2014 United Methodist Communications Annual Report
COMMUNICATIONS United Methodist Communications THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
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Who We Are At United Methodist Communications, we see communication as more than information and technology, more than public relations and marketing, more than news and video production. Communication is a ministry, a means for making a positive difference in people’s lives. United Methodist Communications helps The United Methodist Church tell the story of God’s love through research, technology and strategic communication. We deliver messages of healing and hope, invite people into relationship with a faith community, and share inspirational stories of individuals and congregations living out their faith. In short, we create a voice for the church in the world. We strive to be innovative in a dynamically changing communication environment. We work in partnership with local churches to develop leaders and reach a new generation of young adults looking to bring about positive change. We think globally because we see the world as our place of service. In a 12.8 million-member church that spans four continents and works in mission in 135 countries, communication is the vital link that joins people and ministries in a global connection.
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Overview of 2014
AS UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS HEADS INTO ITS 75TH YEAR, THERE IS MUCH TO COMMEMORATE. 2014 WAS A YEAR OF MANY FIRSTS. The first major outbreak of Ebola. The first mapping of churches outside the United States The first consolidation of branding among agencies. The first international United Methodist conference on communication technologies. AND IT WAS A YEAR OF PROGRESS. We raised a record amount of funds for Imagine No Malaria. We saw exponential increases in social media reach and engagement. We forged ahead with the Rethink Church initiative. Readership went up.
IT WAS A YEAR FOR RENEWAL. We redesigned and relaunched all of our websites. Interpreter got a new look and a new broader audience. We renewed our emphasis on providing resources for local churches. AND IT WAS A YEAR OF INNOVATION, for bridging the digital divide and using new technologies to overcome barriers to communication and open doors to provide access to information that improves the quality of people’s lives.
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United Methodist Communications is a dynamic organization filled with people who approach their work with creativity, innovation and a collaborative spirit. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, we will continue to challenge ourselves to build on our past successes, set a new standard of excellence in communications and reach people around the world with the good news of Jesus Christ.
umc.org
UMC.ORG IS THE DENOMINATION’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE, A GO-TO HUB FOR STORIES, RESOURCES AND ALL THINGS UNITED METHODIST. More than 19 years since its inception, the official website of The United Methodist Church relaunched in February 2014 with a new look, a new focus on stories from around the globe, and new resources for congregations and members. THE REDESIGNED SITE IS MOBILE-FRIENDLY WITH EASIER NAVIGATION. LINKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA ARE MORE OBVIOUS, WHICH ENCOURAGES USERS TO SHARE CONTENT. The site is a portal for audiences to learn more about various aspects of the denomination, as well as a platform to share news and information about worldwide missions and ministries. The revamped site features information about what it means to be United Methodist, including church history, beliefs and how the people of The United Methodist Church put faith into action. THE NEW UMC.ORG IS MORE FOCUSED ON CONTENT THAT APPEALS TO CHURCH MEMBERS RATHER THAN SOLELY CHURCH LEADERS. Some of the most popular examples included: “Seven sites every United Methodist should see,” a daily Advent quiz, a spiritual gifts assessment tool, “‘Jesus Wept’: Finding God’s comfort when times are bad,” and “What not to say when someone has lost a job.”
MORE THAN 350,000 PEOPLE VISIT UMC.ORG EACH MONTH. 4
UMC.ORG By The Numbers
MORE VISITORS OVERALL TO THE SITE RESULTS IN HIGHER READERSHIP OF OVERALL CONTENT. THERE WERE MORE THAN 4.28 MILLION VISITS TO THE NEW SITE IN 2014. “What We Believe,” which helps church members understand the denomination, saw an increase of 1165 percent in traffic over the previous year, with more than 2 million people viewing the redesigned website section.
“WHAT WE BELIEVE”
1165% 788%
The News & Media section experienced a 788 percent increase in traffic after the redesign (173,000 page views in 2013 vs. 1.5 million page views in 2014).
“NEWS & MEDIA”
INCREASE IN TRAFFIC FROM 2013
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING: “It’s easy to navigate and visually interesting. Nicely done!”
“Have just toured the new UMC.ORG and am impressed by its design and implementation.”
“… your new site is amazing and I am telling everyone I know to check it out. Great job!!!”
“Love, love, love the new UMC.ORG.” 55
INCREASE IN TRAFFIC FROM 2013
THESE WEBSITES ALSO GOT A MAKEOVER IN 2014: UMCom.org RethinkChurch.org KoreanUMC.org HispanicUMC.org ImagineNoMalaria.org Interpretermagazine.org
Connectional Giving Unites Generosity With Need
CONNECTIONAL GIVING EDUCATES, RAISES AWARENESS AND OFFERS RESOURCES SPECIFIC TO THE MANY WAYS UNITED METHODISTS CAN GIVE, INCLUDING APPORTIONED FUNDS, CHURCH WIDE SPECIAL SUNDAY OFFERINGS AND DESIGNATED GIVING. Highlighting one of the core foundations of the denomination, Connectional Giving becomes the intersection where connectionalism comes to life through the shared financial resources of United Methodists throughout the world. IN 2014, THE LAUNCH OF A NEW WEBSITE SIMPLIFIED GIVING, OFFERING BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES TO HELP UNITED METHODISTS ACROSS THE GLOBE ALIGN THEIR GIVING PRACTICES WITH THEIR PERSONAL FAITH. At umcgiving.org, there is a section dedicated specifically for church leaders and pastors that offers tools and downloadable resources to inspire giving. A section for church members highlights several unique giving opportunities, such as
Special Sundays. Feature stories and poignant videos at the site emphasize how United Methodists positively affect lives through generosity. CONNECTIONAL GIVING PRODUCES THE POPULAR UNITED METHODIST HANDBOOK TITLED “LET’S GO FISHING,” WHICH RECEIVED AN UPDATE IN 2014. The comprehensive book contains information about the denomination and how it lives out its global mission. The handbook has become a valuable resource for church leaders, members and newcomers. Print and digital versions of the handbook are available in Korean and Spanish with updated information on missions and giving.
