In our congregation we use a mass email program called Constant Contact to send out Care and Prayer emails to the congregation. These can be emails about deaths, births, medical issues, milestone birthdays or anniversaries, really any cause for joy or sorrow that we can invite our congregation to pray about. People can ask to be added to the contact list and are welcome to remove themselves (unsubscribe) from the list at any time they choose. We do have parameters around what types of prayer requests we do send out (otherwise the recipients can get overwhelmed with emails in their inbox) although there are exceptions for every rule and we remain flexible. We never send out an email without the subjects permission, it is after all their story to tell in the way that they want, and we try to link the subjects email (with permission) so that recipients can directly send them a note of support and encouragement. We have several people on staff that have access to the program so a Care and Prayer email can be sent out virtually any time, although in cases of death I sometimes ask if we an wait a day so we can link the published obituary for all the details of visitation and service. It is a system that works quite well and appreciated by our congregation.
Posted in: How Does Your Church Share Prayer Requests?
In our congregation we use a mass email program called Constant Contact to send out Care and Prayer emails to the congregation. These can be emails about deaths, births, medical issues, milestone birthdays or anniversaries, really any cause for joy or sorrow that we can invite our congregation to pray about. People can ask to be added to the contact list and are welcome to remove themselves (unsubscribe) from the list at any time they choose. We do have parameters around what types of prayer requests we do send out (otherwise the recipients can get overwhelmed with emails in their inbox) although there are exceptions for every rule and we remain flexible. We never send out an email without the subjects permission, it is after all their story to tell in the way that they want, and we try to link the subjects email (with permission) so that recipients can directly send them a note of support and encouragement. We have several people on staff that have access to the program so a Care and Prayer email can be sent out virtually any time, although in cases of death I sometimes ask if we an wait a day so we can link the published obituary for all the details of visitation and service. It is a system that works quite well and appreciated by our congregation.