From Ohio to NZ – church leaders get digital

Religious leaders in New Zealand and overseas are making the most of new technologies to reach their increasingly diverse communities.

One Jewish congregation in the US is stepping into new territory using by Facebook and Twitter to connect with its members.

OurJewishCommunity.org was launched in September, 2008, by Rabbi Robert Bar as an extension of his congregation at Beth Adam in Ohio.

Rabbi Laura Baum started working at Beth Adam in July 2008.

“Beth Adam was looking to hire a full-time rabbi who would split his/her time between the brick-and-mortar congregation and the online congregation,” she says.

Rabbi Baum was excited because the role combined her interests in Judaism, technology, social media, and connecting with people.

There were many reasons for starting the online congregation, says Rabbi Baum. One is that more than 50 per cent of American Jews are not affiliated with a synagogue.

“We know that definitions of community are changing, and community is increasingly found online. We wanted to use social media to help people find a contemporary Jewish experience.”

Since December 2006, Rabbi Bar has recorded short podcasts for iTunes called “Contemporary Jewish Thoughts”.

They have a channel on YouTube and this year for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur streamed live videos of services.

Rabbi Baum also writes a blog and uses Twitter and Facebook to reach people.

“Some people might download our materials on their iPod and listen to us while driving. Some might want to read a long blog, while others want it in fewer than 140 characters on Twitter.”

While some people fear change, religion must evolve to meet the needs of a changing world. “Our philosophy is unique,” she says. “We blend Judaism, humanism, and technology.”

Rabbi Baum says one of challenges for an online congregation is remaining cutting-edge. “Technology changes quickly, so whatever is new and exciting today will likely be replaced by something even more innovative tomorrow.”

Their website has attracted 6000 unique visitors from 60 countries and 49 states across the US.

“We hear from people around the world who view OurJewishCommunity.org as their synagogue and see me as their rabbi.”

Rabbi Baum hopes the congregation will continue to grow and evolve. “We do not want to create this website simply to give people information. We also want their active participation to help build this into a truly 21^st century Jewish experience.”

Churches in New Zealand are making progress online too. Rev Clay Nelson, communications manager for Auckland’s St Matthews in the City, wants people to hear, and eventually see, things that happen at St Matthews.

His goal is to install high definition cameras throughout the church so they can stream video on the internet. “I have a design, we just need the money. That’s my next big dream.”

Their website attracts 4000 visits a month from 173 different countries.

With an understanding of technology and the virtual community, Rev Nelson would like to see a virtual church on the internet.

In April 2006, St Matthew in the City launched its iGod podcast for free download on iTunes.

Rev Nelson came up the idea for iGod and says it has been hugely successful with 25,000 downloads each year from people all over the world. “We don’t think of St Matthews as being just for Auckland.”