471,434 110,490
2014 ELECTRONIC PAGE VIEWS AT UMCGIVING.ORG WITH
23,738 UNIQUE USERS
2014 PRINT COPIES OF UNITED METHODIST HANDBOOK DISTRIBUTED WITH MORE THAN
400,000 PRINT COPIES IN CIRCULATION
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Find-A-Church Goes Global FIND-A-CHURCH MAKES IT EASY BOTH FOR PROSPECTIVE VISITORS TO CONNECT WITH A NEARBY CONGREGATION AND FOR EVERY CHURCH TO HAVE AN ONLINE PRESENCE. A mapping project is expanding Find-A-Church to include information on churches outside the United States for the first time. United Methodist Communications spearheaded the effort to allow congregations outside the U.S. to share information that has never before been accessible: church names, locations, GPS coordinates, pastors’ names, local phone numbers and more. The Philippines Central Conference was the first to complete mapping of churches in three episcopal areas. The Democratic Republic of Congo is continuing to work towards completion of mapping church locations, and is estimated to be 70 percent complete. Zimbabwe is next.
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The goal is for people looking for United Methodist churches, hospitals and educational facilities in Europe, Africa and the Philippines to be able to locate them online, while churches will be able to share information about their ministries, from eliminating deaths from malaria and training health workers to educating children and providing communication technology.
996
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721 96
111 “We call ourselves a connectional church and a global church, and yet we have no idea where our members are. A map that tells us exactly where a church is located in each annual conference will give us a better understanding of who we are and how connected we are.” – Bishop John Yambasu, Sierra Leone Episcopal Area.
The United Methodist Church is growing so rapidly in Africa that many of the church locations don’t appear on any current map because they are so new. There are an estimated 13,000 congregations outside the U.S., but the likelihood is that many more unmapped United Methodist ministries exist around the world. 7
Finding Shelter From the Storm BEFORE TYPHOON RUBY HIT THE PHILIPPINES ON DECEMBER 6, 2014, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WAS ALREADY PREPARED TO PROVIDE SHELTER FROM THE STORM – THANKS TO A MAP. April Mercado, United Methodist Communications’ special projects manager for ICT4D church initiatives based in the Philippines, says that mapping local churches is critical in times of crisis. “Our churches in the disaster-affected regions here in the Philippines are open to everyone,” said Mercado. “Some are evacuation centers and others are staging grounds for relief packing and food distribution.” Mercado said they had mapped all the churches in the path of the Typhoon Ruby before it made landfall in the area. Mapping not only benefits the community, it helps responders looking for survivors and displaced families so that they can provide relief. During times of disaster, Mercado adds evacuation areas to the map. Through our partner organization, Ushahidi, United Methodist Communications was able to share the data with Humanitarian Open Street Map to distribute via free, collaborative maps used for humanitarian work. The group effort ensured those in the path of the typhoon were prepared for evacuation and relief. “Collaboration is key,” said Heather Leson of Ushahidi. “The benefit is that if all this data is prepared in advance, then in times of crisis it can quickly be applied and shared.”
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“I find it an exciting platform because every time I map an unfamiliar location, I say, ‘Oh there’s a United Methodist church in this area!’ It’s really cool when you see lots of red dots on the map.” – Ernani Celzo, Communications Ministry Coordinator, Baguio, Philippines
Social media WHEN A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM DEBUTS OR A NEW APP GENERATES “BUZZ,” THE INTRODUCTION IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY CONVERSATION AT UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS BEGINNING WITH, “WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF …?” Social media helps us promote the work of The United Methodist Church and United Methodist Communications through a consolidated external brand presence. We use social media channels to reach and engage more people and create places for them to be in conversation with each other. These channels also provide a way for us to understand our target audiences better and promote opportunities for people to engage in ministry. Additionally, social media helps direct more people to our content, both through our own channels and through easy social sharing options on our websites. United Methodist Communications reaches hundreds of thousands of people across various channels, and we continue to see growth in engagement monthto-month. Through our social media channels, we exceeded all of our goals to increase followers, reach and engagement by the end of 2014.
RETHINK CHURCH TESTIMONIAL “You are doing something right; my 16-year-old excitedly reported seeing one of your ads on YouTube. You are getting through!” 9
Social Media By The Numbers UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
36%
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS
INCREASED FOLLOWER BASE SINCE DECEMBER 31, 2013 BY
CREATED TWO NEW SOCIAL ACCOUNTS ON NEW NETWORKS
38,147
ALMOST
2 MILLION
LIKES, COMMENTS AND SHARES INCREASE IN REACH FROM 2013 TO 2014 (OVER 23 MILLION)
ENGAGEMENTS
250%
39%
INCREASED FOLLOWER BASE SINCE DECEMBER 31, 2013 BY
CREATED TWO NEW SOCIAL ACCOUNTS ON NEW NETWORKS
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE: FROM 2013 TO 2014...
ATTRACTED
REACHED
FOLLOWERS
MILLION
1,455 1,048,478 NEW 10
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT BY
77%
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE: No. 1 place to find United Methodist news
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Rethink Church Advent social media campaign ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AT RETHINK CHURCH HAS BEEN THE PHOTO-A-DAY PROJECT. During Advent of 2014, we invited participants to join us as we prepared, watched and waited for that wonderful something God is sending our way not just at Christmas, but every single day. We asked them to make it a daily practice to check our Advent calendar and share with the community what they were experiencing this season.
