Thanks to everyone who responded to our social media survey! We got 31 responses, and here’s what we learned. 

• For better or worse, Facebook is the most-used platform among our folks. One commenter summed it up: “Facebook is terrible but it’s also the most convenient, it’s where the people are.”  Our Facebook group, St Dunstan’s MadCity, gets some use, but I wonder how we could expand its usefulness as a place to share holy moments, interesting resources, requests or offers of help, and so on – the kinds of things that weave our community together, one to another and to the wider world. (We also have an organizational Facebook page for the church, which we don’t do much with, but would be a good place to post a little friendly content regularly; the group is private, only members can see posts, but the page is visible to the public.) 
• We also have a good handful of Instagram users. Instagram is better for sharing out photos, event info, and so on, than for building online community in more participatory ways. But we could be using it more, as another online “public face” for the church community. 
• I (Rev. Miranda) remain curious about Discord. We only heard from a few Discord users in our survey, but Discord an interesting platform – it’s pretty flexible and accessible, and for me it has a very “internet circa 1995” feel to it (though it can do a lot of things we couldn’t do back then, like host video chats), so some folks who assume it’s some newfangled kid thing might find it approachable after all. The youth program used Discord a lot during the Covid lockdown years. Is there anyone who didn’t answer the survey, but who uses Discord regularly and would be interested in exploring a St. Dunstan’s Discord? 
• Finally, I had a great talk with a member of our parish about how she uses Facebook to build community – and, in her day job, brand visibility. She says: People like to see heartfelt and hopeful content. She finds that Facebook posting can deepen relationships with people she doesn’t know well, because her sharing about her life makes them feel like they know her and feel ready to show up for a gathering or event. For our church context, she suggests that wise social media use could help people who are curious but hesitant to feel more familiar with our church community and culture, and more ready to walk in the door and connect. 

How could you help?… 

Our social media use is limited by staff time and capacity. We could definitely use some helpers! Here are some things that would be helpful: 

• People who can help spot good photo opportunities and take a few pictures, at church, at events, on the church grounds, etc. Phone photos are just fine! 
• People who could help with a regular weekly post of some kind – a photo or two, a little friendly content – on our church Instagram and Facebook accounts. That can be the same content, and we could work up a calendar for whose week it is.
• If you’re on Facebook, use the Facebook group more! Share your hopeful or holy moments, requests for or offers of help, books or movies or moving poems that you think other people would enjoy. What would it feel like if that were more of a virtual coffee hour, instead of a virtual notice board (as it is now)?