Greetings, church communication leaders, pastors and teachers!

As the new school year approaches, we're excited to include not only our pastors but also extend a warm welcome to our dedicated teachers this year. Your commitment to the ministry is invaluable, and we look forward to sharing updates with you. Let's unite in nurturing creativity, growth, and spiritual development!

IMPORTANT REQUEST: We are planning our March 2024 Communication Workshop, and we want to hear from you as to what topics would best benefit you at your church. Please email us your thoughts: communication@carolinasda.org

Adobe Express

There are two tiers of Adobe Express, the Free version and the Paid version. But the free version has a lot of things to take your church's print, web and mobile communication to the next level.

• Basic Photo Editing

• Templates: Social Media, Print & Mobile

• Presentation

• Limited Royalty-free Stock images

• 2gb of cloud storage (so not for long-term storage)

You can even share projects with your team and work on the same file without having to download and reupload a bunch of times.

Teachers, you can even use this to create posters for your classrooms or colorful seating charts.

Pastors, this can even be used to create colorful info graphics to post around your church.

For more information: Click Here

AP Style Made Easy: Crafting a Clear and Crisp 250-Word Article

Writing a simple 250-word article in AP style involves following the guidelines set by the Associated Press (AP) for journalistic writing. AP style emphasizes clarity, accuracy, and brevity. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you write your article:

1. Choose a Topic: Select a subject that is concise and focused enough to cover in 250 words. For example, let's choose the topic "Benefits of Regular Exercise."

2. Write a Strong Headline: Craft a headline that grabs the reader's attention and accurately summarizes the article. Keep it within 5-10 words, capitalize the first letter of each word (except for articles, prepositions, and conjunctions), and use present tense. For example: "Regular Exercise Boosts Overall Health, Study Shows."

3. Introduction (Lead Paragraph): Start with a compelling lead that summarizes the main point of the article in a concise manner. Include the who, what, when, where, why, and how if possible. Keep this paragraph around 25-30 words.

4. Body: Provide supporting information and details in two to three short paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or point related to the topic. Begin with the most important information and progressively cover less crucial details. Use quotes or data from reputable sources to add credibility.

5. Attribution: Whenever you use information or quotes from another source, attribute them to the appropriate person or organization. Use the full name and title, and provide context when necessary.

6. Writing Style: Write in a clear and concise manner, avoiding jargon or complex language. Use active voice and strong verbs. Keep sentences short and to the point.

7. AP Style Guidelines: Follow the AP Stylebook for formatting and punctuation. Use "percent" instead of the symbol (%), use the Oxford comma, and spell out numbers one to nine, but use numerals for 10 and above. Make sure to capitalize proper nouns, like names and locations.

8. Conclusion: Summarize the main points of the article in a sentence or two. End on a strong note, leaving the reader with something to think about or a call to action if applicable.

9. Proofread and Edit: Review your article for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that it meets the word count requirement.

10. Include Relevant Information: Add a byline with your name at the end of the article, along with any additional information required, such as a date or location.

Remember, brevity is key in a 250-word article, so prioritize the most important information and keep unnecessary details to a minimum.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Submit Articles for Publication

"You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. " 2 Corinthians 3:2 ESV

So here is a step-by-step guide to follow for submitting any article to our department:

1. Understand the Importance: Recognize that your stories are essential for the ministry and the publications rely on your contributions to thrive. Your unique perspectives and experiences enrich the content.

2. Choose the Publication: Decide which publication you want to submit your article to. There are two options mentioned: Carolina Action and Southern Tidings.

3. Carolina Action Submission Guidelines:

a. Format: Write your story in Microsoft Word, ensuring it falls within the range of 250-500 words.

b. Photos: Include at least two high-resolution photos in JPEG format. Remember not to insert photos into the Word document.

c. Attribution: Provide the names of the author and photographer(s).

d. Deadline: Submit your article by the following deadlines:

- Dec. 1 for the Jan issue

- March 1 for the April issue

- June 1 for the July issue

- Sept. 1 for the Oct issue

e. Submission Email: Send your article and photos to communication@carolinasda.org.

4. Southern Tidings Submission Guidelines:

a. Format: Compose your story in Microsoft Word, ensuring it is approximately 500 words in length.

b. Photos: Include 5 to 7 high-resolution photos in JPEG format. Avoid inserting photos into the Word document.

c. Attribution: Provide the names of the author and photographer(s).

d. Deadline: Submit your content by the 15th of the month to be considered for publication in the second next issue. For instance, items submitted by March 15 would be published in the May issue.

e. Submission Email: Send your article and photos to communication@carolinasda.org.

5. Submission Completion: After following the specific guidelines for either Carolina Action or Southern Tidings, submit your article and photos via email to the provided address.

6. Publication Placement: Be aware that all submitted articles will be used by the Conference Communication Department, either in the Carolina Action, Southern Tidings, conference website, or conference Facebook page. The decision regarding publication location rests with the department's discretion.

7. Gratitude: Finally, thank you for being an instrument in God's hands and contributing to the ministry. Your involvement is invaluable to the success and impact of these publications.

Remember to follow the given guidelines carefully, adhere to deadlines, and submit your articles and photos to the designated email address. By doing so, you are playing a vital role in sharing inspiring stories and important information within your community and beyond.

Protecting Your Church Online:

The Urgent Need for Security Measures

From our favorite Church Communication YouTuber: Brady Shearer

The era of the vibrant Internet has ended, with regulations now taking precedence. The harsh truth is that years of audience-building can vanish in an instant. A single bot's decision based on arbitrary terms and conditions can wipe out your online presence. To safeguard your church in the digital realm, there are four essential measures to adopt. Let's explore them in detail.

Five Compelling Reasons for Local Church Communication Leaders to Attend the Society of Adventist Communicators Convention

1. Skills Development: Professional communication conferences often feature workshops, keynotes, and sessions that can help a local church communication leader enhance their skills. These skills can range from learning the latest social media marketing techniques to improving public speaking. All of these can be used to boost the efficiency of communication in a church setting.

2. Networking: Conferences offer the opportunity to meet other professionals in the field, which can lead to new ideas, partnerships, or even job opportunities. As a church communication leader, it can be helpful to have a network of other communication professionals who can offer advice, share experiences, or collaborate on projects.

3. Keeping up with Trends: Communication strategies, tools, and platforms are constantly changing. Attending a conference can help a church communication leader stay up-to-date on the latest trends, tools, and best practices. This can enable them to keep the church's communication strategies fresh and effective.

4. Broadening Perspectives: Conferences bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. By engaging with different perspectives, a church communication leader can gain new insights that can inform their approach to communication within their own organization.

5. Inspiration and Motivation: Finally, attending a professional communications conference can provide inspiration and motivation. The chance to step back from day-to-day responsibilities, learn new things, and interact with other passionate professionals can help renew enthusiasm and drive for the work. This renewed passion can then be brought back to the church to inspire others and invigorate the overall communication efforts.

President's Prayer Partner, Praise and Petition (P5)

Upcoming Events

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

Resources for Members 

• Don't forget about Project: Refresh for your youth and young adults. We are committed to keeping this content coming to you. 
   

• 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!