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Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday, News & Announcements, Resources

Sep 142011

We grew up with this well-known children’s game. Kids ran freely through a playground with the goal of tagging friends, unfreezing others, trying not to get caught or maybe to avoid being “it.”

It’s funny how I have heard these same kinds of words at PWOC events. After a time of prayer, singing, teaching, and lunch, one friend says to another, “I’ll tag you.”

Of course, the PWOC friends are talking about sharing photos and stories on Facebook. What a great tool to use in our chapels to spread the news of Christ and His work here in our communities! That is, after all, what He has called us to do — to spread the Good News of His plan of salvation and redemption. Our relationship with Christ is often evident in our profile and status updates on Facebook. We share with our virtual world our goods, our bads, our moods, our children’s accomplishments, our PCS transitions, our interests, likes and frustrations. We communicate to and connect with others not only through our FB but also link our texts and Tweets to our FBs. It is a need we have – to communicate with others. To communicate with God. To let them know how we’re doing. To be known.

Being someone who is characteristically introverted yet driven by the Great Commission and a strong affinity for words, I find great joy in sharing the Gospel of Christ to each generation through the social media of Facebook. This is how God has called me to evangelize and serve and be in relationship with His people in this season. And so for this reason, I want to encourage and challenge you each in the words of Jesus as He spoke to His disciples: And Jesus came up and spoke to them as it’s recorded in the book of Matthew, chapter 28, saying, “¹⁸All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

PWOC International has been involved with Facebook for about two years. Our Page is a place to share the blog, prayer requests, Scripture, advice, suggestions, ministry news, discussion pages, and regional and local updates. We currently have almost 3,000 “likes” to our Page, which means almost 3,000 people who say they follow us online. That’s cool! Let’s continue to encourage the several other ladies who attend PWOC weekly to also be part of our online community. I hope our Page is something you enjoy seeing when scrolling through your News Feed; it is updated daily.

As PWOC is a chapel-sponsored (i.e., government-sponsored) organization, we must abide by certain regulations that allow us the resources and advisement that we are accustomed to receiving at each level of ministry. Below are a few items found in our current “SOP” (Standard Operating Procedure) and guide the Facebook presence of PWOC International (local, regional, area, and international).

Please use the correct (turquoise) logo in the profile photo.
Please include webmail address and website address in the Info tab, plus any other local contact information you have (blog or website).
Please consider the safety and personal issues of all before posting unit or deployment information or photos. Practice good OpSec.
Please use only chaplain-sponsored “like” Pages in the left side of your Page (not military unit, civilian community, or other non-PWOC ministry Pages)
Please be sure to use your webmail when creating your local or regional Page
Please be sure your PWOC Facebook presence is on a Page – not a Group, not a personal Profile
Please feel free to share the links posted from www.facebook.com/pwoci — these may include blogs, home page updates, YouTube videos, and theme resources

Local executive boards can also network with others in their same position through Facebook Groups listed here:

Local Presidents http://www.facebook.com/groups/134771346542949/

Local Spiritual Life VPs http://www.facebook.com/groups/136400213047504/

Local Programs VP http://www.facebook.com/groups/138443599506685/

Local Administrative Coordinators http://www.facebook.com/groups/196429240405726/

Local Financial Liaisons http://www.facebook.com/groups/168980749834802/

We are called to take His Word into the world – the message of the Gospel of Christ – the love of God – and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit! Lord, I pray that this genius of social media will be used to the Glory of God for the purpose of YOUR KINGDOM COME on this earth, as well as in Heaven.

Be blessed – for the Glory of Christ and His Kingdom!

Love,

Melinda Hemphill

PWOCI Facebook Coordinator

The Facebook SOP can be found at http://resources.pwoc.org/web.

Please send all correspondence to facebook@pwoc.org.

P-What?: 8 Ways YOU can Share PWOC in Your Community!

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday

Feb 232011

Submitted by Jenn Cook, PWOCI 3VP Communications

Have you ever been chatting with a lady at the commissary and asked if she attends PWOC and she replies “P-What?” Have you driven around your base and wondered how many of the ladies could be blessed if they only knew that PWOC existed? Do you wonder how you can reach out and share PWOC with those ladies and help promote your local group more effectively?