ADVERTISING
FEEDBACK
ORGANIC REACH FOR ADVENT VIDEO PAID REACH FOR ADVENT VIDEO
111,168
“Amazing communications work! I work in communications/marketing, specializing in social media and I just need to say this whole site blows it out of the water. Thanks for using your gifts for the kingdom.”
74,880
ADVENT PHOTO-A-DAY BY THE NUMBERS
2,256 SUBSCRIBERS SIGNED UP FOR DAILY EMAIL
1,356 SUBSCRIBERS SIGNED UP FOR DAILY TEXT REMINDERS
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Helping local churches
with their social media presence MYCOM
United Methodist Communications’ MyCom newsletter routinely shares articles about how local churches can use social media effectively for ministry, including dozens of articles and tips videos in 2014, such as:
TRAINING
“…Social media is the way to go in today’s world seeking that something that is missing in their life. God bless your team for stepping out of the box and reaching out to millions…”
United Methodist Communications also offers an online training course specifically designed to meet the growing demand for training in social media and new technologies.
5 CREATIVE WAYS TO USE INSTAGRAM TO PROMOTE CHURCH Communicating Faith in the 21st Century explores the 6 DIGITAL TOOLS TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN SMALL GROUPS importance of telling stories of faith, as well as how to 5 SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES FOR CHURCHES create and share personal stories of faith via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and blogs.
5 SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES FOR CHURCHES
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Branding
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR A MORE UNIFIED BRAND AMONG THE VARIOUS AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TO CREATE VISUAL CONSISTENCY. Working to unify the currently competing communications systems – starting with the logo/identity of each of our boards and agencies – will reduce confusion for constituents. The communication effectiveness of each board and agency can be enhanced by associating all logos under a unified identity and branding system, with the aim of creating better understanding of how the various sub-brands of The United Methodist Church complement each other. In 2014, six agencies (the General Board of Global Ministries, the General Council on Finance and Administration, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the General Board of Church and Society, the General Board of Discipleship and United Methodist Communications), as well as some annual conferences, adopted the new brand standard. A focus in 2015 will be to gain adoption of the branding at multiple levels of the connection including annual conferences and local churches. An online communications toolkit will help educate churches on the importance of branding, as well as provide the tools for implementing consistent branding in their own organizations.
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Rethink Church: New Campaign Content TECHNOLOGY HAS DRIVEN THE EVOLUTION OF THE RETHINK CHURCH INITIATIVE TO USE INTERACTIVE WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO COMMUNICATE WITH SEEKERS, RATHER THAN TO THEM. In 2014, Rethink Church created new advertising messages for Easter and Advent, as well as topical ads including messages about equality in the workplace, education, literacy, hunger and restorative justice.
Additionally, Rethink Church partnered with SBC21 (Strengthening the Black Church in the 21st Century) as a sponsor for the 2014 Prison Summit held in Dallas. There, staff presented training specifically created to help local churches understand that building justice ministries can help them reach an underserved and often marginalized population.
Rethink Church has always demonstrated the relevance of the church by providing content revolving around current issues. The restorative justice spot is a prime example of this. In the wake of protests in Ferguson and New York City, Rethink Church created a series of videos telling first person stories of formerly incarcerated individuals transformed by the love of God through church outreach. These also included stories from volunteers engaged in this work. From those videos, a :30 spot was created that pointed to the section on RethinkChurch.org that housed content around this subject.
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Rethink Church: Resources Resources are available to help local churches build on the awareness raised by the national advertising campaign, including social media posts and branded covers, worship graphics, promotional materials and sermon starters. This year, the team created :23 versions of the :30 spots that could be customized for a local church to use in their social media spaces. During Advent, Rethink Church offered local churches the opportunity to participate in low-cost advertising in their communities through direct-mail cards that invited community members to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The cards were customized to promote a service or event chosen by the church, printed and mailed — all for only the cost of postage.
“We so appreciated the support of UMCom and we DID notice an increased number of visitors to our special Christmas programs and to Christmas Eve. We have done our best to follow up with those folks...” – Pam Gable, Magadore United Methodist Church 15
RethinkChurch.org
engagement strategy Early in 2014, the website team executed a strategy to tightly realign content with the multiple ways local churches can invite seekers to help make a difference by volunteering. This started with the new volunteer site section that aggregates all types of Rethink Church events and enables searches by area or theme. This section now represents the actionable hub for return volunteers. With that successful launch, we built the virtual events section where people can discover and engage with a United Methodist initiative in lieu of a local project. Virtual events are a meaningful option for those who are time-pressed, based digitally, traveling or limited physically. These events allow us to partner on initiatives with sister agencies. In late 2014, the strategy went into phase three which enabled local churches to manage their own projects, and we rolled out a major expansion of the events platform for non-grant events. Work also continued on the final roll out, which brings Find-A-Church ministries and activities to the volunteer section. This is the last step to enabling a very robust, year-round offering for volunteers. *The highest honor bestowed by The International Academy of the Visual Arts
AWARDS The Associated Church Press Award of Excellence in Social Media for photo-aday challenge 16
The Associated Church Press Award of Excellence in Public Relations/Marketing Campaign
Davey Award Best-in-Show for UMC Rethink Church Advent commercial*
Rethink Church Events By The Numbers
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GRANTS
1,893
CHURCHES (AND FOUR WESLEY FOUNDATIONS) PARTICIPATING
18,750 TOTAL VOLUNTEERS
In 2014, United Methodist Communications continued to provide Rethink Church grants and resources to churches coming together to make a difference through community service. Community members were invited to participate whether they were involved in church or not.
