E-Mail Guidelines

St. John’s Church

March 13, 2009 (revised)

The mission of St. John’s Church, Western Run Parish, is to be a caring, Christ-centered community committed to encouraging discipleship and service within our congregation and beyond.  We help build community by communicating thoughtfully and respectfully with one another when we are together at Church or remotely by telephone, in writing, and by e-mail throughout the week.

E-mail serves as a uniquely efficient communications channel:

• Many of us have regular access to send or receive e-mail.

• The same message can be sent to one or to multiple recipients.

• E-mail is efficient and cost-effective.

The Church Office will use e-mail to speed-up and reduce the cost of distribution regular material such as the Epistle to parishioners.  Committee heads or individual parishioners can also use e-mail effectively in conducting the Church’s activities.  By following a few guidelines, we can ensure e-mail will always promote community building at St. John’s:

1.      Strongly consider utilizing e-mail for the following purposes:

a.       To coordinate a meeting time with a specific group.

b.      To remind a specific group of an upcoming event or meeting.

c.       To distribute meeting minutes to a specific group.

d.      To remind an individual scheduled to serve on Sunday.

e.       To thank or commend an individual for service to a specific group.

f.       To notify Parishioners of a serious illness or a death.

2.      When sending e-mails to a specified list of committee or commission members, it’s preferable for the members to see each others’ e-mail addresses and to have the ability to respond back to the members.

Alternatively, if you would like to send an e-mail to all Parishioners or a broader list than an individual committee, recognize that many parishioners may not want their e-mail addresses to become part of large mailing lists or to receive a large number of copies of the replies to the originator.  Therefore please follow the following guidelines:

a.       Prepare a courtesy draft and kindly e-mail it to the Rector or the Senior Warden for their review, suggestions, and go-ahead.

b.      Avoid mass distribution of e-mail lists and mass replies by:

                                                  i.      Entering the e-mail addresses into the BCC: field.

                                                ii.      Setting up Outlook to prevent recipients from replying to all or forwarding (see http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA011142241033.aspx?pid=CL100626971033)

3.      Select content for e-mails that is succinct, business-oriented, and positive in tone.  If and as issues or concerns arise, consider discussing these in person or in a face-to-face group setting in lieu of by e-mail.

4.      Let’s avoid using e-mail for the following:

a.       If you are in immediate need of assistance, call (410) 833-5300.

b.      If you have a concern to address with a Clergy member, the Staff, or another Parishioner, call them or speak with them in person.  E-mail is far less effective because a concern or criticism can be easily misinterpreted without an immediate means for clarification.

c.       If you would like to promote a specific Church event or to write something to the whole Congregation, prepare a draft and submit it to the Church office for inclusion into the monthly Epistle.  We will be delighted to thoughtfully consider what you’ve written.

d.      Some Parishioners prefer not to receive e-mails.  Let’s respect this.