The communications team offers a few simple ideas that can help anyone spread the word of this amazing ministry called Protestant Women of the Chapel (or simply PWOC) on your local military installation:

• Invite your neighbors to come along with you.

• Express your enthusiasm about your local PWOC on facebook.

• Volunteer to insert flyers into the Sunday bulletins at all your chapel services.

• Hand out PWOC business cards advertising the local meeting day, times and location.

(Or add this information to your personal contact cards!)

• Attend your Base’s Newcomer’s Briefing and share PWOC.

• Ask if your local PWOC has a t-shirt and wear it proudly in your community.

• Use the words of your mouth to spread the news of PWOC.

• Join your local PWOC’s publicity team.

If you’re already on the Publicity team, try these ideas:

• Create a walking billboard (called a t-shirt) advertising your PWOC.

• Provide flyers and PWOC information cards for women to share.

• Recruit volunteers to hang flyers in offices such as ACS, Lodging, Housing, or at the Commissary and PX/BX.

• Advertise meeting times on the installation’s scrolling marquees.

• Promote events with news releases to your local or AAFES radio stations.

• Raise awareness by sending information to your installation or local TV channel.

• Place ads in the installation’s military newspaper

• For more ideas and helpful downloads visit the Publicity section of pwoc.org located under Resources.

Since PWOC is a part of the Chapel Ministries, always coordinate with your local Chaplain Advisor for permission and helpful advice when advertising in your military community.

The Communications Team would like to hear from you. If you have creative ideas that have worked in spreading the news and advertising your PWOC, please send them to: communications@pwoc.org.

Remember, a personal invitation is the most effective advertising! Think about what brought you to PWOC for the first time. Are you utilizing that kind of publicity?

Addressing PWOC Changes - Part 3

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday, President's Pen

Jun 232010

This post is part three of a three part series. Please see Parts One & Two here.

Communications: This is probably the most visible area of recent and potential change and one that has been discussed the most ministry wide. In working with two terms of international boards and three terms of regional boards, it became very clear where God is at work within PWOC, the chapel and the military at large. We saw the need to be more intentional about reaching out to our military communities and offering the hope of salvation and life in Jesus Christ. For the reasons stated in the Spiritual Development portion of this letter (Addressing PWOC Changes Part 2) as well as the alarming statistics of military divorce and suicide, and the short and long-term affects of war on families, the PWOC Executive Board saw that it was necessary to become more culturally relevant in our graphic look while remaining true to Jesus Christ and His written Word.

In reviewing our overall communications efforts, we found the following:

We are not consistent with the way we use our logo, both by itself and also with other key PWOC ministry offerings such as W.I.L.D. training, conferences, etc.

Our logo looked outdated, and would be less likely to draw a new group of women to the ministry of PWOC.

We didn’t have consistent colors, fonts and messaging points to help ones who didn’t know us readily identify with different elements of PWOC. For example, the past PWOC conferences, training events may not always have a PWOC logo or consistent branded look associated with it. Many on the outside would not have been able to readily identify it as a PWOC event.

For the most part, publicity materials and development guidelines were not available. Local and regional PWOC boards were left to develop their own publicity items without needed direction. Although we did have a PWOC tri-fold flier, it had a “military” look to it (I affectionately referred to this look as “military fluffy”), which is not appealing to women looking for a group who looked relevant to their current needs.

Chapel communications were limited to bulletins unless there was a local PWOC spokesperson available to share current activities of its chapter.

Flow of information from PWOC International to local boards and individual PWOC members was slow moving and sometimes nonexistent.

Based on our findings, the PWOC International Board and its communications team have worked to develop more streamlined resource information and communication avenues. Some of the exciting new items we have developed are following (Note: some items are still in the development process and will be rolled out before the end of the 2008-2010 PWOC International Board’s term):

A daily blog on our web site
An official PWOC International Facebook page has been established, which currently has over 2300 participants. Also, regions are beginning to set up their own FaceBook page in order to help further encourage regional area information flow.

