Planning

Steve Dennie Church of the United Brethren in Christ USA
Your church has a variety of communication vehicles – Web sites, bulletins, brochures, blogs, email, PowerPoint, newsletters, videos and more. Each medium has its own do’s and don’ts regarding the written word. You can’t just slap the exact same content from the church newsletter onto the Web site and then onto announcement slides.
This workshop examines how to make your writing effective across the media spectrum. Start with principles applicable to all media, and then spotlight writing for the web, email and blogs. Through plenty of dialogue, the group will consider design issues which affect the written word, ones that must be considered in the writing process. About the presenter: Steve has over 30 years experience in communications roles with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. As their Communications Director, he oversees all Internet strategy and communications, including oversight of four websites and assisting local churches with their communications efforts. Steve has his communications degree from Huntington University and Masters in Public Relations from Ball State University. Married to a CPA since 1989, he has been a Macintosh user since 1988, and is obnoxious about it. Despite moving around as a kid, Steve has worked at the same place his entire professional career.

Includes audio (MP3) only Electronic download only (57Meg)

Alan MuehlenwegDirector Market ResearchThird Degree Advertising and CommunicationsHow Your Members See You:Using Market Research to Improve Membership Involvement and Enhance CommunicationsIn today’s “message cluttered” world, companies and organizations are quick to throw some fancy words together with some pretty pictures and say “Here we are!” without even considering “who we are.”Third Degree Advertising and Communications believes there is a better approach to developing coherent, relevant messaging that is consistent with your church’s image and identity.Using best practices and case studies from clients who are membership-based and faith-based organizations, this session will provide you with insightful, proven tools and techniques that can be used to help you understand and uncover the essence of your church’s brand.Areas to be explored include:

• How to discover if your church’s “backdoor” is closed.
• How to uncover your church’s character.
• How to unearth your church’s internal strengths and weaknesses.
• How to determine where your church’s greatest opportunities lie.
• How to learn your communities greatest needs.

This session is designed to challenge your thinking and provide you with some practical “do-it-yourself” tips for basic church research.Alan Muehlenweg is the Director Market Research at Third Degree Advertising and Communications, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based full-service advertising, marketing, communications and new media company established in February of 1995.Alan’s experience in market research and ministry has led to his creation of several proprietary research methodologies, including Church Membership Involvement (CMI) studies. Alan’s expertise lies in developing custom research tools based on proven methodologies, such as focus groups, depth interviews, online surveys, and phone surveys and then providing detailed consulting and recommendations based on the results of these studies.Alan, his wife Charity, and son Ethan (8 months old) attend Southgate Baptist Church in Moore, OK, where they actively serve as the junior high ministers.  Includes audio (MP3) and slides (PDF).Electronic download only (27Meg)

MinistryCOM 2009 Breakout Session

Presenter:

Kerry Bural
Principal
The Resonate Group
Mt Juliet, TN

Session Description:

After decades of buying the newest leadership books to glean the latest leadership principles, leaders are sometimes still aloof and disconnected. Yet humanity longs for meaningful connections. In this breakout session, Kerry presents a “Healthy Ministry Matrix” that helps you and your team foster genuine connectivity in your church and community. He also shows how resonance can help you communicate so others really “get it.”

About the Presenter:

Kerry Bural can often be found sketching concepts and ideas on napkins or notecards as he tries to refine his thoughts and share them. He claims that his best work happens in java-infused creative sessions or when he is divinely disturbed in the middle of the night.

He is the owner and principal of The Resonate Group, a brand consulting and development firm. He recently served as V.P. for Public Relations and Marketing with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He was the brand architect of the “I Vote Values” initiative, which was the genesis for the “values voter” movement. He has served as PR Director for Southeastern Seminary and PR Coordinator for Criswell College. He was also a visual coordinator for the corporate headquarters of Neiman Marcus in their Visual Planning & Presentation division.

His 25+ years in ministry and business have been devoted to brand architecture. He is passionate about helping organizations translate their vision and mission into communication that resonates with their constituents through visual presentation, public relations, marketing and branding.

He has a B.S. in Education concentrating on design and technology from Northeastern State University and a M.A. in Theology and History from Criswell College.

Includes audio (MP3), workshop slides (PDF)
Electronic download only (30Meg)

Danny MizeExecutive DirectorThe Kids’ Place National Grief Resources

• What do people think of when they hear the name of your church?
• Can they list five things about your church? Even one or two?
• Does your community know where you’re located?
• Do you ever say (or think), “We’ve done the hard work of preparation. Why haven’t people in our area taken advantage of what we’re offering?”
• Would you like to do a better job of “getting the word out” without spending a lot of money?

