Let Your Light Shine!

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." -- Matthew 5:14-16 14

During the February Church Council meeting we discussed what an amazing online presence that Peoples Church has between the webpage, online newsletter/blog, and facebook. The photographs and photo albums displayed on these pages have been the reason several families have visited Peoples for morning worship or signed up for kids Sunday School or Vacation Bible Camp. As the saying goes, a picture says 1,000 words.

Having your photo on one of these pages is also a perfect opportunity to share Jesus with a friend or co-worker in a non-confrontational way, just by showing them your picture at church having fun or involved in meaningful mission. For others who are shy about having their picture taken this also provides an opportunity to sacrifice for the sake of Christ and his Church. For Christians in the USA, sacrifice rarely means martyrdom; rather we sacrifice in little ways every day whether it's giving our time, talent, or treasure, welcoming a newcomer, moving to a different pew for the sake of a visitor, or posing for a newsletter picture!

At Church Council we also discussed importance of online safety for children. Most churches with an online presence have no photo policy, but a few have a short list of practices to ensure safety without placing an undo burden on those who take and post pictures for church publicity. Some of these practices include using only first names in articles except for church contacts and not using children's names. Council hopes to draft a simple policy to review in March and hopefully put into place this Spring. If you have any suggestions, please contact Betsy Morrison.