Emergent Brethren

How do you use technology in your church? Last year at Annual Conference, I presented an insight session looking at how we can use multi-media in the worship service. We had a lot of people present, some who were still exploring the idea of using multi-media and others who are very good at using it.

I like to pass-on good ideas or information when I see it. Today, from at email from Leadership Network, I learned about this article called, Technology and the Church. It’s an interview with Bobby Gruenewald. In the article, I learned about a website called, YouVersion. At this website, you can type in a Bible text that you are studying, and it will give you quotes from books or what other people have commented about the text in their blog site. I think this would definitely be helpful for sermon prep to help stimulate your thinking with some other ideas.

Something else to explore from this article is the website Open.LifeChurch.tv. Here, you can find lots of free resources that might be helpful to your ministry.

Blessings to you,
Jeff

There’s a free resource available through the Building Church Leaders website. Since many of you are either using video projection in worship, or are considering it, this resource might be helpful. The following describes the resource:

This tool will help you understand and establish values and policies for using images and video in your worship services. You’ll also learn where to get projection software, and how to select and use the right equipment to make your video projection the most effective for your congregation.

This Training Pack contains all of the following:

Values and Policies for Screen Use
An example of how one church drew up guidelines for video screens in worship.

Using Still Images
Think about these four major categories when deciding what goes on the screen.

How to Make Great Eye Candy
Simple, colorful graphics help create an attractive principal image of worship.

Church Projection Software
A wide selection of programs gives your church alternatives to PowerPoint

The Screen is Like …
Consider how the video screen fits with existing elements of your sanctuary.

Select the Right Screen
Factor in church size, screen uses, and surface material to get the big picture.

Pass the Screen Test
What you project on is as important as how you project it.

Projecting an Image
Don’t shortcut the evaluation process when choosing a new video projector.

Here’s the link to download it: Building Church Leaders.

Last night, my wife and I watched Wall-E, a movie we got from Netflix. This is an 2008 academy award winning Pixar film about a robot left on earth, after the humans had destroyed it. A probe named, Eva, arrives and a love story begins. Later, you find out that many of the humans that left the planet are in a huge space ship waiting for the time to come back to earth. When Eva discovers a green plant growing on earth, it goes back to the space ship to inform them of the discovery of “life” on earth. This starts the chain of events that brings the humans back to earth to repopulate it. (If you haven’t seen the movie, there’s a lot more to it than what I write here.)

As I watched the movie, I thought, “This is awfully heavy material for a children’s film!” One of the major focuses of the movie was how terrible humans have treated our planet. It shows the planet as a virtual wasteland, filled with garbage made by people. Wall-E is a machine whose purpose if to box and stack-up the garbage to clean things up. While watching the film I thought there are several scenes in it that could be used to illustrate a sermon on caring for creation.

Later on, after we finished watching the movie it dawned on me. . . this is a highly adapted story of Noah’s Ark in a science fiction genre. Garbage all over the earth is symbolic of the flood of water in the Biblical story. Eva is symbolic of the dove sent-out by Noah to find signs of land. The space ship. . .

Have any of you seen this film or used it to illustrate your sermon(s)? What other movies have you watched lately that would be good fodder for a sermon?

This year at Annual Conference, there will be an insight session focusing on media and worship. Assisting in the presentation will be a multi-media pastor from a church in San Diego. During this insight session, I would like to show on how congregations can use of media to enhance worship and highlight the best of how congregations are using multi-media in worship. For more information, you’re invited to download the Information Form. If you would like to submit something you’ve created for worship for possible use in the insight session, please submit it with the Submission Form.

I would really like to give the media artists in our church the opportunity to show-off their best work. I would also like for the members of our congregations to be inspired by the work of others to develop their own ministry. This insight session will help people to network with one another, in addition to being inspired. A DVD of the best submissions will be distributed during the insight session.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me. I look forward to hearing from you! Please refer this information with anyone you know who is developing media for worship! Please check back to this announcement, as I will be updating it in the future.

Thanks!

Jeff Glass
[email protected]
888-826-4951

Are there any videographers out there? The Congregational Life Team of the Church of the Brethren General Board is sponsoring a video contest for next year’s Annual Conference. The winning video on the 300th anniversary theme will be featured on the floor of Annual Conference either during business or worship.

Each video submitted must be no longer than 3 minutes. More information can be found on the attached entry forms or you may contact me. Submissions are due February 1, 2008 to me. Please send a dvd of your creation to:

Jeff Glass
5460 Gilbert Dr.
San Diego, CA 92115

So, I invite you to be thinking about next year’s theme: Surrendered to God – Transformed in Christ – Empowered by the Spirit; John 12:24-26a and be creative with your talent!

I’m excited about this project to celebrate our church’s anniversary! If you know of anyone who might submit a video, please download the forms and pass them on to your friend.

Blessings to you,
Jeff Glass

300th Video Contest Entry Form