There is an overwhelming amount of information in our world that is flowing at us on the multiple devices we use 24/7. In an effort to streamline and simplify any official UUCC-related information – so it’s easier to share and easier to find – the Executive Team has developed the following guidelines.
- UUCC has two primary, official vehicles for communication with the general public: the website and the Order of Service (printed Sunday program). These two tools are especially meant for newcomers who are interested in learning more about UUCC.
- If you are either sharing information or seeking information, the first place to go is the website. Not the Yahoo group, not the Facebook page. The website. Always.
- If it’s an event you are posting or looking for information about (concerts, potlucks, meetings), it should be posted as an Event. If it is program-related information that you are sharing or seeking (RE class descriptions, food insecurity needs, Board minutes), then it should be posted on the appropriate Program Page (or sub-page).
- In most cases, there will likely also be a LINK article that is pushed to the community via email (sign up here) and directs readers to the source where more details are located (the Event or Page).
- Once an event or program is created on the website, it may also be distributed to targeted groups via email and other media. Events will be listed in the Order of Service in The Week Ahead section.
- Need to post an Event or Program information and don’t know how? Contact Hannah Nelson in the UUCC office.
- There are numerous online tools for members of UUCC community to connect and share news & information with each other. The official tool for the congregation is our app – Realm Connect. Some UUCC members also use the UUCC Yahoo! Group and/or Facebook group to build community. Anyone who is a member of the UUCC community may ask to join these closed groups. Note that these groups are for members to interact and communicate with each other – they are not places where we post official UUCC business. Members may share information about UUCC business there, but should not expect these groups to be used as official communication channels for the congregation.
- The congregation’s public Facebook page is for special UUCC news, events, or reflections that may be of interest to people beyond UUCC. It is not where one would share or seek information about an RE class, the Auction, items to bring for Hands On Sunday, etc.
- UUCC also has a presence on a number of other social media outlets such as Instagram, Twitter, Next Door, and Meet Up. Our aim is for those to largely mirror the public Facebook page.
3 Comments
Becky Reese
How are we supposed to push info to members so they will see it? Posting on the website does not do that. I have had great difficulty finding thing on the site. Most recently, I was unable to find the sign-up genius for 1st Friday that Rae mentioned in an email. I rarely ever see the order of service, so that is not an effective way for me to receive notices. I am very concerned that this policy will degrade communications rather than improve it.
Also, the Link articles are time-consuming and frustrating to open. I rarely open more than one or two. If others are doing the same, it is no wonder people don’t know about events. It is very difficult to get all the info into a title!
I will try to do as you ask, but I have very strong reservations about how successful it will be. I plan to continue to send emails to those on the Seasoned Souls list in addition.
Laurie Coltri
I agree with a lot of your reservations, Becky, but also feel that a concerted effort to get all events into the calendar (with descriptive information – that’s been another issue) is an important step. It has made me utterly crazy when I can’t find an event that I should be able to find because it’s not on the calendar (but with seeming capriciousness has been posted to one or another of our many UUCC-related facebook groups), or when I want to refer people to details about an event and find that the event is posted without content. It doesn’t mean folks can’t also post on facebook – it means that regardless of what you do with facebook, information must always be on the website. I feel that regularization of how information gets communicated — regimented, bureaucratic, obsessive-rule-following approaches to posting events and other types of content — is essential to good communication in an organization that’s reached our size.
As far as pushing out to people — the “post” type of information (on our site, the Link, In Between Sundays, Voices of UUCC, etc.) have an associated news feed (which is a way of pushing things out without needing to manually proliferate announcements). I was wondering if the “events” type and its categories (which is a customized version of a post) could also have a news feed – or a “sync to calendar” feature. A news feed may not be ideal because it captures the posting date and not the event date, but if a person could export or sync to a personal online calendar, they could utilize reminder settings to customize how they get reminded of upcoming events. (I went out to the vendors of the “theme” we’re using in this website, but I couldn’t find a quick answer to this question.)
It would be great, while we’re encouraging people to consider the need for a communications director in pledging, if we could have a wider net of volunteers who could help with the event calendar.
Regarding finding stuff on the website, I would be very curious to know whether difficulties are widespread. The website is new, and it’s absolutely gorgeous visually, but I’m not sure we’ve asked the congregation how well it’s currently working for them.
Laverne Ball
I also think a simple but rigid format for all events etc listed on web site and congregational emails is easy enough to start immediately. Who what where when…. I don’t normally use the Calendar but have noticed its inaccuracy sometimes. For me it is the event description information.
Wondering if an outreach to members who are technically skilled for immediate short term volunteer support for web site fixes could help relieve Maureen’s time in that area temporarily.
Also informing us all to note a web site difficulty and send an email to Maureen to report is very important whether it gets fixed immediately or not..
I think the UUCC Congregational emails and Blogs are the most important communicator. This is especially for new people to use as a guide and start learning. I also feel strongly that starting with Sunday’s Service description who topic detail time….will help draw more people to attend instead of not.. After that header, the chronological line items for the Weekend including repeating Sermon times will help all of us be clearer. Then if even more detail is wanted we can link to website.
The OOS is very important and well done for those who attend service and get one. I don’t think it is available online before that Sunday only the past ones.
If it is true that UUCC benefits each time we link to online, please let us know and why maybe in the OOS as a reminder like Amazon Smile.
It is very important to me that all activity groups like Seasoned Souls have a sign up process and send out emails like Becky Reece does. This avoids major miscommunications about meetings happening. I almost showed up for an activity that was not meeting due to the lack of this for that activity. It would have been a major impact on me. I was very new and trying to make connections. Plus driving a distance.
Using the RSVP and maybe even if possible sending an acknowledging “You are siged up” return email could help much to avoid confusion.
Might even be nice to hear if these comments are useful to staff as intended.