Maximize your ministry with free online resources/services - Google Calendar

Google has an amazing array of free, online resources that anyone can use.  Let's focus on Google calendar.

Google Calendar is what it sounds like - an online calendar (I am assuming by now that most people know something about the various services that make up the Google empire).  If you have an email address you can sign up for Google calendar (you do not need to have a @gmail.com email address).  There are so many ways you can utilize this service.  Since you can have multiple calendars in your account, the possibilities are pretty much limitless.

Here are some suggestions for how you can take advantage of this service...

1.  Backup your personal calendars - Google offers the ability for you to either export/import calendars, or sync calendars with common desktop calendar software.  

Obviously the export/import feature makes backing up your calendar a bit more involved than actually syncing it, but it is certainly great for an occasional backup, especially if your calendars are kept ONLY on your computer and not also synced to a mobile device or to another service like MobileMe or Microsoft Exchange.  

If you are a "light" calendar user, "subscribe" to your Google calendar using your calendar software.  Common software (like iCal & Outlook) can "subscribe" to Google calendars online and you can allow them to make changes to the calendar.  Changes you make in your software are added to the online calendar as well (and vice versa).  Now you can check your calendar from any computer with an internet connection.

2.  Post ministry schedules - maybe you have an event calendar on your church's website, but you want to list your weekly schedule for something like your small group.  Obviously, you wouldn't normally list ALL your meetings on your church's event calendar.  Use a Google calendar and then you can either share a link to it with your group or embed the calendar on your ministry's web page.  You can include details like whose house you are meeting at, who is bringing refreshements, etc.  Here is an example of how one of our ministries does this.

3.  Share building use information - You can go so far as to add all your building use information for staff and leadership to reference.  Imagine accessing your church's master calendar by simply "subscribing", sharing a private URL link, or "sharing" your calendar within Google calendar!  And, of course, you can control who can edit, or just view the calendar.

4.  Share your free/busy information with your secretary - If you get a lot of requests for appointments, allow your secretary to see your calendar (without all the details) so she can schedule the occasional appointment for you.

5.  How do you use online calendars?  Leave comments below.

Obviously this post assumes your church doesn't have another service that accomplishes this same thing.  The cool thing is that Google offers a basic package of services to organizations for free that can save the organization a lot of money.  

Jason

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Highlighting great online ministry resources - CreativeMYK.com (@CreativeMYK)

CreativeMYK.com is a great online resource for graphics, photos, logos, etc. CreativeMYK is basically a pool of Christian artists and their graphic art.

What makes CreativeMYK.com great is that everything is downloadable and contributers distribute their artwork in various file formats (jpeg, photoshop, illustrator, etc.). Resources include everything from photos to logos to bulletin layouts to flyers, etc.

As with all such sites, be sure to read the "terms of use" guidelines. CreativeMYK.com is intended to be a place Christian graphic artists can share their work, request feedback, and offer critique. It is not intended as a place to "rip off" someone else's work.

That being said, it is a great place to get inspiration for your own artwork.

Jason

Gallery - A place for anyone looking for free, quality Christian graphics and photos shared by Christian artists around the world.

Artists - A place for Christian artists to show their creative talents.

Critique and Discuss - A place to network, discuss, and critique with other Christian artists from professional to amateur.

via creativemyk.com

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Need a Video Camera? "Tools of the Trade: Cameras" (CollideMagazine)

Is your ministry looking for a new camera (or cameras)? Ready to go HD!

Check out this post from Collide Magazine

Jason

Tools of the Trade: Cameras

Daniel Darnell - Originally posted Monday, October 19, 2009 - Comments (0)

 

Master artisans have tools that assist them in accomplishing their work. The most important tool in a videographer’s arsenal is the video camera, so we’ve put together a list of cameras ranging in price from less than $200 to almost $8,000. If you’re looking to purchase a new camera or replace an old one, we hope this helps you find the right camera for your needs and budget.

