As part of a series of strategic communications shifts at First Church, The Carillon will take on a new look and form beginning this January 2020. Our Communications Specialist Ben McKnight will launch a new, user-friendly format for the digital Carillon, highlighting church news and events in a weekly email blast that links to featured stories on our new website. All who currently receive The Carillon via email will continue to do so. For those who want to subscribe, go to firstchurchberkeley.org/email.
Beginning in January, we will no longer produce the print Carillon. We say a heartfelt thank you and goodbye to Margaret Copeland as Carillon editor, who, since 2008, has patiently and steadfastly produced both the print and electronic versions. While a print format has served us well for generations, we have reached a season where digital communication offers us far more flexibility, allowing us to streamline content, reduce redundancy between formats, and reach a wider community more effectively. We will also bid farewell to the View from Here column in its current form, which will allow us to feature other written and video content. Louise Halsey will continue her ministry of curating poetry for the newsletter in some form, which speaks to so many.
In preparation for this transition, we will be thoughtfully reviewing the modest list of folks who receive the print Carillon, the majority of whom also receive it via email. For the small group of elders who may not have email access, we are currently exploring the best way to print and mail a copy of the digital Carillon. We are committed to keeping all folks as connected as possible!
Of course, The Carillon is just one way we share news and events! We remain committed to sharing church news via multiple methods, including our newly redesigned website (firstchurchberkeley.org), banners, Sunday worship announcements (submit requests to [email protected] by Thurs. at noon) and slides before and after worship, our Public Facebook Page (facebook.com/FirstChurchBerkeley and our Private Facebook Community Group (facebook.com/groups/FirstChurchBerkeley/), Instagram posts (@FirstChurchBerkeley), specialized newsletters for Young Adult News, YES & Winthrop News (Youth), and Children & Family News, posts via Realm Connect App (our church database), and even a newly installed chalkboard on Dana Street! And look for a fresh redesign of our Sunday Order of Worship a little later in