Beauty Tips for Ministers
Because you're in the public eye, and God knows you need to look good.
Animated Photo Collage: BIG Thumbs Up!!!
February 5, 2010 on 3:02 pm | In PeaceBang Halo Of Praise | 3 CommentsAwhile ago I saw a church website that featured the minister’s photo on the front page in various guises: preaching, reflecting in the privacy of the study, smiling, looking serious, etc. I thought it was strange, as though the church was saying, “Welcome to our Congregation, STARRING THE REVEREND HEAD-SHOT!” It looked like a movie poster. It was puzzling and off-putting to me, especially since there were no other images of congregational life on that front page.
Today, I saw a minister’s page on a church website that made me shout for joy. The front page of the website features the congregation, with loads of helpful buttons you can click for more information. Then, nestled within the “About the Minister” page, is this dynamic, revealing series of images of the Senior Minister, the Rev. Gail R. Geisenhainer:
I think this is just fantastic. It shows a preacher in the act of leading, exhorting, inviting, enjoying, praying. It is active, vibrant, authentic and makes me want to see this woman in action. The text below the image is,to me, brilliantly written:
What Does She Preach?
An anthropology grounded in the presumption of human dignity and worth.
A theology of reverence and respect for the natural world.
A Christology of Jesus as a fully human extraordinary teacher of love and justice.
A methodology embracing mystery with the disciplines of reason.
A gospel of Love as transformative and salvific when yoked with justice for all.
A commitment to building the Beloved Community: Right here, right now.
It’s true that some of the language in these statements is sophisticated (“methodology,” “salvific,” and even “anthropology”), but this congregation is located in a university town and therefore needs to appeal to a highly-educated demographic. They know who they are.
And their minister knows who she is.
That’s powerful and powerfully appealing stuff. Rock on, UUs of Ann Arbor!
This was supposed to be either a day off or a sermon-writing day. It’s turning out to be a hack-around-way-too-much day. Pardon me while I return to worship preparation. *MWAH* xx
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Comment by ann — February 5, 2010 #
I must second the need to have photos of congregational life. I have seen many shots of empty sanctuaries and other beautiful facilities devoid of people. Its almost creepy sometimes, because I imagine myself visiting and being the only one there. On the other hand, there is one local church that has obviously put a lot of work into showing the people of the congregation on the site. However, there are a lot of photos of people in conversation or small group discussions where the picture shows, or even features, the backs of people. I think their photographer needs to be a little more assertive about getting into the middle of people, while still maintaining the candid approach they seem to be trying for.
Comment by S. — February 9, 2010 #
Thank you for noticing and appreciating our web page about our wonderful minister Gail Geisenhainer! While I would love to take credit since I assembled the page, the power of it is in the dynamic photos and powerful words of our very dynamic minister. My advice to others would be to describe the minister using active photos and words that show what the congregation appreciates most about the minister… What makes you really excited to be a member of his/her congregation? Capture that.
Comment by Sandy -- First UU Ann Arbor — February 9, 2010 #