A Design Team

ContentTeam2

If your congregation plans on having an active website, it will be critical to minimize the workload on the pastor or any one volunteer, by recruiting two or three people to form the beginnings of a communication team.  Ideally a communications team would have people to cover the following bases:

  • Editing Content:  A good editor is someone who enjoys writing and is able to spot grammatical and content errors.  For most ministries, the pastor will be the primary person generating content.  However, he will be writing for a specific audience.  The content needs to be reformatted, sometimes, creatively massaged to fit the internet medium.
  • Media Creators:  Media on the web is primarily related to images, though video content can be useful.  With the improved quality of cell phones and the increased awareness of technics for capturing good image and video content, it is easier than ever before to find people to gather images and video content.  They should have a good idea for composition and design.
  • Technology Support:  The modern website is a complex system of inter-related programs.  For the most part, it has built-in mechanisms for updating itself.  However, when the system gets stuck or there is a need for new functionality, the congregation needs someone with the skill and knowledge to do the work.  The technology person doesn’t need to know how to code HTML, CSS, or Java Script. However, they should be comfortable with the basic operation of the computer and be able to grasp the abstract concept of templating content.

Once the communication team has been identified, it will need to determine the type of information that needs to be gathered and the types of data that will be used to communicate the message.   Once the team has determined what content it needs to gather or generate, it can set about completing the task. Regular team meetings will help the group remain focused and coordinated in their work. The Michigan District will be offering training events to assist those who are serving on their ministry's communication team.