Sony EX 1
pro.sony.com
Over the years, Sony has produced some outstanding cameras, and the EX1 is no exception. Boasting three 1/2” CMOS sensors, the EX1 offers higher resolution and better depth of field than other cameras. Unfortunately, the larger sensors equate to a higher cost.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/2”
Optical Sensor Type: 3xCMOS
Lens: Fixed with Fujinon 14x zoom, 5.8mm-81mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/60i/30p/24p, 1280 x 720/60p/30p/24p
Storage Format: SBP-8/16/32GB SxS Expres 34 Cards
MSRP: $7,790

Canon XH A1
www.usa.canon.com
As you’ve come to expect from Canon, the XH A1 delivers professional HD video at a reasonable price. The XH A1 comes with a Genuine Canon 20x HD lens and Super-Range optical image stabilization. Nevertheless, the XH A1 does not offer 720p recording and the lens is fixed.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/3”
Optical Sensor Type: 3xCCD
Lens: Fixed w/20x zoom, 4.5mm-90mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/60i/30F/24F
Storage Format: Mini DV (HDV)
MSRP: $4,999

Canon EOS 5D Mark II
www.use.canon.com
Every photographer has heard of Canon’s new 5D Mark II, as it is the camera to use for professional photography, but photographers aren’t the only ones utilizing this camera’s power. While its main use is to take stunning photos, the 5D Mark II also shoots 1080p HD video surprisingly well, and it’s half the size of most video cameras.
Optical Sensor Size: 36mm x 24mm
Optical Sensor Type: 21.1-megapixel single-plate CMOS
Lens: Canon EF lenses (Not included )
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/30fps
Sto rage Format: Compact Flash Type I and II
MSRP: $2,699

Panasonic AG -HVX 200
www.panasonic.com
Despite the fact that the HVX200 was originally released in late 2005, it still remains a camera of choice for many videographers. The HVX200 delivers stunning HD video, a vast amount of frame rate options, and solid storage solutions. However, this powerful camera is also somewhat heavy, hard to learn, and has a fixed lens.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/3”
Optical Sensor Type: 3xCCD
Lens: Fixed w/13x Leica Dicor mar zoom, 4.2mm-55mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/60i/30p/24p, 1280 x 720/60p/30p/24p
Storage Format: DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO HD, P2 Card
MSRP: $4,699

Red Scarlet 3K
www.red.com
If you’ve been in the video world for a while, chances are you’ve heard of Red cameras. Reds are known for their superb quality, modular design, and their high price tag. However, Red’s new camera, the Scarlet 3K, promises to deliver Red quality at a fraction of the price. Details are still vague as the camera is set to release later this year.
Optical Sensor Size: 2/3”
Optical Sensor Type: Mysterium-X
Lens: Fixed 8x zoom
Resolution: 1920 x 1080p/1-30fps
Storage Format: Compact Flash or DSMC SSD
MSRP: $2,500-$3,500

Panasonic HDC-TM300K
www.panasonic.com
For those of you with both a tighter budget and a need for quality HD video, Panasonic’s HDC-TM300K is a solid alternative to prosumer models. This small, lightweight camera rivals those four times its price while offering nearly equal image quality. However, many people aren’t fond of the LCD touchscreen.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/4.1”
Optical Sensor Type: 9.15(3.05x3) megapixel MOS
Lens: Fixed Leica Nico mar w/12x zoom, 4mm - 48mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/60i/30p/24p
Storage Format: 32 GB Flash (integrated ), SD
MSRP: $1,299

Canon Vixia HF200
www.usa.canon.com
If you’re looking for the quality of a Canon minus the high sticker price, the Vixia HF200 is for you. Don’t let its small size and price fool you. The Vixia HF200 offers features that you will find in more expensive Canon models such as a 15x zoom, a wide range of shutterspeeds, and multiple aperture settings. Sadly, the Vixia HF200 doesn’t come with any built in memory.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/4”
Optical Sensor Type: 3.89 megapixel CMOS
Lens: Fixed w/15x zoom, 4.1mm – 61.5mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080/60i/30p/24p
Storage Format: Flash
MSRP: $599

Flip MinoHD
www.theflip.com
If you’re looking for HD video on the go, then the new Flip MinoHD is your best bet. This little fella packs quite a punch with its 720p resolution, 8GB of internal memory, 2 inch screen, rechargeable battery, and simple plug-n-play function. However, don’t expect impressive low-light performance.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/4.5”
Optical Sensor Type: HD CMOS
Lens: Fixed Focus (0.8m to infinity)
Resolution: 1280 x 720p
Storage Format: 8GB internal memory
MSRP: $229

Kodak Zi8
www.kodak.com
Unlike the Flip MinoHD, the Kodak Zi8 shoots 1080p HD quality video at up to 30fps. The Zi8’s 2.5” screen, speedy processor, and ability to take 5MB stills make it a noteworthy competitor in a market dominated by Flip. The downside, however, is that the Zi8 doesn’t have internal memory.
Optical Sensor Size: 1/2.5”
Optical Sensor Type: 5 megapixel CMOS
Lens: 6.3mm Fixed Focus (100cm to infinity)
Resolution: 1920 x 1080p/30p, 1280 x 720/60p/30p
Storage Format: SD/SDHC
MSRP: $179

For more specifications and reviews on these cameras, visit each manufacturer’s website or a third-party site such as www.cnet.com.
 

via collidemagazine.com

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Your church and the iPhone -AppChurch

An iPhone app for your church? Well...sort of...

