Life is full of transitions.
That’s what I told my friends at ReFrame Media as I began to let them know I’m leaving my role at Church Juice to pursue other opportunities while staying in the Chicago area.
Nearly nine years ago, I came into this role in major, personal transition. I was newly married, living in a city I didn’t know while attempting to make a career pivot. While the Church Juice brand didn’t exist back then, I joined a team that had a basic idea that the local church matters and needed encouragement to be better communicators. From there, we’ve grown into a community, thousands of people strong, who recognize congregations work best when they’re well informed.
To all of you, I am incredibly thankful for your support, retweets and overall contribution to making this project a success. I will truly miss navigating the ever-changing world of marketing with you.
What’s Next
Now for a couple of housekeeping items. As ReFrame Media works to dream about what’s next for Church Juice, they’ll also be digging into our vast archive to share some older posts, which are still relevant and may be new to many of you. Hopefully, that will keep you connected the next few months to make sure you don’t miss what happens next.
Second, the timing of this transition means we’ll be skipping The Juicys this year. I love our annual grant program that features the great work you’re doing and shares it with others who want to make similar moves. If you haven’t read the stories of past winners, now is a great time to start.
Final Thoughts
If I’ve done anything through Church Juice, I hope I’ve built a case that good communications matters. When a congregation understands their church’s vision and sees it playing out in real life, it’s hard for them to resist being a part of it. Communication doesn’t mysteriously happen, it takes intentionality.
As I’ve worked to build that case for good communications, I’ve tried to emphasize a common formula. Identify someone’s felt need. Tell a story of how you can help. Keep them connected through consistent, simple and clear communication. And always give them next steps for deeper engagement. My sincere hope is that your church finds the time and courage to explore how this might play out for you.
Thanks again for all of your support. It’s been a pleasure serving this community. And if you’d like to stay in touch, let’s connect on Twitter.
