Getting started with Twitter

Getting started with Twitter

Wikis and UU Workshop Resources

Check out the information and videos on this web page BEFORE the Wikis and UU workshop on Sunday, October 23. NOTE: We have moved the time UP to 3:00 in order not to conflict with the LIMBO Crowd's Vesper Service. The workshop will include an introduction to wikis, basic features of a wiki, and nuts & bolts of creating a wikispace in PBworks. We will also discuss how to use a wiki to facilitate communication, collaboration, and organization. The following wikis were developed as prototypes back in 2008-2009: UU Augusta and UUCA Social Justice Council and can serve is examples of the kind of information we could include. The wikis would not replace our current website; we would simply link to the wiki workspace pages from the main website.

I also created a sandbox wiki for you to play in and become familiar with the features.  This is a real workspace! To get started, you only need to click Request Access (top right corner of the sandbox wiki) and set up a PBworks account. You will NOT need to set up your own wiki. We are also requesting your comments and feedback as with the Google Apps and UU workshop.

We are also looking for feedback to prepare for the workshop.  Once you have viewed the videos and/or played in the sandbox wiki, post a comment or question in this UU Tech Tips Blog Post or on the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta Facebook Page. You can even click the dialogue icon at the bottom of the Wikis and UU Workshop resources web page and post a comment. We'll do our best to try to answer the questions during the workshop.

NOTE: If you are not able to attend the workshops at the church, we have arranged to record each session. The recorded sessions can be accessed via this web page:  Technology Toolbox. Previous sessions are also available.

If you are not able to come to the church for the workshops, you can still participate via webinar by clicking on the respective links for each workshop. You may listen to the discussion and provide comments and feedback by typing in the chat window on the right side. We had one brave soul try this option out last week!

Wikis and UU: http://meet55194828.adobeconnect.com/wikis_uu/

Prepare for Google Apps and UU Workshop

I'm trying out a new application I just found called Checkthis. Checkthis creates  stand-alone web pages for instant sharing. No account, no set-up, no complications. 

Check out the videos on this web page BEFORE the workshop on Wednesday. The workshop will include an introduction/hands-on development of an iGoogle homepage and an overview of Google Apps including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs. We will also discuss how to use these applications in the church to facilitate communication, collaboration, and organization.

Looking for feedback to prepare for the workshop.  Once you have viewed the videos, post a comment or question in this UU Tech Tips Blog Post or on the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta Facebook Page. We'll do our best to try to answer the questions during the workshop.

FYI: Google is in the process of redesigning its products. Gmail and the Google Calendar were the first to get the makeover. The other Google Apps will be changed over the next few months for a consistent look and feel.

Facebook and UU Workshop

The recording for the Facebook and UU Workshop is available at the following URL:
http://meet55194828.adobeconnect.com/p8e1mbyzeyt/

Unfortunately, we had technical difficulty and lost the audio recording at about 41 minutes in. We also did not finish the discussion of the implementation considerations. The PowerPoint for the workshop is available  on the Technology Toolbox wiki page.

Optimizing Your Congregation's Web Presence

Optimizing Your Congregation's Web Presence

The workshop addresses the use of Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and websites and makes the case for UU congregations’ use of these technologies. Presented by Rev. Phillip Lund, Director of Faith Development and Congregational Growth for Prairie Star District UUA. You can find links to all of the resources mentioned during this webinar here: http://bitly.com/o8X4GD

Technology Expands Learning Opportunities

From July’s InterConnections feature story, now online at UUA.org: 

Technology is changing the way congregations acquire information. There was a time not so long ago when a congregation interested in learning how to do a better annual stewardship drive or develop its leadership might invite a consultant in for a day or a weekend.

That can still be the best way to go, but more and more—because our lives are busier and because the economy has shrunk our resources—congregations are gathering information through online “webinars” and other electronic learning formats.

Go to the full article.

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"Webinar" is short for web-based seminar, a presentation or workshop which allows remote participation via the Web and sometimes a conference call.

Many Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) districts and regions offer a variety of webinars to help congregations in their area meet a variety of challenges. Archives of webinars are often free and available even to those outside their geographic region.

• Some General Assembly workshops are recorded, and streaming video is available on UUA.org.
  
• The Central East Regional Group (CERG) has a good listing of their webinars and other offerings. They do require a sign in and registration to access their material, but there are no costs involved. Upcoming webinars are listed here.
  
• The Midwest UU Leadership has a site dedicated to the video presentations from their webinars and a calendar for upcoming events.
• The Florida District Church Tools page provides links to PowerPoint presentations and pdf versions of presentations.
• The following UUA districts--Pacific Northwest, Mountain Desert, Pacific Central and Pacific Southwest--have joined together to offer a fall series of webinars. Flyer with more info.

UU Growth Webinars
Peter Bowden, author of the UU Growth Blog and growth consultant to the Ballou Channing District is coordinating an ongoing series of webinars on topics related to congregational health, growth and vitality. Using the UUA’s Persony webinar platform and a corresponding conference call participants are able to listen to presentations, see slides, virtually raise hands, comment and ask questions.  Registration is open to UU leaders from all districts of the UUA.  For details and registration visit uugrowth.com.