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1,078,317 PEOPLE SERVED
A rundown of the Rethink Church events for 2014 HANDS ON TOPEKA – MAY 3. Expanded focus from city park cleanup to include home repairs, painting at schools, helping at nursing homes and more. CHANGE THE WORLD ALLEN (TEXAS) – MAY 16-18. Completed more than 90 projects, including collecting food, packing meals for Kids Against Hunger and removing trash from local neighborhoods. THE MILLION BOOK EFFORT (SOUTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE) – JUNE 3. Gathered, sorted and processed more than 320,000 donated books for underprivileged children to help raise literacy awareness and education levels. TAKING IT TO THE STREETS (FLINT, MICHIGAN) – JUNE 7. Fed the hungry, ministered to the sick and homebound, the homeless and students at a local college campus – and found ways to keep the church and community working together throughout the year. As a result, five families joined local United Methodist churches. STRIKE OUT MALARIA (IOWA ANNUAL CONFERENCE) – JUNE 7-8. More than 220 youth attended an Iowa Cubs baseball game, a concert and a sleepover on the field. To raise awareness, they marched from the conference meeting center to the stadium. The conference held a separate 5K run. The group raised nearly $3,000 for Imagine No Malaria. MILES FOR MALARIA (OREGON-IDAHO ANNUAL CONFERENCE) – JUNE 14. Exceeded goal with nearly 250 participants in a 5K walk/run, raising $20,000 for Imagine No Malaria. IMAGINE 5K (DESERT-SOUTHWEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE) – JUNE 28, with nearly 300 participants. Raised more than $18,000 for Imagine No Malaria, which will save at least 7,200 lives from this preventable disease. 18
188,000
320,000 BOOKS DONATED
MEALS PACKED
10 TONS OF TRASH REMOVED
DEFEET HUNGER (INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI) – SEPT. 13. Started with a 5K; also packed 9,000 meals for Harvesters, an organization that distributes meals to high school students who cannot afford lunch in 26 counties in Missouri and Kansas. HENDERSON IMPACT (KENTUCKY) – SEPT. 20. Raised $55,000 and packed 256,602 meals to feed 702 children one meal a day for a year. SERVE OUR SCHOOLS (S.O.S.) (MCALLEN, TEXAS) – SEPT. 20. Helped with local school landscaping, painting, and building and installing items. This event has inspired additional year-round initiatives including a reading program, teacher care packages, a backpack food ministry and a student gardening effort. HANDS4SERVING (FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA) – SEPT. 27, with 350 volunteers. Choosing from 27 projects, assisted at thrift stores and food pantries, repaired shelters and did projects at the local zoo. MAGIC CITY MIRACLE (BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA) – SEPT. 28. Nearly 1,500 volunteers working at 97 sites gathered and distributed food for Gleaners; held food drives and packed meals for Stop Hunger Now; completed multiple construction, repair and painting projects for social service agencies; hosted neighborhood cleanups; and more. HANDS4DETROIT – OCT. 4. Extended reach beyond Detroit into Pontiac, Michigan, for 35 projects ranging from boarding up blighted houses, creating community gardens, cleaning up a community center, hosting a food drive and repairing homes. LOUISIANA (ANNUAL CONFERENCE) SKEETER RUN – AUG. 9, OCT. 11 AND NOV. 8. Hosted 5Ks and one-mile walks and runs in cities throughout the state, raising more than $100,000 for Imagine No Malaria!
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265,602
MORE MEALS DONATED
$96,000 RAISED
Training Goes International
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS IS A GLOBAL AGENCY WITH A GLOBAL FOCUS THAT REMAINS FRONT AND CENTER IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. In 2014, United Methodist Communications trained 1,880 people through face-to-face trainings and 1,977 through online training. We took our Tools for Increasing Your Church’s Vitality course abroad, traveling to the Baguio Episcopal Area in the Philippines to train more than 500 pastors and church leaders. We began preparations to make online courses available internationally by pilot testing the United Methodism 101 course with individuals in Africa and the Philippines to determine if the Moodle platform worked for their environment, and they were successful in
Training staff shared presentation and learning methods to increase attendees’ instructional skills aimed at helping adults learn more effectively. A training curriculum United Methodist Communications also hosted to utilize in local churches was provided, 50 communicators from 30 annual conferences including topics such as Communicating Your Faith in the 21st Century, Tools for Increasing in January for Communicators’ Conference ’14: Learn. Grow. Lead. The conference was an Your Church’s Vitality, Rethink Church, web ministry and more. intensive three-day learning event aimed at equipping communications professionals with We also designed a new course, Your Church tools and resources to aid them in their work, as well as to conduct a variety of training Website: Rethinking Your New Front Door, which debuted in January 2015. courses for church leaders in their areas. connecting and participating in the course. We will build on this initial work to expand our international training in 2015.
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Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D)
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, TECHNOLOGY HAS SHAPED HOW THE CHURCH COMMUNICATES FAITH AND EMPOWERS PEOPLE. ICT4D has emerged as a leader among faith-based initiatives in identifying and responding to the needs of underserved areas throughout the world.
UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHES WHITE PAPERS
ICT4D aims to close the gap between technologically-advanced countries and those that are technologically poor by using communications technology to improve health, education and overall community well-being globally. United Methodist Communications’ work is primarily focused on strengthening the communications network of The United Methodist Church from the top leadership to members of the local churches and extending to local residents. During 2014, ICT4D celebrated numerous “firsts,” as well as building on existing programs.
