A possible project

So what do you think about the following project? Could you see this working in your diocese?

I'm working on a proposal to work with 3 dioceses on a pilot project. One of these dioceses did a Ministry Fair this spring, and at least 13 of their 30 workshops would make great teleclasses. (The others were panel discussions or involved visual or active components that would be hard to do via the teleclass format.) I don't yet know how many people in the diocese were able to attend on that one day, but the cost was $25 for 3 workshops and lunch, plus gas, plus some people stayed over the night before.

My proposal is that I would work with those leaders to turn their workshops into classes. They've already done most of the hard work to create a one-hour workshop -- so it feels like a no-brainer to say "wouldn't you like your work to have impact beyond the people who were able to attend that one session on that one day?" The project would offer these classes 2-3 times each over a 5 month period beginning in September, plus I would try to develop additional class offerings from the other two participating dioceses -- and we would offer the classes to the 3 dioceses at a slightly reduced rate, as well as to the wider Church.

A project like this would be so helpful -- it would enable these dioceses to offer something concrete, from their experienced ministry leaders, to help and support people throughout the Church as well as their own members. I am just convinced that way too often in our Church we work only within our diocesan borders -- each diocese putting on its own workshops for its own people. We have GOT to spread the wealth! There's no reason why a lot of what is presented can't be made available to benefit people far beyond the local diocese, who might never otherwise have the chance to get access to such a workshop or presentation....

From eMinistry's viewpoint, the project would show that the eMinistry model can work, that people will (I hope!) participate and benefit from it, and would be a microcosm of what eMinistry could eventually offer. It would enable us to increase our class offerings (a terrific thing) and would be a key piece in getting things going enough to justify applying for a larger grant. I would LOVE to work with these leaders -- their workshops look wonderful, and absolutely geared to the needs and concerns of lay people. So that's what I'm working on today. I would have to apply for a grant from a local foundation to make it work financially, as I'd be asking only 2 of the 3 dioceses to contribute a very moderate amount of funding. But if the 3 bishops will get behind this, that will help immensely as I seek a grant elsewhere....

hopefully,

Elizabeth

Leaping ahead

Wednesday and yesterday I did the June newsletter -- and sent it out yesterday to diocesan communicators in 89 dioceses, 40 Lutheran synods, and the congregations of our neighboring western dioceses of Idaho, Montana, Olympia, Utah, Oregon, Eastern Oregon and Wyoming (about 286 congregations). Almost all of these email addresses I've gathered by going through websites (diocesan and synod). This doesn't count the 300+ names on my mailing list, or the diocese of Spokane....so I have some more emails to send out today.

It's exciting because I've put on the website a list of the classes that are in development but not yet scheduled, and people can send an email indicating interest and asking to be notified when the class is scheduled -- and I've already gotten 5 people responding re a variety of classes -- which means I can go back to the leaders of those classes and say, yes! we're getting interest! This is very heartening.


Onward and onward!

Elizabeth

What it costs to "do business"

I received an email from one of my leaders yesterday, who wrote: "As for payment, if you can work for free, so can I." I appreciate that generosity of spirit so much! -- especially in these months of start-up -- and yet...

As I wrote in an earlier post, I feel committed to pay leaders as promised. From the very beginning, I approached them with the understanding that they would get paid for their class leadership -- a small amount, to be sure, but at least something. Putting together a class, as well as learning the mechanics of leading a class via teleconference, takes time and effort on their part. I'm profoundly grateful for their willingness to lend their time and effort to this new ministry.

The second reason is that we need to know "what it costs to do business." I've done most of my ministry in small congregations where generous parishioners donate a huge amount of supplies which never shows up on the budget -- so that we literally have no idea what it is truly costing to keep the doors open. If eMinistry is to prove it is a viable model which can "work" -- can keep its own doors open -- we need to know what it actually costs to do it without relying on the generosity of the people who make it happen....

On the other hand, the other side of me recognizes we're trying to get something started that's very new in the Church, and if leaders want to help get it going out of the goodness of their hearts, maybe I should just accept that gift gratefully and gracefully....in the spirit in which it is offered.

And since the only way to get this going big enough is to get it going big enough, perhaps the model for future funding/income needn't apply in this critical stage of getting going....??

Can't tell if this is a devil/angel-on-my-shoulders kind of argument or not! Feedback would be, as ever, welcome.....

Elizabeth

Going with a Beta-Test

After talking with a couple of leaders today and thinking it over, I decided to do a beta-test period and invite people to register for an eMinistry class for free. Rather than do it by time (ie, 3 months), I think it will be a good start to offer free registration for the first 100 people who register. We can always extend that number if it seems like a good thing to do.

I also spent a large time today going through some diocesan websites and manually logging email addresses for their parishes. It's an incredibly labor-intensive process but I've concluded that it's essential to getting the word out about our classes. My initial reliance on diocesan communicators to publicize our offerings has its limits -- many have forwarded them on within their dioceses and I am very grateful to them! But I know that even if they try to help publicize us, the news may never reach the people in the congregations. So this week I will send out the beta-test announcement not only via diocesan communicators but to the parish email addresses I'm gathering.

I've been kind of stymied for a couple of days -- not wanting to plunge ahead with more class development/contacting potential leaders when I can't be sure that anyone would register! I hope the beta-test process will at least increase the number of people who want to try a class....

