Author: Compass Podcast

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What does the church have to learn from Amazon? E-commerce might have a bit more to do with digital ministry than we might have previously assumed. So in this session of Pastoring in the Digital Parish we’re talking with Jason Caston about what our churches can learn from Amazon, how we can utilize AI tech like Alexa, and some of the ideas and technologies we might consider putting in our digital ministry toolkits as we prepare for the future of the church in the digital age.

Jason Caston is a digital marketing specialist for Amazon. He has over 19 years of experience in web and content development. He’s made the rounds as a speaker and presenter. And Jason is a person of faith, who has written several books about ministry in digital spaces, including “The iChurch Method” and most recently “Digital Connections”.

(00:00) Welcome
(01:56) What the church can learn from Amazon
(06:32) The church and Alexa/Smart Speakers
(08:10) What is an Alexa skill?
(09:52) Ministry consistency across platforms
(12:38) What are metrics to use in digital ministry?
(16:42) Creating a user experience for digital ministry
(22:12) What needs to be on your church’s website
(26:02) Where the church still needs to act in digital ministry
(33:19) Where to contact Jason Caston

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Barbara Caneiro of the Accidental Church Communicator introduces us to the possibilities and opportunities of the metaverse and virtual reality church.

What are other possibilities beyond the virtual church service? This episode is an intro to VR, exploring how virtual reality is changing our world and the ways we relate, as well as exploring a few of the pros and cons of VR church. 

Our adjunct professor for this session is Barabara Carneiro. She’s going to share her story of getting into church, getting started in the metaverse and virtual reality, and getting started in virtual reality church.

Barbara Carneiro is a mentor and a communications director as well as the owner of a branding agency for churches and Christian ministries. She founded The Accidental Church Communicator which can be visited at accidentalchurchcommunicator.com. She’s taking part in leading a church communicators conference in February 2023… and it will be a virtual reality conference.

In this episode about church, virtual reality and the metaverse:

(oo:00) Introduction
(01:56) Why “Accidental Church Communicator”?
(05:01) Church and “marketing”
(06:20) Where to begin in exploring virtual reality and the metaverse
(09:17) Why do a conference in the metaverse or virtual reality?
(13:30) Where do churches or faith communities gather in virtual reality?
(19:14) New ways of gathering in virtual reality
(25:48) New opportunities for churches in the metaverse or virtual reality
(30:07) Changing relationships in digital spaces
(32:00) Virtual reality resources for church leaders
(33:50) Information on Barabara Carneiro

Find more resources for your digital ministry toolkit and other episodes at www.resourceumc.org/digital-parish

Pastoring in the Digital Parish is a production of Resource UMC, your online resource for leaders across the United Methodist connection.

 

 

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Ready to add some time-tested tips to your digital ministry toolkit? Rev. Joe Webb shares the story of New Wineskins–a community of faith that found itself moving into the new wineskin of all-digital ministry when 2020 struck.

As Joe shares New Wineskins’ story of moving into online ministry, we’ll get some clarifying ideas about formulating a digital ministry strategy, a richer perspective for answering questions like “what is digital ministry?”, and some ideas about why congregations or faith communities need digital ministry.

Rev. Joe Webb is an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church and hosts Accidental Tomatoes, as well as coordinates the New Wineskins network. As a writer, interviewer, and public theologian, Joe seeks out the holy in the midst of the mundane. Joe’s work is centered in living life on the edge of the inside, seeking to reform and redeem the broken institutional systems that continue to colonize and oppress the imago dei inherent in us all.

(00:00) Introduction
(03:14) Meet Joe Webb
(04:02) How did New Wineskins start?
(08:57) Becoming an online faith community
(13:11) The rhythm of online community
(16:06) Creating safe spaces online
(20:31) Digital worship
(28:43) Thinking about the future of digital ministry
(34:05) The people of New Wineskins
(36:25) Contacting Joe Webb and New Wineskins
(37:48) Contacting Pastoring in the Digital Parish

Pastoring in the Digital Parish is made possible by ResourceUMC.org,  the online destination for leaders throughout The United Methodist Church. And of course, they host our website: pastoringinthedigitalparish.com, where you can find more online resources for ministry.

If you want to connect: check out our Pastoring in the Digital Parish group on Facebook. You can also send questions and ideas for future sessions at digitalparish@umcom.org.