If these points catch your attention, then this is the session for you! The presenter, after more than twenty years in full-time church ministry, co-founded and directed a non-profit ministry to grieving families. He learned how to build community awareness through news releases, community relationships, partnerships with business leaders, and structured activities which caught the attention of the community. Mize will share the lessons he learned with session participants — as well as provide an opportunity for in-class, hands-on learning. You are certain to leave this session with new ideas that will enhance the awareness of your community about who you are and what you offer as a church.Danny Mize is the Executive Director of The Kids’ Place, a center for grieving children and their families. He co-founded the center in the Oklahoma City area in December 1995. Danny’s duties have included recruiting, training, publicity, fund-raising, and overseeing the administrative needs of the center. He has recently handed off the local grief center to an Edmond church to allow him to devote his time and energies to making the model of grief support they’ve developed, along with the training program and free curriculum materials, available to churches and community groups across the nation.Prior to 1995, Mize served as minister of Christian education and church administration for churches in Oklahoma and Texas. Danny received his M.A. in Religion from Pepperdine University, and his Masters of Religious Education from Abilene Christian University. He and his wife, Peggy, who have two adult sons, are active in their local church.  Includes audio (MP3), handouts (PDF), and slides (PDF).Electronic download only (35Meg)

Karen P. SmithDirector of Communications & Global InitiativesGinghamsburg ChurchTipp City, OHNehemiah, a master project manager, rebuilt the Jerusalem wall in 52 days. Learn how to apply Nehemiah’s project management techniques of scope, schedule, requirements, cost and quality management to enhance the effectiveness of your church’s communication projects. You will also explore how to build strategic partnerships with the ministries and staff teams whose messages you enhance and deploy for Kingdom impact. Special bonus! Receive copies of practical tools the Ginghamsburg communications team uses daily to bring order to chaos, including project initiation and tracking tools, quality standards, a deliverable selections tool to help ministry areas with communications planning, sample position descriptions and more. About the Presenter:Karen is the Director of Communications & Global Initiatives at Ginghamsburg Church—a large innovative United Methodist congregation of 4500+ attendees weekly in Tipp City, Ohio. Karen first became part of the Ginghamsburg leadership team in 2001 as an unpaid leader on the church’s Leadership Board, joining the senior management team with responsibility for communications in 2002. In her communications capacity, she currently leads the Ginghamsburg teams that provide all print and web-based communications including marketing, public relations and ministry support. Within the Global Initiatives arena, Karen provides oversight for Ginghamsburg’s global initiatives including The Sudan Project (www.thesudanproject.org), conferencing events and church publications, e-products, and DVD/CD-based media products. Karen, who earned project management professional (PMP) certification in the year 2000, previously served for 16+ years with a large information technology company in training, communications, staff leadership and project management roles.Over the past two decades, Ginghamsburg acquired national attention through its early innovations in multisensory worship, telling God-stories through multimedia, attracting a multicultural community, and providing extensive community outreach services. Within the past 24 months, the church has raised close to $2 million dollars from within its congregation to support its work within Darfur, Sudan.audio (MP3), handouts and slides (PDF) (51Meg)Electronic download only

MinistryCOM 2009 Keynote Session

Presenter:

Kerry Bural
Principal
The Resonate Group
Mt Juliet, TN

Session Description:

You’re familiar with the old adage that says, “three steps forward and two steps back,” but what would happen if you viewed “setbacks” as merely redirects of your efforts? In this address, Kerry unpacks an “Intentional Change Model” to help you overcome the inherent obstacles that ministry defiantly throws in your face. He also presents practical tools to help you influence forward movement.

About the Presenter:

kerryburalt1Kerry Bural can often be found sketching concepts and ideas on napkins or notecards as he tries to refine his thoughts and share them. He claims that his best work happens in java-infused creative sessions or when he is divinely disturbed in the middle of the night.

He is the owner and principal of The Resonate Group, a brand consulting and development firm. He recently served as V.P. for Public Relations and Marketing with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He was the brand architect of the “I Vote Values” initiative, which was the genesis for the “values voter” movement. He has served as PR Director for Southeastern Seminary and PR Coordinator for Criswell College. He was also a visual coordinator for the corporate headquarters of Neiman Marcus in their Visual Planning & Presentation division.

His 25+ years in ministry and business have been devoted to brand architecture. He is passionate about helping organizations translate their vision and mission into communication that resonates with their constituents through visual presentation, public relations, marketing and branding.

He has a B.S. in Education concentrating on design and technology from Northeastern State University and a M.A. in Theology and History from Criswell College.