Through changes made in our new one-year old The Women’s Ministry Manual; Official Leaders’ Policy and Guidelines of Protestant Women of the Chapel, we have encouraged each protestant chapel to select a designated woman within their congregation to become their official PWOC representative – Women’s Ministry Coordinator (this can be a PWOC board member) in order that communication flow both ways from chapel to PWOC and PWOC to the chapel.

Development of an official PWOC logo guideline
Future development of a brand guide, which will help every level of PWOC leadership connect all venues and offerings with one consistent ministry experience, look and message of “Christ Centered Sisterhood” within PWOC worldwide. This does not change our Aims or current motto, but is a simple underlying message that we can all connect with by delivering this experience consistently to those who come into contact with us.

Refreshed 2008 PWOC logo developed for the PWOC International Conference, which led to a permanent logo color change (turquoise background) and refreshed look. Officially decided on by consensus of the PWOCI Joint Council at the 2009 PWOCI Joint Council Meeting and posted on the web site in the spring of 2009.

New PWOC International web site graphic look, which was launched in 2009.

Development of a new PWOC outreach mini magazine (to be ready summer 2010). This customizable magazine can be placed in military locations where women go for services such as medical clinics and hospital waiting rooms, hair, nail and spa locations and shops such as, commissaries, PX, BX, NEX, and even in our own military chapels.

Development of new web based theme communications pieces

Development of a new online PWOC International Executive Board Vision video to assist the entire ministry in understanding the overarching vision of PWOC International, in accordance with the current work God is doing within our military communities, chapels and PWOC worldwide.

Development of a new web based promotional materials such as: a Chapel Designated Offering Bulletin Insert, a customizable local PWOC Kick-off Publicity Flier, an Outreach/Invitation Card and customizable Publicity Fliers for PWOC Bible Studies.

In summary, what we have been doing is aligning the ministry more with the current needs of the chaplaincy and women at large within our military communities in order to reach out to the hurting, the lost and the weary. Our desire is that we bring the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the military worldwide and come alongside and bring assistance to our chaplains who have to deal daily with the stresses of the nine-year war we have been in.

We have been given a precious gift from the Lord through this ministry. Our hope is that we shine brightly like a city on a hill by bringing the light of Jesus Christ to the darkness around us within the military and beyond.

May the Lord give each of you a deep passion for the lost, the brokenhearted and those held captive by the lies of the enemy, so that they too can be set free to experience an abundant life in Jesus Christ.

To God Alone Be All the Glory,

Brenda Marlin

President, PWOC International

Align, Arise & Shine!

(2008-2010 PWOC International Board vision statement)

How do you Connect?

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday, News & Announcements

Oct 212009

Letters with stamps. Remember those? Maybe a long distant phone call with a timer that keeps track of how much money you’ve spent. Maybe an occasional visit in person with someone you haven’t seen in a long time.

Does that sound like a long time ago? How do you connect with others?

Yes, going next door or down the street for that hot cup of coffee and understanding ear is still preferred, but if you can’t make personal contact, how do you reach out to others and feel connected?

I facebook. It has changed the way I see ministry. The possibilities multiply by being connected to so many people.

I began emailing in 1996, instant messaging not much after that, have used the internet for research for at least a decade, but am completely sold on social networking as the #1 way to reach someone that’s not living close to you.

We have currently been given favor and approval to have our very own fan page on facebook! In six days, we had reached 400 fans with an average of 10-20 new fans per hour! If you’ve already signed on, you know the benefits. You will see the daily PWOCI blog with opportunity to leave comments. You, the fan, will be able to post pictures and comments, and we hope to hear your great conference stories. You will reconnect with ladies you’ve known in your different local PWOCs and meet new friends. There are discussions set up for a variety of topics: blog, conferences, regions, change, publicity ideas, prayer, and several more. Our website is linked to our facebook page, making it more convenient for you to connect. Look for the button on the home page and the blog page.

By being on facebook, you can connect with many PWOC ladies around the world. Imagine that squeal that we hear in the lobby of a conference hotel. Imagine that it’s an “online squeal” when you join the facebook called “Protestant Women of the Chapel International.” See ya there!

And bring some new friends to join the fun!!

Melinda Hemphill, PWOCI Communications

Link to PWOC on Facebook here.

February 2012
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