When Ellen White was told “You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people,” the blueprint for communication in the Adventist Church was born. From that small beginning, the vision has flourished and today the vibrant tools of communication are many for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and inspiring and informing His followers.

The Mid-America Union Communication Department exists to enhance awareness of Adventist mission, messages and activities throughout our nine-state region. We serve the dedicated and skilled communicators in our six conferences in helping local churches meet their goals for nurture and outreach by offering a steady stream of resources, mentoring and training.

Our team aims to communicate well, collaborate often, and conserve wisely as we adapt to changes in the communication world. Our goals are to inspire deeper relationships with Christ, build trust through transparency, and increase member engagement here in the heartland of America.

WAYS WE SERVE

  1. We gather and share news and stories to keep members informed and engaged with sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with our communities.
  2. We manage the communication aspects of a variety of projects through conducting research, developing strategies, drafting content and engaging audiences.
  3. We seek to use our influence in raising awareness of the union’s mission, values and priorities through all our communication platforms. 
  4. We promote and protect the reputation of the Mid-America Union and all our entities by focusing on strategic planning and pre-emptive crisis communication efforts.
  5. We create and share resources that inspire best communication practices and provide training to equip communicators to become more effective in telling our Adventist story.

TOOLS WE USE

OUTLOOK magazine (print edition)

Outlookmag.org (digital news and inspiration)

Midamericaadventist.org (organizational website) 

myOUTLOOK (weekly email news) 

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

The Advance Podcast

YouTube

Vimeo

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

During the past five years we have:

  • Created an onboarding manual for new conference communication directors 
  • Created a private Facebook group for Mid-America communicators 
  • Created a private Facebook group for OUTLOOK bloggers 
  • Began hosting an annual lay communication advisory 
  • Started recognizing outstanding communicators in our territory with an annual Award of Communication Excellence 
  • Celebrated 25 years of collaboration between OUTLOOK magazine and Union College student writers  
  • Conducted interviews and published Mid-America’s 40-year anniversary story
  • Researched and wrote articles for the new online Adventist Encyclopedia
  • Produced a digital discipleship video series
  • Produced the 300th issue of myOUTLOOK weekly e-newsletter
  • Launched The Advance podcast 
  • Gathered and shared data from our territory through Facebook polls, digital newsletter and print surveys
  • Provided crisis communication training during the Adventist Student Personnel Association Convention
  • Hosted multiple communication training seminars during the Minnesota Conference Leadership Summit

INITIATIVES WE HAVE SUPPORTED

Hear Their Voices Representatives from the Adventist Church collaborated with other organizations to host a community expo called Hear Their Voices in September 2017 in Kansas City. This two-day event raised awareness and provided education for the prevention of human sex trafficking and offered support for survivors.

Miles to Minneapolis In June 2020 we collaborated with several of our conferences to host the live stream of the final leg of a seven-night virtual freedom ride starting in Washington DC and ending in Minneapolis focusing on prayer and community collaboration. 

10 Days of Prayer Last January we collaborated with the MAUC Church Ministries Department and our local conferences to offer a virtual in-depth time of prayer across our territory.

What’s Your Story? Video Series

In May 2020 our MAUC president presented a statement on racism in response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. As a followup, Gary Thurber interviewed several Mid-America church members to learn more about their diverse experiences and their hopes for the future.

Pathfinder Camporees

It has been our privilege to provide communication support for both the Mid-America Union Pathfinder Camporee and the International Pathfinder Camporee. 

As the communication team daily commits to saying “Yes Lord!” we are thankful for the opportunities to serve the needs of our constituents and build up God’s kingdom through sharing the distinctive Adventist message of hope and wholeness.

 

Print Friendly Version