The downturn in the economy, the rise in transportation costs, and the explosion in digital media has led many of you to challenge us to find ways to serve you with high-quality services through the internet. Oh yes, and you have also told us that you would like this to be free.

This is a fitting next challenge for us now that we have completed our project of making our office fully virtual. In addition, we know that-in going this direction-many of you will be wonderful companions on the journey, eager to learn from our experience and to share with us your experience. Many of you have told us that you are working on a myriad of related subjects whether it be new congregational websites, ways of conducting business through the internet or by conference call, or digitizing some paper records.

One of the really fun parts of working digitally is that it makes it easier to partner with colleagues in other districts.  Thus it is that we are pleased to announce that one of our first experiments in this initiative will be a series of online workshops later this summer and fall that we are co-sponsoring with Prairie Star and Heartland Districts. The first of these will be 7 PM [CENTRAL TIME] August 6 and 14. The August online workshops will offer ideas on getting your congregation ready for the fall. We have scheduled these for August because late summer and early fall are the most crucial time of year for membership. People seek out a new congregation at the same time of year that they get ready for school and sign of for classes as the local community center. When you start to see advertisements in the newspapers for school supplies, your congregation needs to be ready to greet visitors.