Yes, please comment about theology and social media. Also, I’m going to try to find that apple cake recipe. I especially enjoyed today’s email. Thanks. Barbara Gose, Riverton, WY
Re: social media....that would be wonderful. We have a digital discipleship program at church, and could really use more theological grounding. Given the Twitter stuff, I am using social media less these days. I have also taken breaks during Lent, etc. I really appreciated your email today. Thank you!!!!
Thank you for asking! We started 10+ years ago, inspired by the work of the Rev. Canon Anthony Guillen (TEC). There were several of us who use digital tools in our professional life, and we formed the core of the group. Anthony lives in our community and sometimes preaches at our church...he really encouraged us to run with it. Our digital disciples help organize social media presence for the church. We have facilitated in-person and online sessions for both laity and clergy on various platforms and topics such as blogging, at the congregational, deanery, and diocesan level. We document the life of the parish and share it on personal and church platforms. We invite others to join us. We've done various things: posting tips about digital discipleship in the bulletin. Early on, we occasionally hosted a table at coffee hour to help parishioners troubleshoot smart phones and social platforms (mostly Facebook). Encouraging adoption of FB in particular early on really helped when Covid hit; most of our congregation was already on FB. We live streamed some events on FB (ex: concerts) well before the pandemic. For our choir, I've used a text messaging service during Lent and Advent to share resources and inspirational pieces. Most of our choir members are young adults, and many are new to TEC and church. It's been fun! I wish I had more theological grounding. I did take a Bexley Seabury online course from the amazing Jerusalem Greer, which was helpful. I grew up in TEC and really was shy about evangelism. I was not taught how to speak about my faith outside of family. I'm also an introvert. Digital discipleship is much more comfortable to me, but again, I'd LOVE more mentorship so I don't feel like I'm always winging it. I'm in my 60s and much more comfortable now sharing how my faith informs my life. xoxox!
Another thing: We are often asked by members of the congregation to photograph and record things for them: baptisms, solos, etc. We've messaged to our congregation that phones in use in church are discipleship. Taking photos and shooting videos on my phone for my church family (when asked) has become very important to me.
So grateful to be able to read notes from you, Jeff. My email inbox feels daunting at the best of times and when I notice a note from you, I feel curious and thrilled to open it. I would love to know more about your work on social media and theology. Thank you for sharing!
I appreciate your writing about making a way in a often still-colonial world. I seem to bumble when I try to talk to my friends about their experiences growing up/living as persons of color (even now I dont know the best words) but these conversations are so needed. I so admire the work of these two actors and I am pleased they received some recognition for current work (and years of work).
I need to add recipes to my NYT subscription, but I hope to try the apple cake when I can access it.
I use social media mostly to keep up with distant friends and to follow artists and writers whose work I admire. I find the political posts feel relentless and hyperbolic and I freely swipe past those without remorse. Yes please share thoughts about theology and social media. Theology has a place in all the corners of human experience!
Yes to hearing more about social media and theology!
And you know my thoughts on "relatable" but just saying once again that I often do see a lot of parallels in your story that help me feel less alone in my own and I deeply appreciate all you share. <3
Yes please some comment about social media and theology! I look forward to reading your posts. Todays post was especially filling with food for my heart, mind and soul.
I loved Everything, Everywhere (trippy!) and I'm glad the amazing Michelle Yeoh won a Golden Globe. I also loved her as the hilariously evil Captain/Emporer Georgiou from the alternate universe in Star Trek Discovery. As for social media, I use only Instagram, to share art and to see other people's art - to connect with others visually rather than connecting primarily with words. I find social media in general a distraction, so I need to limit it, but I also found Facebook incredibly upsetting, what with all the disinformation and winding people up until they're red faced and spitting. I deleted my FB account a couple of years ago and I think I'm a lot happier now. I would love to hear your thoughts on social media and theology. Thank you so much for your always considered and thought-provoking words.
Yes to theology and social media,yes to stricter gun laws , yes to praying for the teacher - and also prayers for the 6 year -year -old child who must carry the weight of this horrific event that could have been prevented.
Jeff - Thank you for the reminder to pray for Abigail's recovery. I'm also praying for the wee person who shot her. Yikes! Healing and restoration for both!
Social Media - I've been off FB (my only social media) for over two years, but I did enjoy the small gathering groups that informed, encouraged, and nurtured me in my interests and questions. I hid a lot of "friends" though, and it just became a mine field. So I gave it up, and I don't miss it.
