My e-friend, Fr Scott Gunn, recently reflected on there being no talking “about websites at the Evangelism Matters conference”. He was struggling to find service times at a nearby church. [All the discussion that follows there is worth a read – and joining in, of course].
Anyone who has been in the community around this site for a while will know what I think about the need to practise mission and ministry online – that is where people now live!
So, I set myself a little game. Randomly choose townships or suburbs in New Zealand, and from that see if I can find an Anglican Church, service times, and times for Christmas services. Here’s the results:
For ALL townships or suburbs I could find some nearby church information [That’s a positive start, isn’t it?!]
- 10% Reference on a Diocesan website; No service times provided; click through to church website; no service times provided
- 20% Reference on a Diocesan website; No church website; Sunday service times provided; No Christmas service times provided
- 10% Reference on a diocesan website; Sunday service times provided; click through to church website; Sunday service times provided; No Christmas service times provided
- 10% Reference on a church website; Sunday service times provided; No Christmas service times provided
- 10% Reference on a church website; no service times provided
- 10% Reference on a diocesan website; click through to a church list; click through to a specific church page on the diocesan website with no service times; click through to the church website with service times, and Christmas service times, on the front page
- 10% Reference on a church website; Sunday service times provided; No Christmas service times provided
- 10% Reference on a church website; Sunday service times provided; Click through to “upcoming events”: a blank page
- 10% Reference on a church website; Sunday service times NOT provided; click through to “services”: ONLY Christmas service times provided
So from this little game, less than 3 weeks out from Christmas, if anyone wanted to plan to go to church this Christmas, 20% of people could find this through our internet presence and plan ahead. 80% could not.
Why don’t you try my little game? And do you have other reflections?
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