The Power of Communication!

Communications Impact Week begins Monday

All next week, United Methodist Communications will celebrate a showcase of ministry success stories powered by communications. Communications Impact Week, which will run Sept. 12-16, will showcase how our resources and tools are empowering ministry near and far. Last year alone, UMCom served more than 1,900 local churches, supported 1.67 million social media followers and had 14.6 million web page views. Churches seeking to expand their outreach can find encouragement from what others are experiencing.

 

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WCC NEWS: Amid COVID-19, people drew closer to the WCC fellowship

As the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread loss and hardship, people across the world have drawn closer to the World Council of Churches (WCC), showing increased interest in many channels of communication.

Among the most appreciated WCC offerings, especially on Facebook and Twitter? “Prayers, Thursdays in Black, and The Ecumenical Review,” said Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of Communication. The Thursdays in Black campaign for a world free from rape and violence has helped increase awareness of the heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence during the pandemic.

The Ecumenical Review, WCC’s quarterly journal, addressed topics such as theological and ethical perspectives on the digital age, including the implications for the church as a community, something that has taken on particular significance as congregations have been unable to meet face to face during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A special joint virtual issue of The Ecumenical Review and another WCC journal, International Review of Mission, offered key articles from the two journals on health and hope.

“People are seeking comfort, peace, and accurate information at this difficult time,” said Ejdersten.

Ejdersten added “Communication is a multifaceted concept. For the WCC, communication is a key part of its work, in terms of using communication as a nonviolent method for fostering trust and confidence between different groups,” and she said “At the moment are we focusing on the global prayer campaign on Korean Peninsula.”

The WCC, which published on average of 78 Facebook posts per month during 2020, reached 200,000 people every month via Facebook, compared to 165,000 in 2019, representing about a 20% increase. The page also received a "blue badge,” a visual sign that indicates the authenticity of the page.

On Twitter, WCC saw an average of 12,500 visitors per day, compared to 10,400 per day over the same period in 2019, gaining some 900 followers since March. The WCC now has 28,700 followers on Twitter. Instagram followers have grown by 12% since the beginning of the year, to 3,500 followers.

There have been more than 25,000 downloads of Ecumenical Review articles in 2020 until the end of April, an increase of almost 8 % compared to the same period in 2019.

The WCC main website has also experienced a significant increase in its overall attendance in the first six months of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019: 43% more users and 38% more visits. Average weekly visits in January-June 2020 were 25,000 (compared to 18,000 in 2019), and average monthly visits 110,000 (80,000 in 2019).

“With total visits from 1 January to 17 June at 617,000, we are very likely to achieve our goal of one million visitors by the end of the year,” said Ejdersten.

The WCC YouTube channel also acquired a relevant space, hosting several video messages from the WCC leadership, as well as webcasts and webinars that continue to show how the WCC promotes love, unity and reconciliation. About 300 new YouTube viewers have joined the channel since March.

“During the global pandemic, WCC’s online presence has been a resource for prayers, reliable information, interviews, new publications, online meetings, online consultations and webinars,” said Ejdersten, who led her global team remotely from her home in Switzerland. “We have now been asking how we move forward together as a fellowship of churches and adapt to continue  using electronic communication in our daily lives and work.”

It has been a special time to be the WCC director of Communication, concluded Ejdersten. "We formed an advisory group of communication officers in regions in different parts of the world. We will emerge with more experience, wisdom, and new, positive thoughts about being a prophetic voice,” she said. “We are focused on searching for new pathways and having the courage to choose and make changes.”

WCC Communication Strategy 2018-2021

WCC website

WCC and COVID-19

Global Prayer Campaign on Korean Peninsula

Thursdays in Black

WCC Journals and Publications

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.

Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press
Our visiting address is:
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
Geneve 2 1211
Switzerland

From the Presbyterian Communicators Network - The new normal for communications

The new normal for communications The COVID-19 pandemic has us all communicating in new and different ways. Church services are being held online, we’re working from home, and digital media has become a bigger part of lives than we ever imagined. In an effort to contain this virus hosting more online meetings has become our new normal. Read more →

Despite the pandemic, churches find they’re maintaining ecclesial health Familiar Bible stories can take on new meaning during this extraordinary time. Read more →

‘COVID at the Margins’ Discussion series to focus on communities of color. Read more →

Coronavirus/COVID-19 resource for congregations and members Find resources related to COVID-19 from the PC(USA). Read more →

Become a Matthew 25 Church Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Matthew 25 is a bold new vision and invitation from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with over 460 congregations and mid councils that have already pledged to become a Matthew 25 church by working to build congregational vitality, dismantle structural racism and eradicate systemic poverty. We invite you to join us on this journey! Find out how →

Now accepting applications for Katie Cannon scholarships. Learn more →

The Presbyterian Communicators Network E-Newsletter is for members of the Presbyterian Communicators Network. Use these stories in your newsletters and websites and share them with others. Please do not reply to this email. If you have story ideas for the newsletter, send us an email. Presbyterian Mission, an agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 100 Witherspoon Street Louisville, KY 40202 800-728-7228 | 502-569-5000 Website | Email | Subscribe | Privacy | Update your preferences

WCC NEWS: Christian communicators urge technologies that unite

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) is urging us all to use and promote technologies to unite people and communities divided by adversity.

“As the coronavirus raises physical and psychological barriers—and as people and communities are experiencing varying degrees of isolation, fear, and despair—it is all the more important that communication technologies, especially social media and digital platforms, are used to convey trustworthy information and stories of courage and hope,” states WACC’s response to the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19

“One of our guiding principles, as we state in this response, is that communication plays a crucial role in strengthening peace, security, and social justice,” said Philip Lee, general secretary. “Communication is the invisible bond that holds communities together.”

