April 2nd, 2010 
joel In honor of Good Friday, one of the holiest days on the Christian church calendar, I wanted to do a quick review of how churches in Erie County leverage old and new media to share the Good News.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, appeared weekly on radio and television from the 1930's through the 1960's
Of course, religious messages have utilized media since the dawn of communication. The newspaper usually publishes the Easter and Christmas letters of the local bishops to their faithful. Fiery preachers and novenas were heard daily on local radio, and the word “televangelist” was created for TV messengers.
We’ve written before about the sheer volume of full-time religious radio signals in the Erie market, however religion still plays a small yet important part of the broadcast day on secular stations.
Easily the most viewed local church program on TV is Fully Alive, Sunday mornings at 8:00 on WICU, produced by Erie First Assembly of God. For over two decades, the church has presented the message of their lead pastor, Rev. Jack Risner, and his predecessors with a high-quality, multi-camera production, including music, and sometimes drama and dance. Fully Alive usually wins its time-slot in the Nielsen’s.
Msgr. Tom Snyderwine
One of the enduring voices on the radio is of Msgr. Tom Snyderwine, with his Magnify broadcast on Sunday evenings at 7:00 on WJET-AM. Msgr. Tom is the pastor of St. Luke Catholic Church and has presented news, commentary, and Masses on his show since 1991. A quick jaunt over to the St. Luke website shows a well designed online presence, with links to past Magnify shows, online giving, and a bulletin download.
Even though the World Wide Web has been popular for at least 15 years now, it is shocking how many churches have yet to embrace its promise. One church that is not in that category is Grace Church in McKean. The church was made famous with its unique outdoor and online campaign “Who Is Grace” a few years back that tied in with the building of their new facility. On the whoisgrace.com website you’ll find excellent graphics, video announcements, and links to all of their social media sites. Churches like Grace, and my church, McLane Church in Edinboro, have found that sites like Facebook and Twitter are excellent and easy ways to engage your congregation and potential visitors.
On iTunes, you can find and subscribe to sermon podcasts of several Erie churches, including Erie Christian Fellowship, Grace Fellowship, Calvary Christian Center, and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul. In fact, of all the podcasts tagged as coming from Erie, it’s the church offerings that are most popular.
Finally, one new social media site that allows churches to utilize smart phone technology right in their service is YouVersion.com. When parishioners sign up and login to YouVersion live, they can follow along with the sermon as its preached, write notes, and even answer a live question or e-mail a prayer request to the church, all using an iPhone or Blackberry app. McLane, Grace, and Erie First now offer this service for their smartphone carrying members.
Whether you celebrate in a high-tech way or low…Happy Easter!
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Add another, Joel.
http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/
Larry Richards has transformed the Old St. Joe’s into the new Bread of Life, across from St. Vincent’s Hospital on upper Sassafras Street.
He utilizes all of the New Media forms you list in your post, but his greatest strength in the community is worldwide outreach through prayer.
Bread of Life has a side chapel designated for one purpose: Prayer. It is done by a minimum of 2 people present for an hour at a time (they stay if the next person fails to appear). 24/7 prayer requests are given from around the globe to the sanctuary of God’s presence.
After church service last night, I left where I was and went over to Bread of Life prayer Chapel. The wall is imprinted with “Be Still And Know That I Am God” from Psalm 46:10. THAT sets the stage for communication with God.
Colorful stained glass presentations give an ambience unparalled in the community. When I lived in Oregon, Florida, and eastern Pennsylvania, I made it a point to participate online, and always stop by for an hour or more of prayer at the chapel when in Erie.
There is a peace that transcends all human understanding in that room.
I am unaware of any denominational requirement to pray there. Visitors are common.
And the greatest New Media remains the Old Media known as Prayer. Communication is instantaneous.
There is no downloads, downtime, fees, carriers, government fees or interference.
Just you and God in an eternal conversation.
Happy Easter to all, in Erie, and around the globe.
Danny,
Awesome post!
I go to Erie First Assembly of God and every Tuesday I go up from 6-7 for prayer time. I like the line you use “The greatest new media is the Old media known as prayer”. It may be old but it is still THE best media!
On that note it’s nice to know that Pastor Jack reaches out to a lot of the community. I had no idea that “Fully alive” was so popular.
In all fairness to our community of churches online in any form, in any denomination, I must admit that I am only now catching up on my reading, and read the Saturday before Easter Church schedule/directory in our Erie Times-News. Very few churches listed in the ETN section that Saturday, fail to have a website…too numerous for me to list here.
I spoke of an ongoing prayer line helpful and well established globally from an Erie-based presence.
Dan Sheldom spoke of another similar spot at his place of worship.
But the reality is that almost all churches seem to have a website…some top notch and others developing, to inform locals and visitors what they are all about.
We are sadly lacking a Church web directory in town anywhere.
I would suggest that the Erie web site expanding now….
http://www.erie.pa.us/ be a good starting point for any church to add their site.
Further, all hotels in the area should add their information and web reach for anyone anywhere at the
http://www.erie.pa.us/ spot.
Next would be Realtors, along with pictures and prices of recent sales (limited number please).
We can market ourself very well with this spot as a base for starting web additions….directing the globe to our door.
Manufacturers large and small should also list under the government web.
And please, someone get some Google Maps on that site and eliminate the Census Street guide.
The world uses Google. Let us join the world.
I regret I did not list more of the Spiritual websites available for nearly any worship style in this eclectic community. Maybe next year.
Danny you can find a list on http://erie.allinoneplace.com/site keyword “church”. You will find over 260 locations with links to their sites.
Dans letter brings back nice memories of beautiful St Joes. Didnt realize it changed. I will stop in now at the Bread of Life in honor of my grandfather Ed Heintzel. He belonged to St Joes years ago. I neglect certain aspects of my religion including church services. When Grandpa died, my church going died. Still I am a Christian that prays at home. God Help Us All In Trying Times.