I became aware of this app via another blog (ChurchCrunch.com) and thought I would check it out. I had seen a similar service last week, though there appears to be some differences.

AppChurch allows you to list your church for free, and then choose to pay for additional features like posting events and sermons to the app. Looks like a great, easy, and fairly cheap way for a church to enter this arena without having to take the time to develop their own app from scratch.

There are some things I noticed, however.

First, it appears that AppChurch merely lists your church in their directory and the consumer would set one church from the directory as their "home" church. Not a big deal, but don't think your church members would go the the app store and search your church name to find the app. So, it is not a "unique" app with your church name/identity attached.

The positive side of this is that you can at least get your church listed for free so that those who use the app might stumble upon your church if they happen use the app to find a church when they travel, or even when they move. So, nothing to lose on at least getting listed.

Secondly, I was unable to install the app on my device. This is a BIG deal. When I searched for the app from my iPod Touch (2G with 3.1.2 software) it did not find it. When I searched using iTunes on my laptop, I found the app and downloaded it. When I sync'd iTunes with my Touch I was told it could not be installed as it was incompatible with my software. Double checking, it claimed compatibility with 3.1 or higher (which I clearly have). Not sure what the deal is there . . . but this is a slight problem.

In summary, list your church, but try the app out on your device before you pay for their services.

Jason

via appchurch.com

So, check it out thoroughly before jumping on the "paying" wagon.

Jason

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WebDrivenChurch.com Blog

There has been a lot of traffic around Cultivate 09. This blog post from WebdrivenChurch has some great summary points. For those who could not attend (which includes myself), enjoy!

Jason

Cultivate09

I have so many things going on right now I can't see straight. I guess that just means I need to pull back for a few days and regenerate.

And there's no better way than going on a road trip with the Communications team.

First stop: Cultivate09

Here are my notes, chicken scratches and takeaways from the day. Overall a great conference. Met some new people and definitely left with stuff to chew on.

Phil Cooke
Creating compelling content in a media-driven world

2 Things are happening:

1. Our content has become shorter
2. We spend more time communicating + less time creating each message = Time Suck
   

Four questions to ponder:

1. What are you really trying to do? "Remove obstacles/barriers (smooth the path) for people taking their next steps on the web.
2. How do you deal with ambiguity? NOT providing the perfect answer to difficult questions when there really is NO perfect answer.
3. Are you asking the right questions? Jesus is God - but so what? How does that impact my life?
4. Stop focusing on: How much will it cost? And: When will it be ready?
   

Developing a web strategy
Drew Goodmanson (cobblestone software) & Gabe Taviano (Digital Disciples)

SEO (importance of - added numerous visitors/members the weeks following the optimization)

Online evangelism as a strategy is 1% or less successful. + side is that church members forming relationships in the community use the website as a connection point to get people into church.

Theological issues exist in the understanding of online church and if it's even possible for people to connect that way.

Must be PASSIONATE and PROFESSIONAL in order to be successful online.

Use of website for visitors: Visitors can send message online letting people know they are coming to church so you can meet them and welcome them at the kiosk.

iCampuses
Tony Steward (Lifechurch.tv Digerati) & Rhett Smith (counselor)

How does your pastoral responsibilities translate to the web?

How much are you responsible for? Do you have to answer every inquiry? Do you have to provide all services to all people?

So many books out there to grow social media - but are there resources to shrink and better manage your use of social media?

"Batch" your online usage. Check email/Twitter every hour or so rather than the minute it comes in.

Boundaries are huge when faced with the new onslaught of online communication. AND it's not really up to the leadership to set boundaries (work schedule and time nanagement) when they are God's boundaries from the beginning (Sabbath).

