Dancing On a Grave
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 12:07PM I've noticed blogging here has dropped off significantly since the General Synod decision to end the Church Herald. Like everyone else I am curious to see how and when this "orderly cessation" takes place. In the meantime, it casts a bit of a pall over the these blogs. I have had several thoughts I considered blogging about, but given the future of the Church Herald, it felt somehow inappropriate, like I would be dancing on a fresh grave.
Right before General Synod, I was contacted by Terry DeYoung, managing editor of the Church Herald, to offer my take and evaluation on these blogs. I never got around to responding to Terry, but if I had I would have said that I felt like it was really just beginning to take off. that we were seeing some glimpses of what these blogs could be and do. I found the discussions of the Belhar Confession an especially helpful example of the potential of these blogs. So I am sad to see the Church Herald go, and I am also sad that presumably these blogs will disappear with it.
Reader Comments (6)
My take on the inactivity of these blogs is that they are like a typical summer adult Sunday school class: on vacation....... as many are occupied with the joys and opportunities of summer.
The pre-General Synod traffic on these blogs was quite heavy, but one has to wonder if that was due to many wanting to express their hot button concerns and reactions prior to General Synod. I think blog traffic will pick up again, but we may need to settle into our normal routines before this happens. I think this blog becomes even more important to many now that "print" has been phased out.
I agree w/ tom that volume decrease on the blogs is due to 1) summer and 2) the reality that synod has come and gone. That is, blogging seems more weighty just before momentous decisions are made and more interesting during the period of debate. Once the decision is made, however, there is less to spend time on.
I agree with Steve that the promise and possibility of the Herald blogs is just now coming into focus. I don't know what the cost is to maintain a service like this, but I do think it is helpful.
If we cannot maintain this version, perhaps the officeal RCA website could contain a blogging section similar to this one. That is, perhaps the official site could ask different pastors / lay people to blog semi-regularly. Perhaps the people could blog for a year and then recruit a new group of people for the next year. I like the idea of selected, stated bloggers, as it provides a sense of structure while allowing for flexibility of others commenting.
Kudos to the CH staff for a fine entry into the blogging world.
I agree that some sort of blogging platform should remain in place for the denomination. I am not so sure that it should be run from or by the official arm of the RCA, I fear that dissenting voices from the party line would not be given place on such a forum. (lets just say I have a bit of experience with that) However, it would be easy to create an independent blog with a set slate of bloggers such as we have now. I would be willing to work on it with others if there is an interest. It wouldn't cost anything if we went through Blogger (and personally I find Blogger easier to use).
Thanks for raising this issue!
I confess plenty of confusion about whether I should "bother" to be blogging right now. If readership is down for the summer... or down forever... then I have more pressing priorities than blogging as some sort of self-indulgent ego thing.
On the other hand, if folks are going to read/think/respond and engage on any significant level, then time spent is perhaps well invested?
It's a Kingdom stewardship question, and w/o more data, I'm not sure if blogging is a wise investment, or if it's merely a diversion from more pressing Kingdom concerns.
-- Dave Cheadle
Regarding the message from Doug VanBronkhorst regarding the demise of the Church Herald.......Its very sad that the RCA leaders make their decision to sever some employees of the Church Herald and then ask (should I say cunningly manipulate) the subscribers to not ask for a refund so that the approximately $70,000 can be saved and used by them instead. I think if you make tough decisions your budgets or those making the decisions should should some sacrifice themselves.
Appreciate Dave's noting the dilemna of participating in a forum such as this.
I too want to be a part of ongoing and thoughtful discussions about matters
of relevance and importance (and just for fun as well), but time management
is an important factor.
I certainly am happy to continue participating in ongoing discussions.