“USING TECHNOLOGY FOR SOCIAL GOOD: AN EXPLORATION OF BEST PRACTICE IN THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTS) FOR DEVELOPMENT” was compiled from conversations with eight experts. The document addresses how technology has influenced the path of international development and how ICTs can strengthen and improve development projects undertaken by the United Methodist community. The paper also discusses the importance of collaboration with local communities and looks at key factors that contribute to ICT4D sustainability. “MAXIMIZING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES” summarizes issues facing faith-based organizations in accomplishing their mission and proposes a transformational approach that leverages emerging technologies to better serve developing communities. The paper addresses the paradigm shift resulting from advances in digital technologies that not only reshapes the information technology landscape and creates new social dynamics, but also introduces new ways to create and experience culture, conduct business and communicate.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), United Methodist Communications put into place a number of solar kits – rugged, easy to use solar power sources that can be used for cell phones, tablets, lights, radios and even Wi-Fi hotspots, where electricity does not exist. One of the solar kits, which costs approximately $180, has generated as much as $50 in revenue per month when used by the church as a cell phone charging station for area residents, with income used for church ministries. COMPUTER LAB Another pilot program launched in Kamina, DRC, is testing the Classmate Clamshell computer with a Dell low power projector. When portable speakers are added, the computer and projector provide an easy means for sharing educational films. Although electricity is required, these low-power devices use much less electricity than typical projectors, cutting down on the amount of fuel typically needed for generators. MOBILE MESSAGING SMS (short message service) technology is revolutionizing communications in various parts of the world. By using group SMS texting, cell phones enable immediate interchange of information to large groups at once. Training in Sierra Leone has focused on educating episcopal staff on sending messages through SMS to pastors in local languages with relevant content.
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SAME-DAY COMMUNICATION Same-day communication continues to be a goal for areas where technology and electricity are unavailable. ICT4D utilizes a combination of cell phone, radio and ham radio to expedite messages. Eliminating the necessity of having the information relayed physically over the course of several hours or several days offers an advantage in circumstances that require immediate feedback or interchange of information. GAME CHANGERS SUMMIT The first annual Game Changers Summit was held in September 2014, a conference for ministry leaders to discuss the use of 21st century technology in parts of the world most left behind by technological advances. Through a series of presentations and workshops led by industry experts, participants learned how information and communications technology can be used for ministry.
PARTNERSHIPS
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED LEARNING ABOUT NUMEROUS DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING • • •
How computer labs (sometimes solar-powered) are enabling communities to participate in a global marketplace How United Methodist communicators are using group text messaging (in areas without Internet) to help prevent cholera and malaria How United Methodist teams are bringing solar power devices to provide light and cell phone charging, which often generates income
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High-profile speaking engagements included the GETHealth Summit (Ireland), World Faiths Development Dialog (Washington, D.C.) and Technology Salon, all of which have raised secular awareness of our global role in communication for development and relief and have led to many partnerships.
Ebola
COMMUNICATION IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WEAPONS IN THE BATTLE AGAINST EBOLA. From the outset of the Ebola outbreak, United Methodist Communications took action to help educate people in the affected areas about prevention, diagnosis and treatment and communicated messages to the global church to promote understanding of the virus and ways to respond. GRANTS Initially, United Methodist Communications sent Sierra Leone and Liberia $10,000 crisis communications grants to create and distribute banners, posters and photocopies of messages to aid in education; messaging for radio to address prevention, care and pastoral needs; and Internet access. MOBILE MESSAGING In West Africa, nearly 70 percent of the population owns cell phones, and text messaging is effective where computers and Internet are not available. Using Frontline SMS, a free, open-source texting service that doesn’t rely on Internet to send messages to groups, the agency sent prevention tips and messages of hope to church leaders in Liberia and Sierra Leone on behalf of their bishops. United Methodist Communications worked with central conference communicators to collect pastors’ mobile numbers, enabling us to send alerts during a crisis. This new data complements our database of local church pastors in the United States and expands our effort to build communication infrastructure. Additionally, nearly 250 World Vision staff persons in Sierra Leone opted into the daily messages, reporting that the messages provide encouragement in the ongoing battle against Ebola. 24
Ebola: Outreach
ANIMATED VIDEO In collaboration with other partners, United Methodist Communications produced an animated video for use in West Africa that dispels myths about how Ebola is spread.
FACEBOOK OUTREACH Geographically-targeted Facebook posts reached 268,000 in Liberia and Sierra Leone, garnering 142 comments, 2,240 likes and 232 shares. TWO-WAY MESSAGING Working with the United Methodist radio station in Monrovia, Liberia, we established two-way messaging, enabling the church to respond to audience questions via a daily Ebola radio program. SOLAR-POWERED RADIOS In December, 360 Freeplay Energy Assist Radios were purchased to assist the Liberian pastoral network. These units keep mobile phones charged via solar and provide radio playback and flashlight without the need for expensive batteries.
“Ebola: A Poem for the Living� has been translated into 17 languages/dialects after requests from responders in various areas throughout West Africa. It is being shown throughout West Africa via national television, United Nations and other programs, mobile phones, Internet, UN Radio and other radio stations. Through the wire service African Press Organization, we made information about the video available in English, French and Portuguese to African news outlets and 250 million mobile users. The animation garnered media attention in the United States as well, including Ragan Communications and Christianity Today.
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Ebola: News coverage and media relations Our Ebola coverage began when the first case was discovered in Sierra Leone in June 2014, followed by a steady flow of about 70 stories with images and video that have been featured on UMC.org, in the United Methodist News Service Daily Digest, Interpreter magazine, social media channels and other church-related platforms. Our partner communicators, Julu Swen in Liberia and Phileas Jusu in Sierra Leone, were honored by the United Methodist Association of Communicators for their courage in reporting. Staff also created resources available online for individuals and congregations to use in understanding the outbreak and how they could respond.
