Present: Sarah Beard, Moderator, Sarah Peniston, Brandon Jelinek, Kathy Sanducky, Kathy Umbarger, Paul Wescott, Mike Copas.
Task Force members took a tour of the Whitworth computer room facility on Monday to see where equipment is housed on the campus. Greg Orwig, Director of Communications at Whitworth University, gave a presentation on Tuesday. Greg highlighted the development of the new Whitworth website and importance of continuity of communication materials.
Members discussed the purpose of the Communications Task Force at the Synod level. We agreed the presbyteries and congregations need to “tell the story!”
The Synod of Alaska NW offers the following services to all presbyteries and congregations:
Free email hosting
Free web hosting using the DotNetNuke platform
Discounts for software purchases
Database Program
Offsite backup
Grants
The Synod has something to offer every presbytery and church in this region.
Task Force Plan:
Our goal over the next year or so is for every church in the region to have a presence on the web. As our first target, we will begin the planning of how to facilitate face-to-face meetings by presbytery with every church that does not have a website. To assist these churches, we will develop additional IT support, templates for websites and DNN training classes. Our second phase will be to facilitate face-to-face meetings with the other churches in each presbytery to discuss the other services offered by the Synod, including free email hosting, IT support, and discounts on software purchases.