Thank you for creating the space to think about this.
Yes, please, to writing about theology and social media. Some time ago, I read something Richard Beck at Experimental Theology wrote about using social media "sacramentally," to show up and be "a sign of life and grace." That's something I feel that you do well, so I'm very interested to hear your thoughts.
The movie is great! Happy to see Michelle Yeogh and Ke Huy Quan recognized for their beautiful work. I also loved seeing her in Star Trek: Discovery!
I have been and will continue to be praying over Abigail Zwerner. I can only echo your prayer, "How long, oh Lord?!"
Yes to hearing more about your thoughts on social media.
For me, social media is primarily a way to keep up with friends/family all over the world - what a gift it is. An exception is Twitter - that platform is a window into the current hot topics of interest to me: the church in America, politics and the college sports world my feed shows - thanks to my click behavior. I just need to not fall into the rabbit holes of reading threads and instead seek news sources elsewhere to go deeper.
After reengaging with Twitter last year, I've noticed that Facebook is far calmer with politics, but I suspect election cycles may dictate that. I do tend to step away from FB for little breaks during a major election years.
Wow Jeff! So much good stuff in this one letter to us. I am always blessed by your writing but today it touched me deeply. I usually like to copy and paste a quote from you as I read so that I can come back to it later in my text thread and be reminded of all the good thoughts and let them simmer with mine.
You are sooooo relatable Jeff for me. We live in way different contexts but your heart resonates with mine. Thank you for sharing.
Today the quote that hit me was from the movie I haven't seen yet.
"When I choose to see the good side of things, I'm not being naive,” he explains. “It is strategic and necessary. It's how I've learned to survive through everything.... This is how I fight.”
It not what I am aspiring to but it gives me an insight into my own journey and helps me see my growth edge.
Yes, please comment about theology and social media. Also, I’m going to try to find that apple cake recipe. I especially enjoyed today’s email. Thanks. Barbara Gose, Riverton, WY
Thanks! Just click the words "an apple cake." I linked to the recipe, but sometimes it's hard to see that.
The NYT Cooking website is behind a paywall, so I searched for the recipe elsewhere. Is this the same one? https://www.americanguesthouse.com/blog/2010/12/white-house-receipt-for-the-holidays.html
Yes, that's the same recipe!
Excellent! I'll make it this weekend for my in-laws' visit!
Seconded re: theology and social media!
Re: social media....that would be wonderful. We have a digital discipleship program at church, and could really use more theological grounding. Given the Twitter stuff, I am using social media less these days. I have also taken breaks during Lent, etc. I really appreciated your email today. Thank you!!!!
What exactly does the digital discipleship program entail? I'm curious!
Thank you for asking! We started 10+ years ago, inspired by the work of the Rev. Canon Anthony Guillen (TEC). There were several of us who use digital tools in our professional life, and we formed the core of the group. Anthony lives in our community and sometimes preaches at our church...he really encouraged us to run with it. Our digital disciples help organize social media presence for the church. We have facilitated in-person and online sessions for both laity and clergy on various platforms and topics such as blogging, at the congregational, deanery, and diocesan level. We document the life of the parish and share it on personal and church platforms. We invite others to join us. We've done various things: posting tips about digital discipleship in the bulletin. Early on, we occasionally hosted a table at coffee hour to help parishioners troubleshoot smart phones and social platforms (mostly Facebook). Encouraging adoption of FB in particular early on really helped when Covid hit; most of our congregation was already on FB. We live streamed some events on FB (ex: concerts) well before the pandemic. For our choir, I've used a text messaging service during Lent and Advent to share resources and inspirational pieces. Most of our choir members are young adults, and many are new to TEC and church. It's been fun! I wish I had more theological grounding. I did take a Bexley Seabury online course from the amazing Jerusalem Greer, which was helpful. I grew up in TEC and really was shy about evangelism. I was not taught how to speak about my faith outside of family. I'm also an introvert. Digital discipleship is much more comfortable to me, but again, I'd LOVE more mentorship so I don't feel like I'm always winging it. I'm in my 60s and much more comfortable now sharing how my faith informs my life. xoxox!
Another thing: We are often asked by members of the congregation to photograph and record things for them: baptisms, solos, etc. We've messaged to our congregation that phones in use in church are discipleship. Taking photos and shooting videos on my phone for my church family (when asked) has become very important to me.