UNITED METHODISTS’ USE OF COMMUNICATIONS TO FIGHT EBOLA WAS FEATURED PROMINENTLY THROUGHOUT SECULAR MEDIA. When Dr. Martin Salia, who had worked with The United Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, was diagnosed with Ebola, United Methodist News Service provided the first reports on what would become a major international story of courage and sacrifice. Salia had been the chief surgeon at United Methodist-related Kissy Hospital, and a team of United Methodist Communications staff had interviewed him earlier in the year. When he was airlifted from Sierra Leone to receive medical care in Nebraska, we fielded a heavy volume of calls from media organizations, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Reuters, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal and others. Our photos and video were used widely by major news organizations. They were the only materials available regarding the doctor and helped shape how his story was told. Dr. Salia gave his life caring for those in need, and he put a human face on the Ebola crisis for many people around the world. TRAINING We have connected communicators in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone with organizations such as BBC Media Action and Internews for training on how to communicate effectively during times of crisis, both in terms of content and digital tools. 26
News and content
GOOD STORYTELLING IS AT THE HEART OF THE WORK AND MINISTRY OF UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS TO INFORM, ENGAGE AND INSPIRE. In 2014, page views for stories were 1.2 million, up from 989,000 in 2013. Eleven out of 12 months saw more total page clicks and unique clicks than the same month the previous year. Our content strategy emphasized the Four Areas of Focus and priority themes such as vital congregations, and we relied heavily on research in planning and assessing our work. Here are a few highlights from the stories we covered: INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE – The Content and Public Information teams collaborated with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry on providing coverage of this event in Hiroshima, Japan, with news stories, commentaries and images.
FREEDOM SUMMER REFLECTIONS – United Methodist News Service gathered reflections from people who participated in Freedom Summer, and United Methodist News Service, Interpreter and UMC.org featured stories related to the Civil Rights Movement for the 50th anniversary of the passage of U.S. civil rights legislation. We also updated our series on United Methodists who worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. HUMAN SEXUALITY – The Content Team launched a feature called Sharing in Faith, providing a safe forum for people to share personal reflections on sexuality-related issues in the church. United Methodist News Service covered the major breaking news, but went beyond that to provide analysis of the issue and its impact in the church.
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE POLL: TOP STORIES OF 2014
The worst Ebola outbreak in history — along with The United Methodist Church’s mobilization to ease suffering and fight the spread of the deadly virus — was the biggest story of 2014, according to a United Methodist News Service poll of church communicators. The tragedy of Ebola in Sierra Leone and Liberia topped the list, followed by the Rev. Frank Schaefer’s fight to remain a United Methodist clergy member, the debate over how the denomination should deal with human sexuality, progress toward the goal of raising $75 million for Imagine No Malaria and church unity amid calls for a denominational split. 27
IMMIGRATION ISSUE – United Methodist News Service and Content team staff covered immigration news throughout the year, but a highlight was the assignment of a writer and photographer to visit a mission center at the border in Texas in collaboration with United Methodist Women. Our photographer took pictures of a group of immigrants crossing the river on a raft and scrambling through the brush on the U.S. side. In addition, the Content and Marketing teams collaborated
on developing a digital resource on the issue of unaccompanied minors that congregations could use. ‘OUT OF JAIL, BUT CONCERNS OVER DEPORTATIONS REMAIN’ Another highlight of our immigration-related coverage was “Out of jail, but concerns over deportations remain,” on the immigration protest at the White House on Presidents Day that resulted in 32 people of faith being
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arrested after a peaceful demonstration against U.S. immigration deportations. Our coverage, especially photos and video, were widely used in secular media as breaking news. HAITI – Our photographer traveled to Haiti to capture images for a special emphasis on the recovery, scheduled for the five-year anniversary in early 2015.
`MY ETERNAL KING’ LAUNCHED TOP METHODIST COMPOSER’ - This profile of Jane Marshall, a beloved United Methodist hymn composer, got 4,500 Facebook shares. HISPANIC CHURCH’S GUITAR PROGRAM YIELDS `AMAZING’ RESULTS – This feature helped raise the profile of a Hispanic church’s music program for kids, leading to an expansion of the program.
KOREAN RESOURCES TEAM Our Korean ministry got a makeover with the relaunch of the Korean-language e-newsletter, redesign of the Korean UMC web portal and introduction of a new monthly print resource for Korean congregations. The print resource was developed based on input from Korean United Methodist leaders and clergy.
PILGRIMAGE TO SAND CREEK BRINGS HEALING This feature and slideshow on an act of repentance by United Methodists in the Rocky Mountain Conference related to the 19th century Sand Creek Massacre netted 2,100 Facebook shares.
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HISPANIC/LATINO COMMUNICATIONS We moved forward in a new direction, hiring a new director to guide our work in a more strategic, relationship-based way, and renaming this ministry Hispanic/Latino UMC Communications. We rolled out a redesigned web presence, relaunched a monthly e-newsletter, strengthened our social media presence with more posts and the inclusion of Portuguese content, and collaborated closely with partners in identifying opportunities for serving constituents.
Interpreter
Interpreter magazine was born in 1969 when Spotlight, a publication of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, combined with The Methodist Story after the two churches merged. Over the years, there have been periodic changes, from the addition of four-color printing to reducing the frequency of publication to the creation of a digital edition. As the magazine evolved from a print magazine to a multi-platform publication, expanding the audience became increasingly feasible. And so, in 2014, Interpreter ushered in a broader focus. Whereas the readership had always been local church lay and clergy leaders, the magazine’s content now targets all active United Methodists – church members who live out their discipleship in ways that go beyond attending weekly worship.
