The Top 6 communications questions
Got any questions for our communications staff members? Here are the top six inquiries that come through the conference communications office – and the answers.
Mille Meese, print media specialist
(865) 690-4080
Q. Which typesetting programs do you use?
A. For items printed in-house or by a quick printer, I use Microsoft Publisher or Adobe PageMaker. For larger jobs with commercial printers, I use QuarkXpress, Adobe PageMaker or InDesign.
Q. How do you deliver the finished job to the printer?
A. By CD or by downloading from the conference FTP site.
Donna Hankins, interactive media specialist
(865) 690-4080
Q. How can I get a web site for my church?
A. The conference offers free hosting for Holston Conference churches and groups. Contact Donna Hankins, above, for more information. For advice on creating web pages, visit http://www.circuitride.com.
It's also important for your church to have a communications team that helps develop the site and keeps it growing and changing. Unfortunately, the conference office doesn’t have resources to provide web site creation for local churches. Find someone in your church with an interest in technology. That church member can have fun learning html and providing an important ministry.
Q. Can my church have its own web address like www.FirstUMCmytown.org if our web site is hosted with the conference?
A. Yes. For the best price and easiest connection to our servers, register your name at www.GoDaddy.com. Go Daddy provides domain name registration for only $8-9 per year and free domain name forwarding.
If you don't care to purchase a name, the conference communications office can provide addresses such as: http://yourchurchname.holston.org at no cost.
Annette Bender, Editor, The Call
(865) 690-4080
Q. Who receives The Call?
A. The conference’s official newspaper has a subscription list of about 5,500. Some subscribers pay $15 annually for the bi-weekly newspaper to be delivered by mail. The following Holston members receive The Call free of charge, paid for by the conference, as authorized by the Communications Ministry Team:
• All active pastors, both full-time and part-time
• Administrative Board/ Church Leadership Committee chairs
• Council on Ministries chairs
• Lay leaders
• Lay members to Annual Conference
• United Methodist Women presidents
• Missions chairs
• Evangelism chairs
Of course, The Call is also available online at http://thecall.holston.org.
Q. When is your deadline?
A. You may assume that the deadline for the next issue is two weeks after the most current publication date. For example, the deadline for the June 4 edition is May 21; deadline for the June 18 issue is June 4; and so on.
Keep in mind, however, that many articles are planned weeks in advance and The Call’s eight pages are in high demand. Although most items submitted for “Exchange,” “Calendar” and “District Roundup” will eventually be published, it’s important to discuss your editorial ideas and needs with the editor in advance. Also consider the conference’s e-mail “News Briefs” and “Wednesday on the Web” stories as publication possibilities. Contact Annette Bender, above, for more information.
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