Get Ready for Social Media Sunday, Oct 25th

A selfie in church? Why not? It’s time again to bring those phones and tablets to church, and post, tweet, and Instagram! On October 25, churchgoers across the country are going to be on social media, sharing what is going on in church that day. It is no coincidence that this is also Reformation Sunday. One of the key tenets of the Reformation was getting the word about God’s grace to everyone. Martin Luther did this by nailing his theses to the door, translating the Bible into the language of the people, preaching, and writing and distributing pamphlets. We follow in his footsteps by sharing the good news on social media.

Social Media Sunday began in 2013 with Carolyn Clement at Trinity Episcopal in Tarriffville, CT, encouraging more use of social media by church members. It is now an ecumenical movement. The purpose of this day is to
:

+ Encourage those in church who haven’t tried social media to give it a whirl;

+ Encourage churches that are using social media to expand and explore more ways to use it for outreach and to build community;

+ Demonstrate the power of social media to share the message of the gospel beyond the building.

On this Sunday, instead of turning off your phone, use it or your tablets to tweet a line from the sermon. Take a selfie in church, or a photo of a page in the hymnal, and post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (or even Snapchat) with the hashtag #SMS15. For the really tech savvy, you can even Periscope part of the worship service! Then check out that hashtag and see who all has participated. Be sure to use #SMS15 for all your posts. Hashtags are what bring everyone around the country together. This is a great day to see how churches and church folks around the country are using social media for outreach and community building.

(reprinted from the October 2015 Hilltop Herald)