Includes audio (MP3), workshop slides (PDF)
Electronic download only (25Meg)

Evan McBroomPresident/FounderFishhookIndianapolis, IN
Highly creative ministry teams need time away from everyday ministry demands to refresh and renew—and to keep those creative juices flowing. In a very upbeat, practical, handson session, we’ll practice brainstorming techniques, discuss creative resources (in and out of the congregation), and explore how to lead your team in developing and implementing creative ideas.Evan McBroom is dedicated to serving as a partner and resource with churches and Christ-centered organizations through Fishhook, an innovative communications and creative services company he founded in 2002. He combines the passion of his faith journey with his expertise in senior-level communications consulting from a 14-year career with one of central Indiana’s largest corporate communications and marketing companies. Evan’s areas of expertise include organizational identity/branding, strategic consulting/communications planning and promotions/event campaigns. Includes audio (MP3) and slides (PDF).Electronic download only (34Meg)

Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald TastyFaith.com
You show up to Tuesday’s staff meeting with your fully loaded latte and blueberry scone. That’s when the associate pastor drops one of the following bombs:

• The pastor’s new sermon series needs a bit of eye candy.
• The singles group needs promotional materials yesterday.
• The welcoming committee needs help planning a major fundraising event.
• A local businessman just donated a billboard to the church.

Where do you start? Start the way marketing professionals do: by developing a creative brief. This simple document will save you from creative grief.
In this workshop you will learn:

• A step by step process for implementing a successful communication project.
• The importance of looking at things from the pew point instead of the pulpit.
• How to dial up the crave factor of your organization.
• Insights from national marketers.

About the presenter: Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald has worked with Snap! Crackle! Pop! as well as Michael Jordan. She has won awards creating commercials you’ve seen on TV, ads in magazines, coupons in Sunday papers, as well as the signage the sample lady has next to her at the supermarket. But now, Giger uses her creativity to stir up a craving for more than snack foods. As the Top Cookie of TastyFaith,com, Ginger helps create a craving for Christ with fresh outreach materials. She is the author of Life After Birth Bible Studies for Teen Moms as well as several articles about media, creative communication and teens. Ginger and her husband, Jeff, live in Chicago, Ill. where they enjoy eating candy.

Includes audio (MP3) only Electronic download only (49Meg)

Sandy SutterDirector of CommunicationsFaith Lutheran ChurchChurches are putting together communications every day and many individuals work on these communications. How do we put together professional, high quality materials with consistency? Some say a Style Guide would be helpful. What is a Style Guide and how do you even go about putting one together? Sandy Sutter, Director of Communications at Faith Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO will share with you her experience of putting together a Style Guide. She will share:

• Defining a Style Guide and its purpose
• Where do you begin to put a Style Guide together?
• What is included?
• How detailed should it be?
• Who is it for?
• What it looks like when finished
• Is it ever finished?

This workshop is to share the process Sandy went through as she began to address creating a Style Guide for the first time at Faith Lutheran Church. Faith is a rapidly growing congregation of over 1,600 members located in South St. Louis County attracting people from the St. Louis metropolitan area, including Illinois. In the six years Sandy has been on staff, her title has changed four times as the ministries have grown and evolved. Her degree in management and communications qualifies her for this new position of Director of Communications created 2-1/2 years ago, even though that job description is evolving, growing and still being defined. Sandy Sutter has a BA in Management and Communications from Concordia University, Mequon – St. Louis Branch. She and her husband, Norm, live in Millstadt, IL with their son, Wade. They also have two adult daughters, Wendy of Affton, MO and Crystal of Alexandria, VA who are all members of Faith.   Includes audio (MP3) slides (PDF).Electronic download only (22Meg)

Gerald BaronFounder and CEOPIER SystemsBuilding Trust During the Worst of TimesCorporations call it crisis communication or reputation management, but it is all about keeping and building trust. Crises are events that are usually unexpected and threaten the reputation of the organization or its leaders. Churches and Christian organizations have special challenges because of the high standards of moral behavior expected of the leaders. But crisis events offer unique opportunities to build trust if handled properly. This presentation will focus on how to identify the risks, how to prepare to respond quickly and effectively, keys to effective response, and understanding how your organization will change after the crisis is over. It will include discussion of the technology many organizations now use to collaborate and communicate quickly with a variety of critical audiences.About the presenter:
Gerald Baron is the Founder and CEO of PIER Systems, the leading provider of crisis communication information technology. He remains president of Baron & Company, a marketing and public relations firm. Previously, he was a regional magazine publisher, co-founder of a successful vertical market software company and a university professor. He holds an MA in Communications from Wheaton College and the Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) from Trinity Western University.PIER (Public Information and Emergency Response) has been adopted within the US Coast Guard and many leading oil companies, as well as industry leaders such as Boeing, Allstate and WestFarm Foods. PIER has been used effectively in many major events including Hurricane Katrina, the Selandang Ayu sinking in Alaska, the BP Texas City refinery accident, and the G8 Summit in Georgia. As a communication responder to the Olympic Pipeline accident and other significant events, Mr. Baron recognized the need for a solution for companies to meet the challenges of the instant news and Internet-dominated world.Mr. Baron has written three books, including Now is Too Late2: Corporate Survival in an Era of Instant News, published in 2006. He is a frequent speaker at national public relations and industry conferences.Includes audio (MP3), workshop slides (PDF)Electronic download only (32Meg)