, 121
- Tools for videography and photography, whether on a DSLR or a mobile device
- The art of giving a personal testimonial
Session 4: Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Social Media, Part I: An Introduction - Come and Follow Me
"Greater possibilities for communication thus turn into greater possibilities for encounter and solidarity for everyone. If we were able to take this route, it would be so good, so soothing, so liberating and hope-filled!" – Evangelii Gaudium, 87
- Cultivating the parish community beyond Sunday and reaching new audiences
- Introduction and pros/cons of various social networks
Session 5: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Social Media, Part II: Next Steps - From Followers to Faithful
"Today's media do enable us to communicate and to share our knowledge and affections. Yet at times they also shield us from direct contact with the pain, the fears and the joys of others and the complexity of their personal experiences. For this reason, we should be concerned that, alongside the exciting possibilities offered by these media, a deep and melancholic dissatisfaction with interpersonal relations, or a harmful sense of isolation, can also arise." – Laudato Si', 47
- Diving deeper into social media and creating quality posts
- Creating an environment where people feel they can belong