Matching space for space (people on computers are rarely standing) (Book: 4 hour work week)
Native to the environment (making the experience feel native to the user - what they would expect and want to see/feel)

Clint! Runge
Archrival Creative in Lincoln, NE

Differences between Gen X and Gen Y

• Xers ask how can I be different. Yers ask how can we be different
• Xers = exclusion. Yers = inclusion
  

Generation Y

• Attitudes: "we" (as in Wikipedia).
• Peer to peer approval most important thing. Branded to death so they tend to trust peers more than advertising.
• Success = good life, good job with purpose and meaning.
• Huge belief in causes: Environment (easy and no one is really against it), economy and education.
• No Brand Loyalty.
  

Mobile devices are the "First screen"

Future of social media: 15 minutes of fame is an expectation rather than an aspiration.

• First screen - "Social mobilization" GPS socialization.
• Creation of smaller social networks based on interests and not the global collective.
• Virtual world - Second Life.
  

Let people in on your "secret" and who cares what everyone else things. Marketing plan similar to that used by Red Bull, "We just want the 14-20 somethings drinking our drink so we'll cater to them in marketing - who cares what everyone else thinks..."

What's the next generation going to be known for? Those born in 2001 or later - Gen Y x50 or something to that effect. Born with the thought that they have all the answers and want
family cohesion.

Trends seen recently

• New politics: Skepticism. People want change but not sure that change will occur. "Apple will have more impact on them than the government will."
• The modern guy: What does it mean to be a guy these days? Free to explore things they are interested in. Things like dance, creativity, arts, starting different businesses, etc.
• Life tracking: adding content to social media and even medical outlets so that it can be tracked and the collective data used for personal development.
• Do the right thing: Too many ethical dilemmas. This generation gets very worked up over this stuff and there is a sense of relief when their decisions are seen as right or ethical.
  

Small Explosions
Bobby Gruenewald & Terry Storch (Digerati - Lifechurch.tv)

Creating small but sustained explosions that can stand the test of time rather than huge explosions that make a big impact that then fizzles out quickly.

Digerati Team: In the development of something like Youversion you start with the big picture in mind. But in that you must also check in each week to ensure the right steps are in place in order to move on to the next week's tasks. In these meetings you may only look a couple week's down the road rather than revisiting the big picture.

New York Cab Driver example: Keep moving forward and don't look back or to the side. Everyone knows his or her role and as long as the meeting up front does well at setting the expectations and framing the roles then everything works.

The 3 T's: Text, Twitter and Thumbs.
Tim Schraeder & Michael Forsberg

Park Community Church uses Jarbyco during all services to elicit feedback from participants on the messages and what they think. Also used interactive polling during a service to help drive the service.

Facebook, Twitter and Texting each hit a niche area and can be used in different ways. Nothing wrong with using all three.

Jon Acuff
Author of the Blog: Stuff Christians Like

"Booty. God. Booty." Description of being all about God only on Sunday mornings...

"Satire: Humor with a purpose."

The Devil tries to destroy your story and get you to discount your story.
Our response: Give your story to God. Don't forget why you tell your story.

Posted by Daryl McMullen on 27 October 2009 at 11:37 PM

 

via webdrivenchurch.blogspot.com

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Top 10 FREE web tools any church can use - Steve Fogg: Clear and Simple.

I know there are a thousand variations of these kind of lists, so take it for what it is...one man's opinion of some of the better options out there for free services ministries can leverage.

Steve Fogg is new to me, but have gleaned several new ideas/resources from following him. Check him out at stevefogg.typepad.com

Jason

Top ten (in DJ voice over) coming in at number 1 is...

1. Twitter: 101: This should be every Youth Pastor's and Communications peep's friend.
2. Facebook: Create your church community connection point/marketplace. We have.
3. Youtube: DIY online video distribution. You can literally broadcast yourself. We did.
4. Vimeo: Another DIY online video distribution tool. I prefer this to youtube.
5. Wufoo forms: As they say, making forms easy, fast and fun.
6. Blogger: Create your church homepage today for FREE.
7. Gmail: Connect anytime, anywhere.
8. Google Calendar: Whats on and when. 
9. Google maps: Where you are and how to get there.
10. iTunes: While not strictly online, you can post your churches sermon every week.

As well as being free, these tools allow anyone (who has a spotty techie, geeky teenager) to set up a church website today. What are you waiting for?

via stevefogg.typepad.com

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Updated Blog Feeds - Check your subscriptions

Hello all.

