The part-time communicator's lament

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Part-time communicator's lament - Virginia Barrett Barker

The ministry of communication - Herb Gunn

"Telling the truth"- The Rev. D.Moore

"Fact-based storytelling" - Bishop Charleston

Lay ministry of communication - Cn. Rick Johnson

"Communications is a ministry" - Ray Suarez

The part-time communicator's lament
by Virginia Barrett Barker

Many innocent folks seem to believe an editor's job is merely Enhanced Typing and should involve no more investment of time or finances than would a comparable number of words keyboarded into hard copy from someone else's dictation. Both low pay and "half-time" pay hamper the communications ministry.

Hearing the title "half-time editor," one can only wonder:

Which half of the incoming flood of mail and publications shall the half-time editor read and process?
Which half of the diocesan events shall be attended, reported, photographed?
Which half of the relentless phone calls answered?
Which half of the evening and Sunday events attended and covered?
Which half of the 9 -to-5 business days available to one's extended diocesan family?
Which half done of the background study and person-to-person inquiry that keeps an editor informed and positioned for the inevitable what-to-print decisions?
Which half of the secular press releases written (some of which happily never see daylight but must be done "just in case" awkward questions arise)?
Which half of the mileage shall be driven from end to end of the Diocese to include the smallest congregations in the press?
Which half of the Diocesan Convention and the General Convention and the most recent scandal processed for readers?
Which half of the bishop's "press secretary" need to be addressed -- or left unadressed?

Which half, O Lord, which half?

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