🌟 Greetings, Church Communication Leaders, Pastors, and Teachers! 🌟

As December ushers in the Christmas season, we warmly welcome winter's embrace, and the heartwarming moments that come with it. We hope the inspiration shared in this newsletter will prove to be a precious gift for you. Your unwavering commitment to your calling is greatly treasured.

📌 Your Insight is Needed: As we plan our March 2024 Communication Workshop, we want to tailor it to your needs. Which topics or skills would serve you best in your church? Share your visions and voice with us at communication@carolinasda.org. Your perspective is needed in developing a workshop that resonates and empowers.

Crafting a Vibrant Social Media Calendar

for Your Local Church in the New Year

1. Define Your Goals: Before you start scheduling posts, identify your church's primary goals for social media. Is it to strengthen connections with current members, reach out to new ones, share inspirational messages, or promote events? Knowing your objectives will guide your content creation and posting strategy.

2. Know Your Audience: Understand your congregation's demographics and interests. Tailor your content to resonate with your community, whether it's through scripture passages, inspirational quotes, or community stories.

3. Plan Ahead: Create a content calendar that outlines the themes, topics, and special events you want to highlight throughout the year. This will help you stay organized and maintain a consistent posting schedule.

4. Diversify Content: Keep your social media content engaging and varied. Include a mix of text, images, videos, and live streams. Share testimonials, devotionals, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and informative content related to your church's mission.

5. Leverage Seasonal Events: Align your content with major holidays, religious observances, and local events. For example, share messages of hope and gratitude during Thanksgiving or Christmas and promote community outreach activities during relevant seasons.

6. Engage Your Congregation: Encourage your members to interact with your posts. Ask questions, conduct polls, and host Q&A sessions. Respond to comments and messages promptly to foster a sense of community and connection.

7. Collaborate and Cross-Promote: Partner with other local organizations, charities, or neighboring churches to cross-promote events and initiatives. This can expand your reach and create a stronger sense of unity within your community.

8. Use Hashtags: Incorporate relevant and trending hashtags into your posts to increase discoverability. Consider creating a unique church-specific hashtag to encourage congregants to share their own experiences.

9. Analyze and Adjust: Regularly review your social media analytics to assess what's working and what needs improvement. Adjust your content strategy accordingly to maximize engagement and reach.

10. Remain Authentic: Authenticity is key in social media. Share genuine stories, showcase the spirit of your congregation, and be sincere in your interactions. People appreciate real connections.

     

By carefully planning and executing a well-thought-out social media calendar, your local church can effectively connect with its congregation, inspire its members, and welcome newcomers in the coming year. Embrace the power of social media to strengthen your community and share your church's message of hope, love, and faith.

The 1-Page Church Social Media Calendar

From our favorite Church Communication YouTuber: Brady Shearer

Brady Shearer will demonstrate the process of transforming a single sermon into a week's worth of social media content for your church. This encompasses vertical videos, quote posts, carousel posts, text threads, YouTube videos, blog posts, and even full-length books! Every major social platform will be discussed, and you can find all the top tips and tricks in this video conveniently condensed into a downloadable one-page resource.

President's Prayer Partners, Praises and Petitions (P5)

Upcoming Events

* Remember to check our website for info on upcoming events.

Resources for Members 

• Kathy's Kids Storytime is more popular than ever! We are excited to announce that we have passed the quarter of a million download mark, with listeners from around the world! Available on all major podcasting outlets. 
   

• Joy in the Weeds: This is our podcast hosted by Beth Grissom and Kim Cove. It's brought to you by Women's Ministry, but men are welcome to listen as well. This, too, is available on all major podcasting outlets.
   

• Don't forget to download the Conference App (available on Apple, Google and Amazon Fire devices) to stay connected with the Conference during this time. Make sure notifications for the app are turned on so that we can push information out when there are urgent updates. 

PLEASE tell us what you, our local church communicators, want in next month's

e-newsletter. These publications are meant to help you with your responsibilities in the local church, and we would be happy to cover any topic you have questions about. Let us know what you want to learn!