Communications Committee

Committee Charter

Mission: We shall provide an external and internal face of PUUF to facilitate the Fellowship’s overall goals and increase our member’s enjoyment and participation.

Implementation

Overview: We will keep our present tools, the Telescope and the Library, and attempt to enhance them electronically in phased process. The PUUF website has been redesigned. The first phase concentrated on adding content to the site. Subsequent additions will implement interactive access to allow communications and sharing amongst members.

Individual Elements

Telescope Newsletter: The present hard copy Telescope, our main source of information in the Fellowship, will remain as is. The only change will be with its size, which will grow with the Fellowship.

Public Relations: This area involves the external interface of PUUF we present to the general public through media and to real and electronic visitors to the Fellowship. It also involves outreach programs to potential members.

Media Interface: We will try to reach as many people as possible. ninety-five percent of the American public has no idea what UUs are. Of that number, a goodly percentage would love to sit with us, if they knew we existed. We maintain a list of media contacts to facilitate this function.

Outreach: PUUF will continue to be member of the Cluster Inreach and Outreach (CIAO) committee. We will not have any Fellowship specific outreach activities until we have the two service system working. At that time, we will explore means of expanding our membership.

Pamphlets: We maintain an array of pamphlets on the wall next to the name tags. They cover most questions most strangers to UU would have, but would also be afraid of asking a stranger for fear of being “saved.”

Activities Brochure: We will compile an Activities Brochure at the start of each church year. It contains information, times and contacts for all of the ongoing activities in the Fellowship. In addition to being an info resource for members, it can also be given to first time visitors.

Library: Continue existing operations with our limited resources. Our primary energy in the next year will be devoted to developing and implementing a plan for making the old library seem new.

Website: Our website is the crown jewel of the Fellowship’s interface infrastructure. The Committee launched a new site last year with a new design, an online calendar of events and more in-depth information about the Fellowship. Members of the various Fellowship Committees have the ability to update and add content to their committee’s pages. In the coming months we will be adding podcasts/MP3s of the sermons and other features.

Strategic Plan

The following is an excerpt from the 2008 Strategic Plan.

Congregational Input

This is an important area for the congregation. There were numerous comments regarding keeping the website up to date and improving its design. There is an overall interest in having more marketing an publicity of our events. There is a need for better internal communication about activities and events.

Two Year Plan:

By 2010, there will be a functioning committee that meets regularly and is responsive to the needs of the Fellowship and have an excellent, well-managed website and to have the Fellowship’s presence highlighted in the web and press. The Communications Committee will have explored and completed a plan for keeping the website current, interactive and providing other features as appropriate and desired. The Communications Committee will facilitate communication within the congregation and with the wider community.

Five Year Plan:

By 2013 the Communications Committee will have developed and implemented a comprehensive process for identifying and fulfilling the communications needs of the congregation. Regular and timely updates will be made to the website.

Meeting Minutes and Other Documents

Communications Committee Minutes - January 2009