communications resources
Communications resources for congregations: websites, social media, bulletin inserts
TIDINGS is our email newsletter, distributed on Wednesdays, that highlights news and events in our diocese. Anyone may sign up to receive TIDINGS by going to our website. Church communicators are encouraged to use TIDINGS as a source of content for their own newsletters and bulletins. The deadline for submissions is Monday at 10 a.m.
Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/diosova. You can like our page and receive updates, photos, and useful articles in your news feed. We encourage comments and conversation so that you can get to know other members of our diocese.
Users are encouraged to share our posts on their own Facebook page or that of their church. We also have four Facebook Groups. DioSoVa Communicators is a useful place to network with other church communicators, share ideas and best practices, and ask questions. Formation in Southern Virginia, DioSoVa EYC, and DioSoVa Clergy are our other Facebook Groups.
Instagram users can follow us @diosova. The Diocesan Episcopal Youth Community has their own Instagram account; follow them @diosovaeyc.
YouTube Channel
The diocesan YouTube channel is where you can find video from our diocese, including video messages from our Bishop. You can find us at TheDioSoVa.
Communications Grants
Communications Grants from the Diocese of Southern Virginia provide congregations within the diocese with funding for development of digital communications. Grant funds are intended to assist churches that do not currently make use of digital communications methods to create and implement a new digital communication program. Funds may also be used to assist churches with an existing digital communication program that have discovered needs within their congregation or community that can be addressed with a new digital communication initiative. Click here for more info and application form.
Resources
Church Communicators Manual
Episcopal Church Visual Identity Guide
Diosova Communicators Facebook Group
DioSoVa Communicators is a Facebook Group in which members can share resources and ideas, ask questions and support each other in their communications ministry. The group setting is “closed” so that participants may feel free to share more openly.
Helpful Resources for Digital Communications
Digital Church Policies, a very helpful Building Faith article with sample policies.
Taking your worship online: A guide for beginners and everyone else
How to Livestream Your Church Service in 4 Easy Steps – Facebook and YouTube are excellent platforms for easily live-streaming worship. (You do NOT have to have a Facebook account to watch.)
Zoom – A web-conferencing platform that offers free and very affordable services that are great for bible studies, Lenten programs, and other gatherings – even worship.
Tips to help avoid “Zoom bombers”
Facebook groups – For folks on Facebook, the Groups feature is a good way to stay connected, but in a more private way than on a regular Facebook page. These are a great way for bible studies, book groups, prayer groups, etc to gather in virtual space.
Free Conference Call – Enables you to hold conference calls for free.
Center for Lifelong Learning at VTS offers numerous video tutorials on the use of digital media like Zoom, Facebook, etc.
Beyond Livestream Worship: What we learned from our experiment with online worship – a series of blog posts by Episcopal Church Foundation.
Invite Welcome Connect in Virtual Church – Episcopal Church Foundation blog post
Social Media Practices & Guidelines
Website Services
American Church – these are the same folks that do pledge envelopes.
FaithConnector – a content management system especially for churches.
Digital Faith – a full-service content management system, even includes Alexa integration
Ministry Designs – a full-service church website design, payment processing, email, and content management system all-in-one.
Ekklesia 360 – website services in partnership with The Episcopal Church
Membership Vision – a digital communication system that integrates website, social media, and email.
Bulletin Inserts
Help visitors find you
Did you know that every Episcopal Church has its own page in the Episcopal Asset Map? Completing your church’s Asset Map page is a great way to help visitors find you and there’s lots of info you can share there. Anyone can update your page – no special password is needed. Once the updates are made, they are sent to the Diocesan Office for publication.
Official portraits of Bishop Haynes
Click here to access official portraits of Bishop Haynes that can be used in digital and print media.
Diocesan Seal & Episcopal Church graphics, signs
Diocesan seal, full color: Large, Medium, Small
Diocesan seal, black & white: Large, Medium, Small
Click here for downloadable graphics of The Episcopal Church shield and logos.
Click here to purchase a “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You” sign.