| Not everyone processes information the same way. Few of us receive it the first time we see/hear it. Some hear, some read words, some see images, others do best with word of mouth. No one method catches everyone.
Not everyone processes information the same way. Few of us receive it the first time we see/hear it. Some hear, some read words, some see images, others do best with word of mouth. No one method catches everyone. Frequency matters. Conventional wisdom says we need to be told something seven times before we truly hear it. Contrast the power of modern advertising -- many repetitions, in multiple media -- with the weakness of posting a single message on a bulletin board or making a single announcement in public. Even the best-intentioned people simply don't receive it. The wise congregation ratchets up its communications. It sends multiple weekly e-mail newsletters -- perhaps one by the pastor, one as an all-parish news sheet, and one by lay leadership. It sends occasional e-mail reports on activities such as stewardship and worship. Each one is short, each one has links to further information on the Web site. In addition, the congregation sends targeted e-mails to parish groups, as well as the familiar printed publications, weekly service bulletin notes, and announcements in worship. Further steps are to enhance the congregation's parish Web site to provide more information in a more accessible format. Why all this effort? One reason is transparency. To the fullest extent possible, parish leaders want everyone to know what is happening in their congregation and why. A second reason is community building. Whether the congregation is large, medium, or small, shared information is essential for promoting trust and engagement. Rumors and gossip corrode community. People cannot participate in something they don't know about and won't support something they don't trust. The good news is that electronic communications are low in cost and high in effectiveness. The bad news is that thorough information will offend those who control through denial of information, and they will fight back. Some will complain about receiving too many e-mails. Some will resent the ability of the pastor or lay leader to speak in his or her own voice, rather than through their filtering. Some will insist that large areas of information, especially having to do with financial management, be kept secret. In the end, however, wise leaders learn to trust their constituents and to believe that a well-informed parish will be empowered to make healthy decisions and to pursue healthy ministries. Tom Ehrich is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is the author of "Just Wondering, Jesus," and the founder of the Church Wellness Project.
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