Video Conference Calling

Need to set up a meeting between multiple parties and prefer video conferencing over a more traditional phone call?  Tony Morgan suggests using ooVoo.  Here’s an excerpt:

If you’re trying to implement a successful multi-site strategy, you already know that communications with your various campuses are critical. Here’s one easy and free tool we’ve started using at NewSpring to make that happen. The solution is called ooVoo. It’s a web solution for video chat that allows you to connect face-to-face with up to six people.

I’ve not tried it before, but it looks interesting.  Some ideas for using ooVoo in ministry other than conference calls:

• Small group Bible studies or discussions with your college students.
• Form a regular support network from around the country and meet online.

Broadcasting Your Message

One of the advantages of the web is that you can reach people you may never even meet in this life.  About 10 months ago, we had an opportunity to see this in action when there was a bad storm in our area.  I was experimenting with recording our sermons to put online for people who miss church one week.  I wrote about it on my other blog, but the comments tell the story of some of those unseen faces. 

Eventually, we decided to post our sermons online each Sunday.  With the exception of the microphone and web space, we’re doing it with all free tools.  In the next couple of days, I’ll be highlighting some of those tools for putting your message online.

Address Maps

Want to visualize where people in your church are coming from?  Enter MapAList.  Check out a sample I made with some area businesses.  Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

1. A Google Account.  Sign up for one for free if you don’t already have one.
2. Access to Google Docs.  There may be a few steps to activate Google Docs on your new account.  Follow the instructions they give you.
3. Create a new Google Docs spreadsheet with the address information you want to map.  You can even upload an Excel file if you already have the data in one.
4. Head over to MapAList and make an account.
5. You’ll be asked to link your account to your recently created Google Docs account.  Go ahead and do that, it’s safe.
6. Once completed, you’ll be able to create a map of your addresses.  Maps can be marked private (only you can see them when logged in) or public (available for anyone to see, like my sample above).

Starter Ideas:

• Make a map of all the people coming to your church.
• Where are your life groups located in the city?
• Track service projects you’ve done in your community over time.

What would you like to see a map of?