Public & Social Media

 

UUFD Public and Social Media Policy

Approved December 7, 2011

Updated Spring, 2015

 

GENERAL POLICY

  1. The Social Justice and Outreach Ministry Coordinators and Board of Trustees may initiate and develop public communication outlets for UUFD.

  1. Appointed leadership of UUFD public communication tools (Sign, E-News, Newsletter, Website, NPR Contract, and Social Networking Media) shall ultimately be the responsibility of the Board of Trustees and the Minister. Each fall, the Board of Trustees shall distribute to all Ministry Coordinators a copy of the Communications Policy with updated media manager assignments and their contact information. Also each fall, the Communications Ministry shall publish updated media manager assignments and publicity contact information in the Pathfinder and UUFD Website.

  1. UUFD supports and promotes a family-safe communications environment. This means that content shall be appropriate for children aged 13 and older.Hate speech, threats, bullying, stalking, spam, imposter postings and other socially abusive behavior are not tolerated. Those who engage in this behavior on UUFD social networking accounts will be blocked from using them.

  1. UUFD media editors and managers have the right to edit, withhold, block, or delete submitted material according to the mission of their medium, its priorities for content, and constraints on quantity or space.

  1. A header with our UUFD logo, and where appropriate, the current date, should be prominent in all visual media. A footer with church contact information and an option to opt out should be included on appropriate media. Whenever possible, photos should be included with publicity notices.

  1. Content for appropriate media shall be granted the following priority:

      1. Worship service schedule and information
      2. Announcement of meetings (Weekly or monthly calendar)
      3. Board reports, President’s column, and minutes of meetings and/or events
      4. Minister’s reports and articles (weekly or monthly)
      5. Treasurer’s financial report and pledge drive information
      6. Religious education programs and announcements
      7. New member information
      8. Youth and Young Adult (YAYA) schedules and activities
      9. Surveys or questionnaires to the congregation
      10. Joys, concerns, and milestones
      11. Any information from a UUA or UUFD affiliated group such as book and video series, Hope Haven, UU Service Committee, etc.
      12. Guest columns, book reviews
      13. Material not directly related to UUFD.

 

POLICY FOR SPECIFIC UUFD PUBLIC MEDIA

SIGN:

The mission of the UUFD sign is to publicize the time and title of Sunday Services and special UUFD events to traffic that drives past our building. Keys to the sign are to be kept by the Sign Manager and the Office Manager. The Sign manager is also to be given a key to the buildingin order that he/she have access to sign letters at all times. The sign is to be updated as necessary no later than the Monday prior to the following Sunday’s service or special event. Priorities for content are:

    1. The next Sunday’s sermon title and date
    2. The next upcoming UUFD special event
    3. Subsequent Sunday sermon titles and dates as space allows
    4. Subsequent upcoming UUFD special events as space allows

WEEKLY E-NEWS:

The primary mission of the UU E-News is to email UUFD friends and members weekly announcements about (1) UUFD Sunday services, events, and notices; (2) local events and notices of interest to our members; and (3) UU events and notices from other churches, districts, or the national UU Association. E-news items are to be submitted by noon on Wednesdays to the Church Office. E-News is sent out on Wednesdays. Special Friday editions of E-news are sent only for important UUFD notifications. The E-News shall be NO MORE than five pages in length.

PATHFINDER:

The Pathfinder is the UUFD print newsletter that is published every two months, in December, February, April, June, August, and October. Its primary mission is to provide (1) a bi-monthly calendar of Sunday services and UUFD activities, (2) a bi-monthly news-column for the Minister; and (3) announcements of interest to UUFD friends and members. The newsletter is published both in electronic form on the UUFD website and in hard-copy. Material for the newsletter should be submitted by the third Sunday of the month prior to publication by emailing it either to the Church Office Manager or Pathfinder editor, or placing hardcopy in the mailbox of the Pathfinder Editor in the UUFD library. Material intended for both the Newsletter and the Website should be indicated as such.

 

WEBSITE:

The primary mission of the UUFD Website is to (1) be our public face, our “front door” to the community at large; (2) be an outreach tool for our ministries; and (3) connect us as a UU community to one another. Material for the website should be submitted to the church Office Manager. Material intended for both the Newsletter and the Website should be indicated as such.

 

NPR CONTRACT:

The primary mission of the NPR annual contract is (1) to raise money each year to underwrite programming provided by DeKalb-area National Public Radio stations (WNIU/WNIJ) and (2) to create greater public awareness of UUFD’s mission and activities through free advertizing that this contract affords. Donations for the NPR contract can be made during the NPR Special Collection in the fall or at any time to the NPR Contract Manager.

 

SOCIAL NETWORKING MEDIA:

The primary mission of public UUFD social networking sites and accounts is to (1) promote personal connection with UUFD members and friends through “friend activity,” and (2) communicate and promote major events and notices through “administrative activity” (typically no more than one or two announcements per week). The social Justice and Outreach Ministry Co-chairs shall be listed as co-adminstrators on the UUFD Facebook page. The Social Justice & Outreach Minnistry Co-chairs shall also report on UUFD Facebook activity statistics each May and November prior to the Congregational Meeting. Approved UUFD social networking media accounts are:

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dekalb page on Facebook.

UUFD TWITTER is a text-based social networking application suitable for postings less than 140 words.

 

OUTSIDE PUBLICITY:

There are several outside venues through which UUFD Ministry Leaders can advertize the public UUFD events they sponsor. Ministry Coordinators who rely heavily on publicity should get acquainted with local media editors and include photos with press releases as often as possible. If you need assistance in getting your publicity out, contact the church office. Venues recommended by the Social Justice and Outreach Ministry include, but are not limited to, the following:

Local Media:

 Daily Chronicle

Midweek

WNIU/ WNIJ

WLBK

B95

DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

Renew DeKalb

DeKalb County On-Line

 

 Local Churches, Neighboring UU churches, and Regional UU Associations:

 The Church Office Manager can send your publicity notices, bulletin inserts, and flyers to local churches, neighboring UUs, and appropriate regional UU associations.

 

 Distributing Flyers around Town

 Some local businesses will allow you to display publicity posters in their store. Try Duck Soup, the Confectionary, the Public Library, supermarkets, and others.

 

 

 

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