creating a compelling parish profile

Creating a Compelling Parish Profile

For the rector search process

http://www.stmaryspr.org/

This session•What is a Parish Profile?

•Getting started

•Your content strategy

•Putting it all together


What is a Parish Profile?•A reflection of your parish

personality

•A sales pitch for your parish

•An executive search tool


What is a Parish Profile?



•Getting started




Getting started•Confirm expectations

•Assemble the team


Getting started

Confirming expectations•What is the time frame?

•Is there a budget?

•What is your final product? Electronic document Printed piece


Getting started

Assembling your team•Sponsor (search committee chair)

•Administrator (project manager)

•Editor

•Copy editors / proofreaders

•Photographer

•Production people (design, layout)

•Experts*


Getting started

Assembling your team•Experts

Parishioners Catechists Ministry leaders Commission chairs Staff Vestry Clergy



•Getting started




Content strategy

High-level plan•Develop a basic outline*

•Gather information

•Lay it all out on the table (literally!)

•Agree how you’ll weave the parish narrative

•Work toward a “design plan”


Content strategy

Develop a basic content outline

This is available online.

This is available online.


Content strategy

Gather fresh information •Cottage meetings

•Parish surveys

•Vestry input

•Questionnaire for ministry leaders


Content strategy

Gather fresh information•Ask for specifics

Vision Accomplishments Aspirations


Content strategy

Gather historical information •Annual reports

•Parochial reports

Parochial Reports are a great source of

historical trend information about

your parish

Parochial Reports are a great source of

historical trend information about

your parish


Content strategy

Weave the parish narrative •A profile should answer basic

questions Who are we today? What do we value? How do we worship together? What is a typical Sunday? Where do we want to go as a parish? What kind of a leader will get us there?


Content strategy

Weave the parish narrative •What is our pitch?

•How do we tell our story?

•How will we draw readers in?

That content outline is just

a starting point.

Your story might be different.

That content outline is just

a starting point.

Your story might be different.


Content strategy

Key content•Identify any clergy (with photos)

•Describe church staff and property

•Include photos of church, rectory

•Include information about diocese from the parish’s perspective


Content strategy

Key content•Use charts and graphs for financial

and congregational statistics

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Average weekly attendance by year

This would be good task for one of your

experts!

This would be good task for one of your

experts!


Content strategy

Key content•A brief history of the parish

•A few paragraphs on every active ministry or commission

•More detail on vital areas like Christian formation, and parish life


Content strategy

Include some local flavor•Describe the community

•Nearby schools and universities

•Area attractions

Maybe a map of the

region…

Maybe a map of the

region…


Content strategy

Remember to . . . Play up the positives

•Present challenges in a positive way

•Include a letter to the future rector

•Use one editorial voice

•Be truthful•Finish strong!



•Getting started




Putting it all together

Work towards a design plan•Think about your visual identity

•Let pictures help tell your story

•Layout/design tips



Your visual identity•You have one: it’s already in your

leaflets, your sign, your website

•It’s influenced through Colors Fonts Logos


Your visual identity




Your visual identity•If cost is a concern . . .

A website can be an

inexpensive and flexible place to initiate a visual

identity program

A website can be an

inexpensive and flexible place to initiate a visual

identity program

and it’s the first place

many newcomers will see you.

and it’s the first place

many newcomers will see you.



Your visual identity decision1.Blend with your existing

visual identity 2.Create a new look that’s

consistent with “where you want to go”

It’s a good idea to discuss option #2

with your team sponsor or search

committee!

It’s a good idea to discuss option #2

with your team sponsor or search

committee!



Pictures help tell your story•Digital cameras and digital delivery

make this much more affordable!

•Photograph all your parish events

•Include pictures of the church and rectory



Pictures help tell your story•Use a mix of close-up, detail, group,

and mid-range photos in a page layout or in a series of pages

•Print group photos big enough so that you can see faces

•Run any out-of-focus photos a little smaller



Pictures help tell your story

Photos of people engage readers more than the

bricks and mortar.