Standing on the Side of Love webinars

UU Evangelism

• How can we be a vibrant liberal religious voice in our society and grow our denomination?
• How can we serve our longtime members, as well as those who have come to us from other backgrounds in their spiritual search, and at the same time continue to attract new seekers?
• How can we best build the Beloved Community and transform the world?

Critical to answering these questions lies in how we are in community with each other, within our congregations, and in the wider world (including other UU congregations). Speaking at the recent Southern Cluster meeting, Jim Key, UUA Southeast District President, and Rev. John Beuhrens, former UUA President, noted that we had an obligation to work not only within our congregations but also to move beyond and covenant with other UU congregations in our district and around the world. Both speakers promoted becoming UU Evangelists.

As the Rev. Jane Page of Statesboro notes, Many of us do have good reason to steer clear of proselytizing...But there IS a difference in proselytizing and evangelizing. As the Rev. Tony Larsen wrote, "Sharing is different from shoving." To proselytize is "to induce someone to convert to one's faith." An evangelist, according to the Random House college dictionary is "a person marked by zealous enthusiasm for or support of a cause." And if that is the case - a UU evangelist I will be. Evangelism literally means to "spread the good news." I guess the question we have to ask ourselves is - do we have good news to share. I say we do.

Jim Key noted that he'd been searching for a religious home for over 30 years--often in cities and towns that had UU churches--but never found a UU congregation until a decade ago. We can't hide our churches back in the woods and expect people to find us. We have to share the good news of our church and our religion not not only with folks we hope that will come visit us, but even those polite souls who have already found a church that best fits them. In my experience, Unitarian Universalists are hesitant to discuss our faith outside the walls of our church. And that, my friends, needs to change if we are to grow and thrive as a faith. We don't have to duck our heads when asked "What church do you go to?" or "What do you believe?"

Rob Alexander shares in his sermon that he usually replies to queries about UU with this 15 second explanation. "We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all living things, and the right and responsibility of each individual to seek truth and meaning along their own spiritual path. That means that we may take our lessons from the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism Hinduism, Native American spirituality, or any other moral teachings that can help us in our daily lives."

Quoting from Socialnomics by Erik Qualman, Peter Bowden shares some startling statistics:

• Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30
• YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world
• Facebook has the third largest population in the world

In other words, the potential impact of using online resources to transmit our message is huge. There is a social media revolution happening, with huge consumption of information. In today's fast-paced world, you have to get the readers' attention in the first few seconds or they will click to another site.Bowden also mentioned the significance of peer group recommendation – people are far more likely to change their actions or attitudes because of this than for any other reason.

Bowden notes that the majority of UU congregations were hopelessly out-of-date technologically--even though research has shown that most people visit the church website prior to actually visiting the church. Most of our websites are text-based with little or no potential for interaction. Even e-mail is essentially dead for people under 40.

So, how do we compete with the rest of the world in terms of engaging our members and potential members? Stay tuned to this blog to find out.

Microphone Headset for Podcasting, Webinars, Skype

When I was packing up after last Wednesday's technology workshop, I inadvertently folded my Plantronics USB DSP microphone headset and snapped one of the headset pieces. I have really enjoyed this headset for the last four years, so I was really bummed. However, I decided to take advantage of new technology and replace my trusty Plantronics wired headset with a wireless version. Of course, my first step was to do a Google search.  Once again, I found that Plantronics and Logitech were the two most recommended manufacturers. Since I was happy with my previous purchase, I opted for the Plantronics Audio .995 Wireless Headset. I'm looking forward to the next technology workshop and being able to move around the room instead of being tied to the laptop.

Amazon Description:

Plug-and-Play Wireless Functionality
Set up is as simple as can be: just plug the wireless USB adapter into your computer's USB port and you're good to go. There's no software to install, no configuration, no hassles. Once plugged in, you'll be able to roam up to 40 feet from your desk without interrupting your PC calls or music. And thanks to the convenient on-ear controls, the .Audio 995 lets you skip tracks and adjust volume on iTunes and Windows Media Player remotely.

Outstanding, Full-Range Audio Quality
The .Audio 995 features dual 40 mm speakers that deliver crisp, clean treble with deep, rich bass. The sound is so clean and rich that you won't believe it's wireless. Whether you're listening to music, playing a game, or watching your favorite DVD, you'll hear every detail.

Make Crisp and Clear Internet Calls
Experience exceptional call quality when you use the .Audio 995 to make Internet calls with Skype or other Internet phone services. The person you're talking to will also hear you with superior clarity thanks to the headset's noise-canceling microphone, which is designed to reduce background noise. And thanks to the Fast Mic Mute feature, you can quickly mute the microphone by simply raising the boom.

Smart, Adjustable Design for All-Day Comfort
The .Audio 995 sports a lightweight design that stays comfortable all day and all night, making it perfect for listening to music during all-night study or marathon gaming sessions. The adjustable headband lets you customize the fit, and the soft, swivel-mounted speakers cushion the ears comfortably.