Western Plains District

Communications Vision Fulfillment Team (VFT) Meeting
October 20, 2013

Present by Google Hangout: Bruce Clary (Chair), Kendra Flory (Staff Rep), Eric Goering, Ryan Goering, Peter Samland

No discussion on minutes from September 21, 2013. They were approved. Moved on to our To-Do list from previous meeting…

Website

• Bruce put one new entry on the District website and will put the minutes up as well.
• WordPress Site: Peter had not gotten to this yet, but will work on it soon.
• Training Videos: In the next month Peter will work on simple videos for TVT for tasks such as logging on to the website, etc. His wife Amanda has software suggestions (Jing, Camtasia)

Congregations need help with technology (i.e. training)

Online Survey: Bruce put together and sent to the team a survey draft for congregations. He asked the team if the right questions are being asked.

• Eric suggested that a question be added regarding what the congregation’s final goal is in using a technology (What is your final goal for using it? What’s the purpose?) Bruce responded that at this point we’re just trying to figure out what technologies congregations have and if they want help with it. If so, that would be a good question to ask as we move into next steps.
• Ryan and Kendra both suggested it would be helpful to have a little more time to look over and process the survey draft…to “fill out” the survey for ourselves and see what’s missing.
• Bruce asked about leadership contacts in the congregations. Kendra will send to him what she has in the office.

District Newsletter

Bruce proposed a timeline to move into an all-electronic version of the newsletter, including to stop print of the newsletter in January 2014. This proposal would be taken to the Transformation Vision Team (TVT) for approval. Kendra asked some questions and offered comments:

• It was clarified that Bruce’s intention is that for now the newsletter would continue to be produced in the current print format that is created in Publisher. But it would not be printed, just sent by email. Congregations could then print copies for members who would do not have email or who prefer a paper copy. Through email, the newsletter distribution list could more widely and easily be expanded.
• Kendra would like at some point to learn to use and transition into an email format (i.e. mail chimp?). However, she also shared a few conversations she has had with persons regarding a move to an electronic newsletter, both enthusiastic support for moving in that direction as well as expressions of reservation that some people have. These would be good questions to discuss with Sonja as well as the TVT.
• Kendra noted that several years ago she was in touch with a number of persons on the mailing list encouraging them to move from the paper copy to email. The paper mailing list was reduced from 365 to 320. That is the current distribution number. Kendra will send Bruce the newsletter mailing list to see who is currently receiving it by mail. It might be helpful to go over this list with Sonja, who would know more people on this list.

Our next meeting will be Sunday, November 17, 9pm Central, by Google Hangout.

Respectfully submitted, Kendra Flory

11/11/13