New decade brings communication changes for Lutherans

WINNIPEG – With the new year comes new developments in Lutheran Church–Canada’s communication strategy. The goal is to provide regular, ongoing information online while still providing hands-on communication.

To keep readers up-to-date, news stories, both national and international, along with event reports and news from congregations, districts, and educational institutions will soon begin appearing online only days after the events they report are finished. The current site www.lccinfodigest.ca will handle all news stories. The twice-monthly InfoDigest will continue as an e-mail compilation of news and information.

Ian Adnams, LCC’s director of communications, noted that the key to keeping the news current is making sure the news reports and photos from congregations get to the district editors as soon as possible.

In addition, an online version of The Canadian Lutheran, www.canadianlutheran.ca with more features, columnists and news will launch by September. The hardcopy edition of the magazine will publish six times per year. “The Internet allows us to provide timely news and information and the printed version gives readers something to take home from church and spend time with” explained Adnams. The magazine will also develop a Facebook presence and continue using Twitter for story alerts.

Plans for the news service include posting short video clips from events. “You can record a video with a cell phone these days, so there’s no reason why that can’t be part of a report, along with a high quality digital photo,” said the director. The site will also have an area for classified ads, coming events and blogs.

The printed version of the magazine will expand to include more district news and draw stories from the website. “Between the regular magazine, the online version and ongoing news postings, we hope to engage the broadest possible audience,” said Adnams.

Although reducing the number of paper editions of The Canadian Lutheran was partially driven by budget concerns, the Board of Directors’ Committee for Communication and Technology which provided advice for the changes believes the new approach is a positive direction. LCC’s research shows many members of congregations are online almost every day.

“The Lord is providing us with new ways to communicate,” observed Dr. Adnams. “Our goal is to build the best media mix using all the tools at our disposal.

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