These include personal faith stories, a series on John Wesley’s “Means of Grace” and profiles of United Methodists and their hopes for the church. Each issue now has a multi-story package that carries out the issue’s cover theme. There were 273 articles, compared to 169 in 2013. Interpreter earned the 2014 Robert F. Storey Award of Excellence in Publications from the United Methodist Association of Communicators. The print magazine sports a fresh, more contemporary look and the digital edition has a new mobile-friendly format. Multi-media pieces in each issue provide an enhanced experience for digital subscribers.
In December 2014, Interpreter launched a new interpretermagazine.org. The website offers another platform for reaching active United Methodists with content from the magazine as well as Web-exclusive inspiration and Interpreter still maintains its tradition of providing ideas and examples of information. ministry that encourage and challenge its readers, but it has interjected new features to enhance spiritual growth.
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Research: Awareness of Four Areas of Focus growing
MORE THAN EVER, UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS IS A RESEARCH-DRIVEN AGENCY, BASING ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DAILY WORK ON SOUND DATA AND INPUT. United Methodist Communications does research annually to assess changes over time in familiarity and support for the Four Areas of Focus and key church initiatives among pastors and local church leaders. Familiarity with the focus areas in general has climbed slowly over the past four years. The greatest growth in knowledge of United Methodist efforts related to specific focus areas was among church leaders concerning combating diseases of poverty and being in ministry with the poor. Little or no increase was seen among leaders and pastors related to knowledge of activities regarding leadership development and church growth, but both of those areas were seen to be of critical importance. Among church initiatives, Imagine No Malaria had the largest increase in participation from 2010 to 2014, from 21 percent to 67 percent of pastors and 15 percent to 56 percent of church leaders, followed by local ministries with the poor (76 percent to 82 percent of pastors and 56 percent to 71 percent of leaders). Pastors Local Church Leaders
70%
64%
59%
56%
60% 50%
35%
40%
36%
25%
30% 20% 10% 0%
2010
2012
2014 Pastors Local Church Leaders
80%
90%
67%
70%
80%
56%
60%
IMAGINE NO MALARIA
IN YOUR OPINION, HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE FOUR AREAS OF FOCUS?
70% 60%
50%
20%
71%
56%
LOCAL MINISTRIES TO THE POOR
50%
40% 30%
82%
76%
21%
40% 30%
15%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
2010
2014
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2014
Research: Differing views of what it means to be United Methodist In the United States, perceptions of United Methodist values differ by a person’s role and experience. What has a high degree of importance to a pastor may be of much less significance to a church leader or member. Even within groups, differences were seen related to such factors as frequency of members’ church attendance or where a pastor was trained.
8%
4%
WHY CHOOSE THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH? More than 39 percent of member respondents said they were born into United Methodist families. Beliefs and teachings were the second most frequently mentioned reason for affiliation (17 percent), followed by liking the people, liking the pastor or marrying into a United Methodist family (all 8 percent). Some like the church’s emphasis on social issues (4 percent), while 2 percent find a convenient location to be the prevailing factor.
2% Born into United Methodist families Beliefs and teachings
8%
39%
Liking the people Liking the pastor
8%
Marrying into a United Methodist family Church's emphasis on social issues Convenient location
17% 32
WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE AS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT THE DENOMINATION? Having Wesleyan theological roots and open Communion were the most frequently mentioned attributes seen by members as uniquely United Methodist, yet only 19 percent considered being Wesleyan a “very important” core value. Pastors and church leaders echoed those same values, but added being a connectional church and funding the church through shared giving to the list. Both were less likely to see acceptance of different views and church diversity as qualities unique to United Methodism than were members.
WHAT VALUES RANKED HIGH? The survey found pronounced differences between what pastors, church leaders and members consider important. More than 90 percent of pastors were solidly in agreement that an emphasis on God’s grace, open Communion, an emphasis on local mission and outreach and a strong Scriptural foundation were uppermost. Members’ responses were much more splintered, yet more than half of members said an emphasis on God’s grace, open Communion, acceptance of all people, church fellowship, a strong Scriptural foundation and an emphasis on mission and outreach in local community were very important values. Church fellowship was more important to leaders than to any other group, and they were more interested in bringing people to Christ than were other members (88 percent vs. 45 percent). Both leaders and pastors cited an emphasis on worldwide mission twice as frequently as members.
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Research: Making Disciples is Top United Methodist Priority United Methodist Communications polled United Methodists in the United States to learn more about their attitudes and opinions regarding various issues facing the church today. The survey showed that creating disciples of Christ, youth involvement and spiritual growth were the most commonly mentioned concerns, while issues related to human sexuality ranked significantly lower.
TOP 10 ISSUES
Those questioned overwhelmingly rejected the idea that disagreements over human sexuality were reason enough to divide the church. More than 90 percent of respondents said The United Methodist Church should not split, while 63 percent said these controversies are “diverting the church from more important things.” Yet it’s clear that the majority of members don’t want these issues to be ignored either. More than three-quarters of persons responding said the church should bring a positive perspective to the discussion of sexuality.
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PERCENTAGE RANKING 1ST OR 2ND
CREATING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
39%
YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
27%
MEMBERS’ SPIRITUAL GROWTH
24%
DECLINE IN MEMBERSHIP
19%
POVERTY
17%
CHILDREN AT RISK
17%
SOCIAL INJUSTICE
16%
SEXUAL ORIENTATION/SAME GENDER MARRIAGE
11%
STRUCTURE OF THE UMC
8%
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
7%
Imagine No Malaria
WITH ONE YEAR LEFT FOR IMAGINE NO MALARIA’S FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, THE INITIATIVE IS ON TRACK TO MEET OR EXCEED ITS GOAL. 2014 RANKED AS BOTH A RECORD-SETTING AND AWARD-WINNING YEAR FOR THE CAMPAIGN. When The United Methodist Church launched its $75 million campaign to eliminate deaths by malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa, the initiative was viewed as an ambitious and extraordinary undertaking. Five years later, Imagine No Malaria is a success story of how United Methodists have mobilized to raise more than $66 million so far.