Just a quick post to say thanks for subscribing to Cooper-ation and that I have redirected my blog feeds so that I can better track subscribers, statistics, etc.

Please visit Cooper-ation and update your subscription!

http://cooper-ation.blogspot.com

http://cooper-ation.posterous.com

http://jasonacooper.wordpress.com

Thanks,

Jason

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Help for Thinking Through Ministry Communication Philosophy

So as a non-professional in the communication field, yet finding myself managing the communications for what is a fairly communication "intense" organization (a church), I have been reading blogs, tracking graphic trends for ideas, etc. Anything to give me a leg up in a field in which I have not received formal training.

In that endeavor to educate myself, Kem Meyer is a name that I have run across many times. I recently bought her book and I have been reading her blog for months now.

If you are a "newbie" in the communication field, especially if you work with a ministry, you might want to check out her stuff. Visit her blog www.kemmeyer.typepad.com or the website for her book www.lessclutterlessnoise.com

via lessclutterlessnoise.com

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OneApp, Social Network and Online Church Directory, Goes Free (Literally)!

Is your church looking for a "social networking solution?  Check out the following post from ChurchCrunch. 

Jason Cooper

---

OneBody just recently announced that they are releasing their most stable version ever, v1.0, to the wild, and one of the best things about it is they’re offering a free-version to download on your own server and run!

Most excellent.

And seriously, when they mean open source it appears that they really mean it. Just look at their pricing model (they have a paid service to support those that can’t host it on their own):

The “free” version doesn’t hold anything back! I love how they’re giving it all away.

Besides the awesomesauce of open source the platform looks pretty stable and robust, giving everything you’d probably expect in a church social network and online directory.

Some of the newer features mentioned:

• Online Directory with AJAX live search, pop-up previews, printable PDF, and more.
• Groups with full email functionality (incoming and outgoing), pictures, prayer requests, attendance tracking, and more.
• Social Networking with friends, messaging, favorites, advanced privacy controls, and much more.
• Membership Management with import and export and unlimited custom fields. Use OneBody as a ChMS or sync with an external source.
• Newly revamped home pages that show friend/group activity.
• Newly revamped profile pages with easier content sharing.
• Newly revamped group pages.
• Lots of refinement to admin, group editing, profile editing, and app-wide refinements.
• Increased page load time.

Seriously, if you’re in the market for something like this, you can’t beat free and the offering looks good.

I’d love to hear some testimonials! Knocking it out!

---

Via ChurchCrunch

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChurchCrunch/~3/LvdlZESBufI/

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When to email - When to call?

As I work with volunteers in ministry, especially with small group leaders, I make sure I stress to them the importance of interacting and communicating with their group members.  Relationships are so important for the success of most ministries in the church, and especially in small group ministry.

With that, I take time to talk with leaders about deciding HOW to communicate and interact with their group members.

Each person has their own relational preferences based on personality.  Some people are more extroverted and tend towards more personal forms of communication like phone calls, face to face conversations, hanging out with people, etc.  Some are more introverted and tend towards the more impersonal forms of communication like email, IM, Facebook, text messaging, etc.  

Neither of these is bad.  Like most things, each has its strengths and weaknesses.  

A person who more naturally favors the personal communication methods may find themselves overwhelmed by the time it takes to make all the connections they need to make and communicate all the information they need to communicate. This happens because these more personal interactions often produce longer conversations and more opportunities to minster deeply to someone.

A person who more naturally favors the impersonal doesn't stress over time, but can allow a very impersonal, distant feeling to develop within the group and miss some opportunities to minister deeply to someone.

Choosing a method for communicating should be based on the PURPOSE of the communication, not the individual's personality.

When to email, SMS, Facebok, etc.:

• when the purpose of the communication is largely informational
• group meeting times, reminders, prayer request lists, etc.

When to call or talk face to face:

• when the purpose of the communication goes beyond information and may be specifically relational
• to see how someone is doing, to pray for them, to encourage them, etc.

When the information is URGENT: (you need them to know something ASAP)

• Make a phone call or send SMS.  Do these in a way that let's you know the person received the information.  Avoid leaving messages, and ask for confirmation if you use SMS.
• Email, Facebook, voicemail, are not things that everyone checks religiously and are not the best avenue for urgent information.
• URGENT information is that which can't wait.  Could be a change in meeting time, or having to cancel on short notice, or an emergency situation for someone in the group, etc.

Jason Cooper

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