Wendy de Jong

Although I've already posted about how to get people to respect your space, sometimes it's unavoidable, and it's those Sundays that highlight one of the main problems with working where you worship. There are Sundays when it feels like people only talk to you because they need something from you, and this can be a bit demoralizing personally. When you're the "go to" person for everyone else, a Sunday morning can be very busy, yet very empty on a personal level.

A few thoughts - First of all I would encourage you to look at software other than PowerPoint, if that's indeed what you are using. PPT was created for businesses, not the church. There are a number of excellent worship based programs available. We use Media Shout at our church. I'm often asked to incorporate PPT into it, and for the most part find it an inferior product.
Second - any chance you can get to the Calvin Symposium on Worship in January? There will be 3 workshops offered there that all relate to the use of media in worship. I'm leading one of those, and will be touching on some details like you mentioned. If you can't get there, it may be that once it's over, I'll have something in written format to pass on. Perhaps the other presenters might as well. I have some serious misgivings and butterflies about the thought of presenting, but I agreed to do it, because like you, I'm convinced there hasn't been enough training about how to use such tools effectively for worship.

Thanks so much for your encouraging words! Everytime I get nervous as I prepare, I'll go back and read this for a morale boost.

I look forward to meeting you in January and to sharing with you and others.

Thanks Duane. I'm glad it was useful to you. I had to smile at the way you wrote your note, so just to make sure there are no misunderstandings, it's "Wendy de Jong and Steve Koster." :-) Steve did a summer internship at Jubilee, so he was once my "boss," but is not my husband.

We've kept part of our bulletin, namely the schedules and the prayer concerns, on the 'members only' section. However, many people forget their passwords or find this too cumbersome, yet I'm reluctant to put the entire bulletin on the public website. Does anyone else put their entire bulletin on the public site, and if so, have there been concerns about privacy, etc?

Yes, this would be great. My husband is currently designing such a website which will start with many of the visuals we use at Jubilee. This site can be linked with the CICW one, and can also be accessed by other churches. So much time goes into these visuals that sharing them with others makes immanent sense. We hope to have this public by this year's symposium. I've been designing worship backgrounds for several years now and would love to share with others.

There's a website all ready to go to serve as a repository. A few churches are on board and more are most welcome. www.worshipAnew.net
You can contact me directly by email if you want more information or send jpgs, etc., for uploading.

We require police clearance certicates for anyone in leadership in our church. Yes, it is not full proof, but, it does send a signal, particularly to guests or newcomers, that this is a church that cares about it's vulnerable members, and takes its responsibility seriously. We also have policies about visits by elders, deacons, or youth group leaders, etc., not to drive alone with a member of the opposite sex, or visit them alone. Such visits, if unavoidable, are then to be conducted in a public place like a coffee shop or library.

Objection - it's "children with Down Syndome" - not "Downs children." That may seem like a minor technicality, but it isn't. They are children first, they happen to have Down Syndrome. Sadly using terms such as "Downs children" identifies them by their disability.
It's indeed wonderful that such are now available. Too late for many, however. The way a doctor delivers the news makes a huge world of difference.

I hope you didn't take offense. We were very fortunate that our doctor presented us with ideas of just what she could accomplish, rather than on what all her limitations would be. Our daughter is now 24. When she was born I had to get help - 4 times I tried calling the "Association for the Mentally Retarded" and 3 times I hung up the phone as soon as I heard the receptionist say this line. Maybe I'm hyper-sensitive to names and terminology, but I for one am so thankful that parents calling today instead get to hear "Association for Community Living."

Thanks for this post. It's a timely and needed reminder to be sensitive to those with pain. Although not mentioned, there is another kind of pain at Christmas felt by those who spend countless hours making 'Christmas' happen for others in worship, but who, by the time the day is all done, feel an emptiness inside because their busyness squeezed out any significant spiritual and emotional connection for themselves.
I'd like to reprint the poem in our church bulletin. Is this permissable, using the credits above?