Photos of people engage readers more than the

bricks and mortar. (Sorry

buildings…)

(Sorry buildings

…)



Layout/design tips•Group photos together (they like

company)

•Use lots of ‘em!

•Bigger is better

•Anchor pictures to corresponding text

•Use photo collage to humanize parish

Check out Picasa for organizing

your photos.

Check out Picasa for organizing

your photos.



Layout/design tips

Consistency in style puts the

emphasis on the message, not the design.

Consistency in style puts the

emphasis on the message, not the design.



Running the project•I got the job. Now what?!

•Writing

•Content approval

•Technology/presentation

•Final review

•Implementing it



Administering•Have a kickoff meeting•Agree on

Roles Responsibilities Expectations

•Agree on reasonable timelines•Consider dependencies



Administering•Distribute a schedule to everyone

and update as necessary



Administering•Schedule regular, brief meetings

•Send routine communication to the team and the sponsor Progress / accomplishments Upcoming dates Gentle reminders



Writing•Work to your content outline

•Use strategies to gather accurate, concise information the first time



Writing•Use placeholders for missing images

and move on



Writing•Too much information? Boil it down

•One individual stitching it together gives the profile one “editorial voice”



Writing•Ask experts to review their sections

•Get a copy to your photographer/photo editor so they can begin gathering up the images



Writing•Circulate draft copies to your

proofreadersIt may be old

fashioned, but proofing on paper

has benefits. If you proof electronically,

use “Track Changes”.

It may be old fashioned, but

proofing on paper has benefits. If you proof electronically,

use “Track Changes”.



Writing•Incorporate final changes from team

Ready?Ready?



Content approval: Round 1 •These will be fresh eye—

expect suggestions

•Encourage any sweeping changes NOW



Content approval: Round 1

Resist the temptation to fine-tune the size

and placement of images until after all content approvals.

Resist the temptation to fine-tune the size

and placement of images until after all content approvals.



Content approval: Round 1 •Share the doc with search

committee, wardens•Ask them to look critically

Does this look like us? Are there gaps? Are we being honest? Are we missing any ministries Are we representing our demographics? Does it answer the key questions?



Round 1 feedback•Make any final changes

•Circle back with experts if necessary



Content approval: Round 2 •Send to vestry and bishop for

their pre-approval



Technology/presentation•We used Microsoft Word

•Style sheets are a lifesaver Consistency of formatting Reformat the whole document in

minutes Automatic “Table of Contents”



Style sheets



Table of contents



Image anchors



Images

Shrink images down before

placing them (this might be 200 x 150 px).

Shrink images down before

placing them (this might be 200 x 150 px).



Final layout•Text is approved, so you can start

fine-tuning the layout Image size is a great “flex point” to

control where the pages break

Getting it to work just right can be challenging



Final layout•Text is approved, so you can start

fine-tuning the layout

Oh, yeah. Start from the front and work your

way back!

Oh, yeah. Start from the front and work your

way back!



Final review•Print out hard copy for final review;

it’s easier to see errors

•Avoid text editing or content analysis at this phase!!!

•Changes can accidentally insert other errors



Output / Delivery•Use Adobe Acrobat PDF format

Locks everything in No squiggly lines under unknown words



Output / delivery•Use Adobe Acrobat PDF format

Portable; frees reader Can be printed or read in its entirety Websites are not ideal for documents

intended to be read top to bottom



Output / delivery•Use Adobe Acrobat PDF format

Smaller file size



Output / delivery•Send to diocese, post to the CDO

database, etc.

•Post to parish website

•Make it easy to find (prominent link on home page)

•Promote to the parish



•Getting started



•Bask in the satisfaction of a job well-done!


Questions?


Questions?

•How should we talk about our “challenges”?

•Where can we get advice about websites?

•Should we have the profile printed?

•What resources are there?


The Team

Sponsor

Administrator

Editors Photographers Layout/Technical

Expert Expert Expert

creating a compelling parish profile

Documents

parish narrative work

compelling parish profilefor

basic content outlinethis

basic outline

basic questions

rector search processhttp

design planhttp

ministry leadershttp