I appreciate the leaders who've offered to teach for free. But even though what we can pay right now is so minimal ($30 a class hour), I feel very strongly they need to be paid even if we have no income right now. I think I will put a "contribution button" on the website so if people are over-flowing with gratitude after they take a free class they can send us a contribution if they want to help support this ministry. But I won't expect it!

bye for now,

Elizabeth

Request for Feedback!

I could really use some feedback about a quandary we're facing (which I admit is one I never expected!): We're getting 10 to 20 people a day now visiting the eMinistry website, but no registrations for our upcoming classes.

It could be that the 5 classes we have scheduled are just ones that don't have a broad appeal, and we simply need to get the other ones in development ready to go.

Or, it could be that this is a brand new medium for the Church (if not for business) and people may be reluctant to try a teleclass for the first time if they've never experienced it before.

Or, it could be that the $14 cost per class is too high (though I got lots of feedback at General Convention that this was a moderate and, as one person said, "honest" fee.)

This is so frustrating because I firmly believe that once people get to experience this mode of learning and connecting, they'll recognize what a terrific thing it is. And it's frustrating because I've got class leaders ready and eager to teach -- but no learners.... And I don't want to lose the good leaders we've got by constantly rescheduling their class to a later and later date...

So my question is: What do you think it is? What would make you reluctant to sign up for a class? Is it the topics we've got offered -- or the $14 fee -- or the medium itself?

And secondly: Should we do an extended beta-test period (say, for the next 3 months) and offer our classes for free? Our goal would be to get people to experience the teleclass format and give us more feedback about what works, what doesn't work, and what are the most popular topics/areas. I'm committed to paying the leaders as promised, so this would get just get chalked up to more start-up costs....

I'd surely welcome any comments, feedback or answers you might have -- and what you think about an extended beta-test period as a possible solution.... Many thanks!!

bye for now,

Elizabeth

Back from General Convention

Well I had a terrific 10 days at General Convention! The whole experience was so different as an "unofficial exhibitor" than as a deputy 6 years ago in Denver -- as I was so much more detached from the day-to-day legislative business. But I got to enjoy the daily Eucharists and some of the hearings, along with the incredible experience of hearing the news announced of our new Presiding Bishop! I had not expected to be so moved by the news of Katharine Jefferts Schori's election -- moved to tears. It reminds me of what people are feeling when they still say to me how moving it is to see a woman (me) standing at the altar. It's easy for me to forget the power of the symbolic -- to say, "oh it's just me, Elizabeth...." and forget about what the symbol means....

Because having a booth cost $1300 (way beyond eMinistry's budget) I shared part of the booth space of booth #1 -- making me an "unofficial exhibitor" with the lovely Animal Welfare people, Sue, Karen and Rebecca. They have such good hearts -- and were so welcoming to me, and I couldn't have been there without their help. It was interesting to see passers-by look up at the booth banner and watch their faces respond with either interest or "those PETA activists!" (which couldn't be further from the truth.) I was grateful they let this carniverous eMinistry person stand next to them for 10 days, and I learned a lot about their ministry.

Sharing a booth was not ideal, because people DO look up to see the banner and either stayed or walked by on the basis of "animal welfare," not eMinistry. About 65 people signed up for the eMinistry mailing list, though -- representing 45 dioceses! So our ability to get news of eMinistry to people in congregations will be that much greater. I discussed with a couple of other ministry training organizations the possibility of sharing a larger booth with them in 3 years in Los Angeles...

I spent a huge amount of time visiting with other organizations in other booths -- and made some terrific connections, both in terms of potential topic for classes and in listening to/learning about the needs of these ministries. When we do a class on a topic related to their ministry, the possibility for publicity about the class through their network will be really helpful. I have a lot of following up to do!

It was so wonderful to meet up again with people from so many past parts of my life: my working at General Convention in the early 80's, seminary at VTS, my colleagues in the dioceses of Vermont and Kentucky, and now Spokane. Sort of pulls one's life back into a cohesive whole.... I loved just about every minute of GC 2006, AND I'm grateful I didn't have to vote on the very tough issues of the Church and could focus simply on being there and building eMinistry, AND I'm happy to be home again and back at work!

bye for now,

Elizabeth

New Beginnings

Welcome to the eMinistry blog!

We're seeing about 8 visitors a day to the website now! Would love to know your responses to the website, the classes we're offering, the concept of this direct delivery system for ministry expertise.

As eMinistry has been developing over the past nine months, I've been scouring diocesan websites to identify interesting ministries out there. I see so much replication -- every diocese running its own stewardship workshops, wardens & treasurers conferences, ministry fairs. There is such great work being done out there to provide quality training for ministry -- and it's given just for the local few who can attend on the one day or weekend. It seems such a waste of energy, enthusiasm and expertise!

We all have common concerns and issues. So many of them could be addressed in an eMinistry class that crosses diocesan borders, brings people together across the Church, allows local leaders to have a much wider, stronger impact. I keep envisioning the hundreds of different classes, groups, conversations that eMinistry could provide or initiate -- all of which could help people in congregations throughout the country be more effective in their ministries....

Please tell me what you think! Leave a comment about the eMinistry website, what we're offering, questions or suggestions you have. It would be so great to know what your impressions are, and your thoughts on the effectiveness of distance-learning for the members of the Church. Let's talk!

peace & grace,

Elizabeth