2010 Annual Meeting Workshops

Cyperspace and Sacredspace
Rev. Eric Law
Author, artist and Episcopal Priest


Hear more from keynote speaker, Eric Law, who is founder and director of Kaleidoscope Institute, focused on training and developing leaders in a multi-cultural world and building inclusive communities. Using Audio Visual media as art-forms to enter into ministry in Cyperspace and to create Sacred Space in local communities to communicate the faith and to build inclusive community.  Part of this workshop will include working together to create an Illuminated Space for the conference participants to enter into for meditation and worship.

Author of seven books, which explore diversity, inclusion, sacred arts, leadership in multicultural contexts and more, Law began working, last year, with the General Board of Discipleship’s the Rev. Kwasi Kena and the Rev. Safiyah Fosua on creating prayer videos. Check it out on at Law’s You Tube page, GraceinCyberspace. 

 
 
Pelosi Said What?
Wayne Rhodes
Director of Communications, General Board of Church & Society

Sometimes, communicators get pulled into the turbulent seas roiled by controversy. Frequently, it happens unexpectedly, such as U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's surprise declaration that caused phones to ring across the country, when she thanked the United Methodist Church for supporting health-care reform.

This presentation will address how to handle calls and avoid being caught off guard in the future.  “Controversial” issues, such as the United Methodist Social Principles and the General Board of Church & Society, social justice advocacy, who speaks for the denomination and how communicators should relate to all of these  and more will be broached.

 
 
Rethink Church – Prepare to Engage!
Jackie Vaughan and Jennifer Rodia
United Methodist Communications

Join the Rethink Church team as they demonstrate how local churches can make an Impact in their neighborhoods, and get the results of 20 community events that were held in 2010.

Learn about the 2011 Change the World Event, local church resources, new seeker site, and the new Rethink Church edition, Common English Bible.

 
 
The Care and Feeding of Photographers
Mike Dubose
United Methodist Communications

Learn how to recruit, evaluate and work with photographers to better meet the needs of your conference or organization.

We will discuss submission guidelines for photography and explore when it’s okay to rely on a hobbyist, when you need to call in a pro, and ways to help hobbyists shoot like professionals.

 
 
Telling The Giving Story
Vicki Wallace and Mary Lynn Holly
United Methodist Communications

United Methodists are able to make an impact on the world because of the way we live and give connectionally. Mary Lynn and Vicki have spent years at United Methodist Communications staffing InfoServ and explaining the connection to the “people in the pews.” Come and learn the language to move people from seeing the connection as a burden, to seeing the opportunity to for connectional impact that no one church could make alone.

 
 

Copyright Essentials
E. Lynn Perry
Perry IP Law Group

Television clips. Songs. Cartoons. Icons. As the church strives to creatively connect with an increasingly visual audience, it’s enticing to borrow from popular culture. But, the law is specific about how churches can and can’t use the ideas and creative concepts of others. This workshop will explore copyrights, intellectual property, trademarks and more. Learn how these laws are applied to the work of communicators. (And learn to protect the original works of your church, including sermons, songs, books, websites and more.)

Lynn Perry is one of the top trademark lawyers in the U.S. She has practiced trademark and copyright law since 1981, initially serving as in-house trademark counsel for MasterCard International. Lynn was most recently the head of the Trademark Group of the national law firm of Thelen Reid & Priest. She has been an adjunct professor at UC Hastings College of the Law and was on the editorial board of the Trademark Reporter for more than 20 years. A case she litigated to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals established the first sale doctrine of trademark law.

Lynn is a frequent speaker and author on subjects in the intellectual property law area and has the ability to communicate complex legal concepts in plain English. She has been named a Northern California Super Lawyer, and is listed in several Who's Who publications. 

 
 
Safe Sanctuary: What’s Changing With New Emerging Media?
Susan Hay and Carolyn Dandridge
General Board of Discipleship

Learn to reduce the risk of abuse in the church for children, youth, adults working with youth and the elderly. Consider the impact of videos, web site postings and social media on the confidentiality of information from church worship services and activities. What happens when an individual’s use of emerging media unknowingly puts themselves or others at risk? And, are there laws to protect individuals against themselves? The workshop will look at the present laws and explore ways to support continuous education as the world’s media continues to evolve. 

 
 
Viral Video
Eric Halverson
Our Church Videos

Utilizing affordable video technologies with the internet enhances the communications of local churches and annual conferences with the people they serve. Live streaming and video archiving will also be discussed. 

In addition, basic equipment needs and videography techniques will be covered; along with how to solicit video content from other sources within one’s organization and church that will perpetuate the conference/church/congregant communicative link and help build a video resource library.