NetNews to Become Online Only Publication in 2011

While attending the United Methodist Association of Communicators conference in San Francisco last week, there were many conversations on the state of the United Methodist Church:  "Is it dead?" "Are we dying?"  "What can we do to revive ourselves?"  "Have we lost our way?"  After each of these hand-wringing conversations, the same conclusion was almost always drawn: No, we are not dead or dying; no, we have not lost our way; and yes, in many areas of our denomination, we are experiencing a revival.  The overwhelming consensus is that we as a denomination are changing, doing mission and ministry in a new and different way, trying to reach new demographics while still serving our current faithful members, Rethinking Church, if you will, and attempting to be good stewards of our shared resources.  

The same can be said about the Kentucky Conference as well. On the local church level, the district level and the conference level, we are all trying to rethink and revamp how we do church, how we go about reaching both our current members and those outside our doors who we desperately want to reach. So this edition of NetNews marks one of those milestone moments where we do something different, something new. The October-December 2010 issue is the last print edition of NetNews, but please don't think of it as dead or dying. See it as changing into something fresher and newer. Since 1996, NetNews has been a tool for those within the Conference to communicate with one another. It still will be but the communications mode will be faster and less expensive to produce. 

Starting in 2011, NetNews will come to you on a monthly basis but only in an electronic format. This will enable us to be more timely with the news we share, as well as more cost-effective with the funds you entrust to us. Please continue to share your stories of faith and ministry with us so that we can continue to spread the good news that no, we are not dying, we are continuing on in a new and better way.  To share your stories or to make sure that you are on our email list please email netnews@kyumc.org or bdixon@kyumc.org.