Communities are enriched by open, honest and transparent dialogue, WACC maintains. “This applies equally to a neighbourhood or village, a city, a religious community, or a community of nations,” it states. “Unfortunately, in an era of digital communication, we need to be all the more wary of disinformation.”

WACC recently proposed ten principles to guide communication in today’s digital spheres. Among the principles are that “everyone is entitled to accessible communication, information and knowledge at affordable levels,” and “everyone is entitled to a diversity of opinions and points of view.”

WACC notes that, in times of isolation, people and communities need effective and trustworthy means of communication. “Digital technologies can provide ways for people to stay in touch as well as vital information that can save lives,” it states. “Open access to the digital sphere is a prime example of communication rights in practice.”

World Association for Christian Communication: Communication and community in times of isolation

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway.

Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press
Our visiting address is:
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
Geneve 2 1211
Switzerland

WCC NEWS: The essential role of crisis communication

The following is third in a series about response of the WCC, member churches and all people of goodwill to COVID-19. The purpose of the stories will be to share hopes, concerns and best practices among our one human family. - WCC director of communication Marianne Ejdersten

In the past several months, beginning with an epidemic that quickly became an emergency situation, COVID-19 has escalated into a global crisis, spreading fear and uncertainty everywhere.

Governments and health authorities around the world have taken bold steps to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Schools, offices and borders have been closed. Fairs, concerts, football games and other events have been cancelled, and people aren’t allowed to move around and get together as they used to. Along with plunging stock markets, layoffs have surged. The current situation is unprecedented and panic appears to have taken a grip on events.

From a professional communication perspective, the coronavirus pandemic is no different from other crises. It represents an extraordinary situation where people’s lives, health and livelihoods are at stake. It meets all criteria of a crisis and must thus be given top priority. Step one is to calmly analyse and continuously monitor the situation. Step two is to define a viable communication strategy and step three is to implement it through the most effective channels.

For the World Council of Churches (WCC), member churches and partners, making factual information from the World Health Organization and national health authorities readily available is one obvious measure. Communicating what the WCC, member churches and partners are doing – and can do – to relieve the crisis, is another.

How and what to communicate at local levels depends on contexts and patterns in terms of how target groups consume information. This differs from place to place. It is thus important to break down messages to local conditions and use the most effective channels in each case to get them across.

What, how, why, who and what now?

How the Corona crisis unfolds in terms of public perception will to a large extent depend on reliable and timely communication about and around the crisis. Explaining to the public what has happened, how and why it happened, who is affected and what is being done to cope with the situation, are core ingredients in crisis communication. It is all about bringing clarity and understanding, easing anxiety and calming things down. In this case, all that is the responsibility of governments and health authorities. What faith-based organizations, churches and faith communities can do is to help getting key messages across through their own channels and to provide a spiritual dimension to things.

Factual information, such as instructions and advice on how to avoid being infected, is the easy part of crisis communication. Conveying a clear and trustworthy picture of the seriousness of the pandemic and how it is expected to develop is more difficult. There are still unknowns, which leaves room for speculation and rumours. Clarity about what is known, as well as unknown, is crucial in order to sustain trust and keep expectations at a realistic level. Building acceptance among the public of the fact that no one has all the answers, at least not yet, is a challenge, especially when people demand fast answers and actions. But honesty breeds trust and trust remains critical for successful communication in the long run.

How churches can address the coronavirus crisis

Churches are in a unique position to influence the public at all levels in society. The church is often at the centre of rural communities, where church leaders and pastors are trusted and listened to. Along with prayers and pastoral care follows a responsibility to relate to urgent situations in a more practical sense. Carrying critical messages from WHO and local health authorities in order to raise awareness and promote compliance among congregations has proven effective in similar situations where viral infections have threatened to spread. As part of the ecumenical movement and the Christian fellowship, member churches worldwide have access to updated information material and other tools to support such initiatives (see link below).

The WCC communication team can also offer guidance and further advice, as well as concrete capacity building sessions in crisis communication.

Threat and opportunity

Reliability, consistency and endurance are critical in crisis situations. So is leadership. Winston Churchill once said: “The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.” That is particularly true in crisis situations, and even more valid in today’s digital communication environment.

In the midst of the turmoil, it is important to look upon a crisis, not only as a threat but as an opportunity to build trust and goodwill.

Finally, here are a few basic guidelines for successful crisis communication:

• Be vigilant.
• Have a plan for the unknown.
• Have a crisis organization in place with clear roles and mandates.
• Analyse, strategize and implement – in that order.
• Communicate briefly and succinctly in a timely manner.
• Focus always on your own organization’s role and responsibilities.

For more information, please contact WCC Communication, email media@wcc-coe.org

WCC resources on the coronavirus: www.oikoumene.org/corona

Pastoral letter 18 March 2020

WCC urges: “give highest priority to protect life” (WCC press release of 18 March 2020)

In South Korea, as church life goes online, ‘a church is a church for the world’ (WCC press release of 18 March 2020)

As world turns virtual during COVID-19 crisis, it is easy to pray (WCC press release of 17 March 2020)

WCC takes strong measures to protect from coronavirus (WCC press release from 13 March 2020)

Claus Grue is a communication consultant for the World Council of Churches.

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway.

Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press
Our visiting address is:
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
Geneve 2 1211
Switzerland