Monday, December 17, 2012

Digital Ministry During Times of Tragedy -- Let's Generate Best Practices


I knew we'd already chatted about crisis communication planning but that didn't stop me from checking past transcripts. I wanted to see what we had discussed and in what level of detail. 

We had two chats (August 7, 2012 and October 20, 2012) and typically covered lots of ground including but not limited to: the importance of advance planning; conditions for which social media is the best first choice; how social media could and should be used at the local, diocesan/synodical, and national levels; how to use social media when the crisis involves one's congregation. .

So what's left to discuss? Plenty. Last Friday wasn't the first time the Twitterstream filled with  expressions of shock, confusion, grief, and despair. Alas, it probably won't be the last. There were 16 mass shootings in the United States this past year. The massacre in Newtown, like ones before it, raises these issues:

  • How can we, as people of faith, use social media and other digital tools to comfort the brokenhearted during times of tragedy?  
  • How can social media be used to support officials who are first on the scene?
  • What can we do to model the timely and respectful management of breaking news?  
  • How can we best support one another when tragedies trigger personal experiences?

In sum, how do we use social media as tools for digital ministry? We'll chat about this on Tuesday, 12/18/12 at 9PM ET. Plus: your social media predictions for 2013.


Last chat of the year!
No chat Christmas Day 
(12/25/12) 








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