2016 PARISH PULSE (#6) - St Augustine's Hamilton

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CHURCH @ ONLINE
It can be easy to dismiss technologies and
online communication platforms as fads,
especially as members of an organisation
which has survived without them for
more than 2,000 years. Such platforms
include Facebook, Twitter, Hangouts,
Skype, Facetime, blogs, and good ‘old
fashioned’ email (!). The reality is that
these platforms are not fads, let alone
recreational diversions used only by
‘young folks’. This so-called ‘social media’
– electronic tools which allow people
and organisations to create, share, and
exchange information – are big business.
While mostly they are free, in some form,
for individuals to use, providers of them
are billion-dollar businesses. Social
media is big in today’s world, used not
just by individuals of all ages, but by
governments, political parties, business
large and small, community organisations
… and churches.
The Five Marks of Mission of the
Anglican Communion are:
1. To proclaim the Good News of the
Kingdom;
2. To teach, baptise and nurture new
believers;
3. To respond to human need by loving
service;
4. To transform unjust structures
of society, to challenge violence of
every kind and pursue peace and
reconciliation; and
5. To strive to safeguard the integrity
of creation, and sustain and renew the
life of the earth.
Each one of these can be supported by
social media. And since social media is
the “way of the world,” if we are to engage
with the world then we as a church need
to embrace social media. We cannot
expect people to come to us: we must
go to the people with the Good News of
God in Christ. Social media makes this
mission so much more effective.
At St Augustine’s we use electronic
technologies and social media in a
number of ways:
• Our website provides fixed information
about the parish, its mission, its pastoral
and community services, as well as its
activities. Visit:
• The parish has a Facebook page (as
well as a linked dedicated page for Kids’
Church): on Facebook, search for “St
Augustine’s Anglican Church, Hamilton”
… and when you find it, click the “LIKE”
button so that you can be alerted to new
posts of information – copies of sermons,
photos of events, reflective comments,
special sale items at Jumble, and so on.
• The parish’s Twitter account sends out
short comments on, well, anything really
which we feel would interest our parish
community. That’s what Twitter is about:
broadcasting a short, punchy sentence
to relay thoughts and ideas (called a
“tweet”). Look up @StAugustines on
Twitter.
If this interests you but you don’t know
where to start, don’t worry! If you can
browse the internet or send an email,
then you can use Facebook and Twitter.
Please ask Marian or Rodney if you
would like some help to get started. They
can also assist you with any concerns you
have about your privacy online. Join us
in staying connected with the parish, and
in sharing the Good News electronically!