Raising the profile of reader ministry
a paper for the Reader Committee
Aim of the paper:
This paper aims to give the committee a suggested process and method for raising the profile of Reader ministry in our diocese. Our aim is to
- Create a better understanding of the significant role reader ministry has within our diocese (and tackle some of the potential negative stereotyping around what a Reader is and does)
- Increase the morale of existing readers
- Increase the level of awareness and understanding of Reader Ministry across our diocese.
- Encourage more people to hear God’s call to Reader Ministry
We will do in the context of supporting our diocesan vision of a bigger church making a bigger difference more people knowing Jesus more justice in the world and at a time when our diocese is seeing a range of ministry types. We aim to show how Reader Ministry fits into the jigsaw of leadership models being developed in our diocese. There is a risk that other models are seen as easier and more attractive and we need to show the validity of this approach.
I have given you three tools
1)A potential outline for the project.
2)A mechanism to consider the various audiences you may wish to communicate with.
3)A suggested timescale.
I may have made some incorrect presumptions and there will be further work needed to refine this. The communications team will be able to support and guide you in the development, design and production of material. You will need to consider a financial budget to support this project.
Throughout this document I have put a range of action points as recommendations to move forward. My chief recommendation is a small group is empowered to work with communications to deliver the project on behalf of the committee.
I recommend we aim to relaunch the profile of readers at the September AGM
The project
From a communication and marketing point of view this is an exercise in building a “brand” for readers. Using the word brand can provoke mixed reactions but essentially what it is about is looking at how we use words and pictures to convey a sense of what we are doing and change people’s perceptions of what something is about.
My understanding is the perception of Readers is that they are old, traditional and all they do is preach and lead the occasional service of Morning/Evening Prayer. Some may do funerals.
We need to change this perception to one of a dynamic ministry that is engaged fully in the life of the church, who lead congregations and who have a great deal to offer. We need to look at creating a more youthful, diverse image for Readers.
Action Point1 : -as Readers you have a much greater idea of what you do and how you wish to be perceived. I recommend a discussion about the image you wish to convey about Reader Ministry.
Once we have that in place we can work on the words and pictures we use to convey the message about Reader Ministry. The communications team can help refine and present the content but the examples need to come from the Reader Committee
These will become the key messages that you will want to get across in all forms of communication. You can then offer clear and consistent communication to support your aims.
For example your key messages could be that
- Reader ministry is a vibrant, active, diverse and relevant ministry
- That Readers are integral to God’s kingdom, fully supportive of the diocesan agenda
- That Readers do a wide range of ministry that go far beyond preaching in church
- That Reader Ministry is ministry ground in the realities of living out the Gospel in family, work and our whole lives.
Action Point 2: - I would recommend a discussion around your key messages and the stories that will reinforce your brand image, the people who can focus on to illustrate what Reader Ministry is about, the situations that reinforce the brand image.
You will then need to consider how you want to get that message across. This will, in part be dependent on what budget can be allocated. You will also need to think about
- The audiences you wish to communicate (see next section)
- The time you can put into this project
Some ideas for you to consider are
- Commissioned photography
- Pop up display material
- Video story-telling
- Revisiting the Reader logo and related imagery
- Links to diocesan social media and diocesan bulletin
- Targeted local and national press stories
- Revamp of the web pages
- Targeted advertising
- Direct emails
I would recommend that the centre of this will be a revamped web area which can serve as a vehicle for holding the stories. We then look at how we push out stories to targeted audiences.
Action Point 3: - There is a great amount of work to be done and I would recommend that a small project group, from the Reader Committee and/or wider body of readers works with the support of the Communications Team to deliver this work.
You may want to revisit processes for selection, recruitment and management of readers to reflect the image that you wish to convey.
Thinking about our different audiences
To help manage an exercise of this nature it is useful to consider the various different audiences we wish to communicate with and any specific messages we may want them to hear and understand. It is also useful to consider the response we would desire from each particular audience type.
As a starting point here are some key audiences (in no particular order)
- Bishops and senior clergy
- Congregations
- Parish and other clergy
- Existing Readers
- Those considering their vocation
- General public
- SJH staff
- Vocations teams (local and national)
You can then use the matrix to refine what messages are given to each audience. (I have given the first line as an example)
Audience / Message (s) / Desired response / Vehicle (s)Bishops and Senior Clergy / Reader ministry is important and diverse
Reader ministry is important to their episcopal and leadership goals
We need to be encouraging more people into this important ministry / Understanding
Advocacy / Direct conversations
Attendance at services
Bulletin
Website
Social media
Action Point 4: - I recommend that the audience list needs to be refined and the matrix completed for each audience type
Outline Timescale
April:Form Project group, meet to fully scope out project and allocate tasks
Refine and produce more detailed timeline
Complete audience matrix
Agree budget
develop more detailed communication plan
(2-3 hr meeting after Easter)
May – JuneIdentify stories and story tellers
Commission photography/videography
Consider website structure
July – AugustCopywriting and design
Approval of outline materials
August to SeptSend any material to print
Update web pages in private area
Prepare launch material and organise style of launch at AGM