RIVERSIDE, Calif. (B.P.) — Kimber Huff, as soon as they changed into Russia, carried out church planting in the state’s fourth-biggest town, Yekaterinburg, with an envisioned 1.4 million humans. The Baptist Communicators Association’s annual workshop supplied much-valued networking for people like Kimber Huff, communications coordinator for the Baptist Convention of New England.
Using Marc Ira Hooks Today, Huff is in Northborough, Mass., writing and modifying articles for the Baptist Convention of New England and its 360 church buildings. She also designs and updates the BCNE internet site and weblog, creates posts for social media, maintains the convention’s phone app, manages the monthly e-newsletter, and facilitates an increase in promotional substances to train Baptists throughout six Northeast states approximately missions and ministries supported by using the Cooperative Program and BCNE missions supplying.
The BCE’s lone communications worker had a few days of awful lot-valued networking at the Baptist Communicators Association’s annual workshop in Riverside, Calif., in mid-April. Huff gained three of the two hundred-plus awards inside the BCA’s multimedia competition, including the first vicinity in a brochure class and third place among numerous internet sites and video classes. “Being in a place where there are fewer Southern Baptist sources, it is great to participate in education and, even more importantly, to make personal connections with others in Baptist communications,” said Huff. He turned into attending her 2d BCA workshop following last year’s gathering in Washington, D.C. “It’s an actual encouragement to examine from their revel in, to be challenged in my wondering, and so that it will leap thoughts off of those who genuinely get what I do.”
Terry Barone, communications group chief for the California Southern Baptist Convention and a former BCA president who joined the business enterprise in 1980, described BCA as “a top-notch blessing in my existence.” “The most vital issue of membership is mastering different members on a private, spiritual, and professional level,” Barone stated. “Professional development through workshops and keynote speakers cannot fade; however, often, the most effective time is sharing a meal with a group of contributors and discussing the challenges each faces and feasible solutions primarily based on their studies in different Baptist businesses. Some of my closest friendships were solid as a result of BCA.”
Among the breakout periods at some point in this 12 months’ workshop were “Reporting when Sensitivity Counts,” “Telling Your Story in Social Media,” “Dealing with Hot-Button Issues,” “Journalism Is Not Dead,” “Making a Compelling Image in Today’s Marketplace,” “So You Want to Write a Book” and “How to Communicate to Your Church So They Keep Co, ming Back.” In a consultation titled “Building Collaborative Teams with Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X’ers, and Baby Boomers,” Mary Ann Pearson defined her research into the generations’ widespread traits. She presented a recommendation for embracing their diversity. Pearson, professor of conversation at California Baptist University in Riverside, cautioned that businesses experiment with combined-age groups at the side of “opposite bringing up,” together with Baby Boomers who tend to select in-character conferences gaining knowledge of from Millennials who stay in a social media environment, and vice versa.
“When individuals work together, they can double their power and get tons greater completed as a crew,” Pearson said. “They also can attain the price of working in unison, accordingly creating harmony instead of disease.” Also, Bob Terry and Leland Webb were named BCA lifetime contributors throughout this year’s assembly. Terry is the retired editor and president of The Alabama Baptist news journal, whose profession spanned 50 years with the Alabama, Missouri, and Kentucky country Baptist newspapers. Webb is the retired editor of The Commission mag, which was previously posted through the International Mission Board. Webb has won more than one award and sometimes competed with National Geographic for various media honors. Webb was The Commission’s editor at some stage in 15 of his 30 years with the magazine. Reflecting on the variety of the 60-plus members at BCA’s April 11-thirteen workshop:
— Several were media marketers from one mission. TV, Innovative Faith Resources, and Dogwood Solutions work with numerous state conventions, Baptist institutions, and SBC entities to create videos, websites, podcasts, and different sources. OneMISSION.TV was founded by Doug Keesey and Paul Wynn thirteen years ago after they had worked for the North American Mission Board. Innovative Faith Resources, represented at BCA by Brandon Pickett, Ishmael LaBiosa, Bobby Puffenberger, and Sarah Ramalho, became based in 2011 and has ties to the SBC of Virginia state convention. Dogwood Media Solutions officially commenced in January of this 12 months. Harris Media Solutions led through Brian Harris, previously of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, merged with Dogwood Design, led by Thomas Jones. Keesey, who sports a Santa-like beard with slight-mannered joviality, arrived in California an afternoon early to go to the Hollywood costume save Adele’s for a “continental gown” addition to the Santa in shape he wears as a professional Santa from the primary weekend in November till Christmas, handling about 40 occasions the beyond four years.
— Shawn Elledge, artwork director for the North American Mission Board, mentioned the PBS artist Bob Ross with fondness in leading a session on creativity in annual campaigns. The latter died in 1995 but remains visible through YouTube and DVD. What changed so special about Bob Ross? “Hard to mention,” Elledge pondered, “perhaps his flawlessly quaffed Afro, his gentle smile or the melodic slight-mannered statements he is recognized for like ‘each tree desires a pal’ and ‘there are not any errors, handiest satisfied little accidents.’ But it’s probably because of what he ought to do in less than half an hour, starting with an empty canvas and ending with a tranquil scene of God’s creation. He ended every episode by way of looking into the digicam, giving a little wave to the viewer, pronouncing, ‘Happy painting and God bless.'” Elledge and NAMB’s creative team garnered one of the BCA opposition’s eight grand prizes for a video titled “First Baptist Church Sutherland Springs: One 12 months after the taking pictures.”