HERE’S WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2014: MORE NETS Imagine No Malaria distributed nearly 400,000 life-saving insecticide-treated bed nets in the Bo District of Sierra Leone in June 2014. Trained volunteers distributed nets door-to-door and educated people how to use and maintain them properly. The distribution in Bo occurred in conjunction with a nationwide net distribution and an integrated health campaign to provide Vitamin A supplements and de-worming medication to children. MORE GIVING Cash donations reached an all-time high, with $11.6 million received during the 12-month period. Cash gifts in 2013-2014 increased 67 percent over the previous 24 months. Fourteen United Methodist conference foundations collectively gave $633,000 in cash to Imagine No Malaria or provided additional gifts-in-kind.
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67% 58 % $11.6 MILLION
INCREASE IN CASH GIFTS
DECREASE IN CHILD MALARIA DEATHS
RAISED
MORE COMMITMENTS Grassroots initiatives have mobilized nearly 6 million United Methodists to raise funds and educate others about malariarelated global poverty. With the addition of seven annual conferences (Wisconsin, Virginia, Mississippi, Florida, North Georgia, Upper New York and South Carolina) making formal commitments in 2014, 65 percent of U.S. annual conferences are involved in an active Imagine No Malaria initiative. Central conferences are also joining this effort. MORE INFRASTRUCTURE Imagine No Malaria funding directly benefited 134 African health facilities in a two-year period, as reported in 2014. Twenty health facilities in Sierra Leone and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were renovated and three mobile clinics initiated in Nigeria between 2012 and 2014. Reported in 2014: Imagine No Malaria funding (since 2012) has provided UMCOR grants to 13 health boards serving 16 countries: Angola, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In partnership with the Global Fund, 10 additional Sub-Saharan countries have launched a comprehensive malaria program.
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PRAISE FROM THE GLOBAL FUND Leaders for the Imagine No Malaria initiative provided an update to the Council of Bishops about the progress of the campaign in Oklahoma City, Okla., in November 2014. Dr. Christoph Benn, director of External Relations and a founding board member of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, traveled from Geneva to report to the Council about what has been achieved through their partnership with The United Methodist Church. During his presentation,
Benn praised the work of Imagine No Malaria. “I have heard about the work that your congregations, particularly your young people, have been doing — the level of creativity, energy and commitment — to save the lives of millions of children and women in Africa,” said Benn. “You have the sincere thanks of not only the Global Fund, your partner, but also all the people whose lives have been changed by these activities.”
MORE RECOGNITION Imagine No Malaria and The United Methodist Church received recognition from Rotary International during the meeting of the Alliance for Malaria Prevention in Geneva, Switzerland. The “Superhero” Award recognized the ability of INM to reach the most vulnerable and underserved populations. Imagine No Malaria’s 2014 World Malaria Day campaign also received the Care2 Innovator Award, an honor given to nonprofit causes that make a difference. The award was presented at the Nonprofit Technology Conference in Austin, Texas. THE BIGGEST NEWS: MORE LIVES SAVED! Increased prevention and control measures have led to a reduction in malaria mortality rates. In its 2014 World Report, the World Health Organization reported that malaria deaths decreased by 58 percent in children 5 years old and younger.
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With appreciation and gratitude… WE RECOGNIZE THE PASSIONATE COMMITMENT AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE REV. LARRY HOLLON, WHO SERVED AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS FROM 2000 TO APRIL 2015. Rev. Hollon reached the mandatory retirement age for elective and appointive staff of United Methodist general agencies. His love of storytelling and his love of The United Methodist Church made him the perfect choice to head the denomination’s communication agency. He sees communication as a ministry that provides a variety of ways to deliver messages of healing and hope and invite people into relationship with a faith community. A prophetic voice about the value and power of communications in the faith landscape and staying ahead of the technology curve to reach younger audiences, Hollon led the agency to make significant advancements in connecting the church globally. Hollon guided the denomination in the creation of award-winning advertising campaigns that significantly raised both public awareness and favorable impressions of The United Methodist Church and helped to mobilize church members in community service. “The United Methodist Church has experienced tremendous transformation in the area of communications under Rev. Hollon’s leadership,” said Bishop Sally Dyck, president of the General Commission on Communication. “We’ve made significant advancements in connecting the denomination around the world. We’ve raised awareness of the church through advertising campaigns inviting and welcoming seekers into our churches and we’ve taken that message out into communities. We’ve created a voice for the church in the world.”
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DANIEL KRAUSE TAKES OVER HELM AT UNITED METHODIST COMMUNICATIONS, EFFECTIVE JUNE 8, 2015 Daniel Krause of Denver has been selected as chief executive of United Methodist Communications, a role he begins June 8, 2015. A candidate for ordination as an elder in the Rocky Mountain Conference of The United Methodist Church, Krause has attended Iliff School of Theology since 2013. He comes to United Methodist Communications with more than 11 years of experience in management at Frontier Airlines.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Jay Andrino Kathleen Barry Ernani Celzo Diane Degnan Mike DuBose Neelley Hicks Sam Hodges
Krause was most recently Vice-President of Marketing and Customer Experience, responsible for managing all corporate branding, marketing, advertising, social media and corporate communications strategy. He also directed all consumer messaging and managed the day-to-day operation of Frontier’s Reservations Call Centers and the Customer Relations and Customer Experience teams. We extend our warmest welcome.
Harry Leake April Mercado Jay Mallin Greg Nelson Tim Tanton Fran Walsh Rethink Church
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