So grateful to be able to read notes from you, Jeff. My email inbox feels daunting at the best of times and when I notice a note from you, I feel curious and thrilled to open it. I would love to know more about your work on social media and theology. Thank you for sharing!
I appreciate your writing about making a way in a often still-colonial world. I seem to bumble when I try to talk to my friends about their experiences growing up/living as persons of color (even now I dont know the best words) but these conversations are so needed. I so admire the work of these two actors and I am pleased they received some recognition for current work (and years of work).
I need to add recipes to my NYT subscription, but I hope to try the apple cake when I can access it.
I use social media mostly to keep up with distant friends and to follow artists and writers whose work I admire. I find the political posts feel relentless and hyperbolic and I freely swipe past those without remorse. Yes please share thoughts about theology and social media. Theology has a place in all the corners of human experience!
Yes to hearing more about social media and theology!
And you know my thoughts on "relatable" but just saying once again that I often do see a lot of parallels in your story that help me feel less alone in my own and I deeply appreciate all you share. <3
Yes please to theology & social media
Yes please some comment about social media and theology! I look forward to reading your posts. Todays post was especially filling with food for my heart, mind and soul.
I loved Everything, Everywhere (trippy!) and I'm glad the amazing Michelle Yeoh won a Golden Globe. I also loved her as the hilariously evil Captain/Emporer Georgiou from the alternate universe in Star Trek Discovery. As for social media, I use only Instagram, to share art and to see other people's art - to connect with others visually rather than connecting primarily with words. I find social media in general a distraction, so I need to limit it, but I also found Facebook incredibly upsetting, what with all the disinformation and winding people up until they're red faced and spitting. I deleted my FB account a couple of years ago and I think I'm a lot happier now. I would love to hear your thoughts on social media and theology. Thank you so much for your always considered and thought-provoking words.
Yes to theology and social media,yes to stricter gun laws , yes to praying for the teacher - and also prayers for the 6 year -year -old child who must carry the weight of this horrific event that could have been prevented.
Thank you, Jeff . I do grateful for you
Jeff - Thank you for the reminder to pray for Abigail's recovery. I'm also praying for the wee person who shot her. Yikes! Healing and restoration for both!
Social Media - I've been off FB (my only social media) for over two years, but I did enjoy the small gathering groups that informed, encouraged, and nurtured me in my interests and questions. I hid a lot of "friends" though, and it just became a mine field. So I gave it up, and I don't miss it.
Thank you for creating the space to think about this.
Yes, please, to writing about theology and social media. Some time ago, I read something Richard Beck at Experimental Theology wrote about using social media "sacramentally," to show up and be "a sign of life and grace." That's something I feel that you do well, so I'm very interested to hear your thoughts.
The movie is great! Happy to see Michelle Yeogh and Ke Huy Quan recognized for their beautiful work. I also loved seeing her in Star Trek: Discovery!
I have been and will continue to be praying over Abigail Zwerner. I can only echo your prayer, "How long, oh Lord?!"
Yes to hearing more about your thoughts on social media.
For me, social media is primarily a way to keep up with friends/family all over the world - what a gift it is. An exception is Twitter - that platform is a window into the current hot topics of interest to me: the church in America, politics and the college sports world my feed shows - thanks to my click behavior. I just need to not fall into the rabbit holes of reading threads and instead seek news sources elsewhere to go deeper.
After reengaging with Twitter last year, I've noticed that Facebook is far calmer with politics, but I suspect election cycles may dictate that. I do tend to step away from FB for little breaks during a major election years.
Wow Jeff! So much good stuff in this one letter to us. I am always blessed by your writing but today it touched me deeply. I usually like to copy and paste a quote from you as I read so that I can come back to it later in my text thread and be reminded of all the good thoughts and let them simmer with mine.
You are sooooo relatable Jeff for me. We live in way different contexts but your heart resonates with mine. Thank you for sharing.
Today the quote that hit me was from the movie I haven't seen yet.
"When I choose to see the good side of things, I'm not being naive,” he explains. “It is strategic and necessary. It's how I've learned to survive through everything.... This is how I fight.”
It not what I am aspiring to but it gives me an insight into my own journey and helps me see my growth edge.
And yes, please write about theology and social media. As one who doesn't do SM very much, if at all, I'm curious what others think.
Jeff, Your words raise awareness and questions in my mind. Thank you for continuing to open my perspective and grow. D