Reading blogs is more efficient if you use an RSS reader–a program that puts all your “feeds” in one place. I use Google Reader, which is free. As I’ve said in the past, you can get started with Google Reader by reviewing my post Getting Started with an RSS Reader.
In addition, the Newbie’s Guide to Google Reader will help you learn even more (via Terry Storch).
To see a list of TTUMC blogs, visit the TTUMC.net blogs page.
I’m back from vacation and ready to start regular blogging again. Thanks for your patience.
If you haven’t added Erica Ares’ blog, The Live Wire, to your RSS reader, it’s time. You don’t want to miss it.
A recent post entertainingly captures three ways that Christians “miss the point.” Here’s one:
Missing the Point Topic #1: “We are okay and “saved” now that we believe, so our job here is done. I know we’re supposed to tell other people about Jesus, but if I don’t, man, that’s okay… at least I’m set for eternity.”
This is not a post about computer programming. It’s a post about you. Because you’re important.
There’s a term in the programmer’s world called “data munging.” It means “taking data from one computer system, manipulating it in some way, and passing it to another.”
Munging can mean manipulating raw data to achieve a final form. It can mean parsing or filtering data, or the many steps required for data recognition. Or it can be something as simple as converting hours worked plus pay rates into a salary cheque.
So how does munging relate to you?
Chances are, given how much information is streaming at us from every direction these days, that you yourself are a data munger. A human data munger.
Chances are that part of what you do every day is take some information, process it, and direct it to someone else.
And I don’t even mean in your occupation. How about in your non-work hours?
Do you…
You’re a node in a social network–but you’re more than that. You have the potential to add value to every piece of information that passes through your hands. How?
You’re not only passing along information; you’re cultivating it; you’re making it better.
At least, I hope you’re making it better. There are destructive kinds of munging: gossip, malicious comments, misinformation. You could use what you know to hurt people, gain an unfair advantage, trample on the down and out. You could be an info virus in the machine of the world.
But I don’t think you’re like that.
So give yourself some time to reflect on the streams of data you receive today. Add the value of your insights, beliefs, feelings, and actions. Change the world for good.
And if a good new Mexican restaurant opens up around the corner, for goodness sake let me know.
You lead a ministry. You have a blog. Let’s call you a “ministry blogger.”
(I’m considering writing my own dictionary.)
Fine. Now, what can you “ministry-blog” about?
Last time, our answer was “photos.” But another great thing to ministry blog is an upcoming event. Tell the date, time and location. Remind people of what they need to bring. If it’s a regularly scheduled meeting, is there something special planned for this time?
By the time the meeting starts, you as the leader may have spent hours preparing. But the members of your team are busy working or taking care of their families or–ok–watching the last episode of American Idol on their DVR. If you can help attendees get on the same page as you before the meeting, you may be able to save explanation time, get more accomplished, and prevent misunderstandings.
At the very least, more people may show up.
Got an email from Mandy Hall that the park cleanup is now set to meet at parking lot #3 in Hillsborough River State Park. I’ll see you there tomorrow! Hopefully I’ll remember to bring my camera.
Mandy’s email read:
Just a reminder this Saturday is the park clean up. We will be meeting at the part at 9:00am. There has been one change if you picked up directions to the park they say that we are meeting at parking lot #2 and that has changed to lot #3. I am so happy to see you all there. It is going to be a lot of fun. A good chance to hang out with different people at church, working in and for our community. The Young Adults thank you for helping us with this project and really are looking forward to it! See you Saturday!
If your WordPress blog is hosted by WordPress.com, you have to use a special command to embed YouTube videos into a blog post.
Every YouTube has a video ID that looks something like this: pBqPHJhmFHo.
To embed the video in your web blog post, type or paste the following line into the text.
[ youtube=http://youtube.com/w/?v=pBqPHJhmFHo]
You need to do two more things:
You lead a ministry. You have a blog. Let’s call you a “ministry blogger.”
(I know: I’m, like, Mr. Great-Phrase-Coiner.)
Fine. Now, what can you “ministry-blog” about?
One simple and valuable thing to blog is photos. Posting even one photo, with the title of the post describing what the photo is about, can inspire and inform your blog’s readers.
You can upload your photo directly through your blog’s control panel when you are writing your post. Or, to easily handle issues such as sizing the image to display correctly online, you can upload your photos to a free photo repository such as flickr and have your blog display the photos that actually reside in the photo repository.
You can get a free flickr account by going to www.flickr.com and signing up. Once you have an account, you can upload photos and decide whether to share them with family and friends or with the entire world.
When you view a photo you have uploaded in flickr, there will be a button above the photo that says, “BLOG THIS.”
Clicking the button will allow you to send the photo and some text directly to your blog. In other words, you can blog directly from flickr (the first time you do this you’ll need to tell flickr how to access your blog).
Alternatively, you can find out the address of the photo by right-clicking it in flickr and selecting “Copy Shortcut” or “Copy Image Location” from the popup menu. This will copy the web address of the photo to your Windows clipboard. Then you can go to your blog, create a new post, insert an image, and paste the web address of the photo as the URL of the image you are inserting.
Some of this may sound confusing or intimidating if you haven’t done it before. The point is, once you have found a method you like for uploading photos to your blog, your readers and your ministry will benefit, and you’ll have an easy way to create valuable new posts.
Don’t forget to have someone with a camera at your next ministry event.
(This post was actually created directly in flickr using the BLOG THIS button, although I used my knowledge of HTML to spiff it up a bit and add another image–all that is really not necessary, though. Readers will be happy to view your photo and read whatever text you type.)
In which I share what I’m learning about the culture and what TTUMC is doing in it.
Erica Ares, TTUMC’s Director of Children and Youth Ministries, has just launched a new blog.
The Live Wire - Electric News from Kids and Youth
(http://thettumclivewire.wordpress.com/) will keep us informed about
…incredibly cool things coming up in our ministries - Vacation Bible School at Avalanche Ranch, mission trips to St. Petersburg and West Virginia, and all kinds of summer fun just to name a few!
Add this shocking new blog to your RSS reader and blogroll as soon as you can.
