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The purpose of Communications Department is to mirror or echo or amplify the vision and mission (or business) of the Church. The word business is used here strictly to mean the Good News or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Methodist Church gets its business mandate from Matthew 28:19-20. In other words the business of the Church is explicitly the proclamation of the Great Commission.
It is in the context of this Biblical mandate that the Communications Department was conceived and operates, as an arm of the Church. All the arms or ministries of the Church, featured elsewhere on this web site, are therefore individually and collectively witnesses to our faith in Jesus Christ. At the individual level, several of my colleagues testify to the fact that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour.
Established
Communications Department was established in 1994 by a resolution of the 1994 Annual Conference sitting at Kaaga Girls High School, Meru. Mr John Muriungi, was appointed to set up the new department from January 1995. Later on an Editorial Board was formed to help formulate policy guidelines for and give professional advice to the department. The department reports to the Annual Conference through the Statutory Christian Education and Communication Committee of the Conference.
Activities of the department
Initially the department was charged with the task of publishing and immediately embarked on producing a magazine, Methodist Digest, on quarterly basis. To fulfill its mandate, the department interacts with the church at the headquarters as well as at the grassroots and gathers material for producing Methodist Digest. Over the years the duties of the department have broadened beyond publishing. For instance the department undertakes research work along side its other responsibilities.
The department has also been recording on video some of the Church's key activities, including Annual Conferences, ordination of ministers and induction of bishops. This material is available for research purposes and forms part of our archival work. Among others, the department has been responsible for press liaison, public relations, writing projects, representation of the Church to various meetings including those of the Kenya Church, and special duties assigned from time to time by the Presiding Bishop.
Methodist Church is yet to establish radio and television stations as tools for evangelism, information and education. The Coordinator occasionally contributes articles in the Methodist Recorder published in the U.K. and the World Parish of Canada.
Publications
In June 1995, Communications Department produced 1,000 copies of its first publication, The Methodist, titled: Beyond Our Boarders. The next four publications were produced under the title of Methodist Digest and the printing order varied from 1,000 “ 3,000.
They were:
I) First Woman Bishop in Africa (Vol 1 No 2, October 1995, Ksh. 30/-)
II) Revive us again“ Lord (Vol 1 No 3, April 1996, Ksh 50/-).
III) Will restructuring revamp the NCCK? (Vol 2 No 1, September 1996, Ksh 50/-)
IV) Six Ministers de-registered, Vol 2 No 2, July 1997, Ksh 50/-).
We would like to partner with an individual or organization to resume magazine publishing.
Best Magazine Award
In May 1997, Communications Department was honored with a trophy for excellence in publishing from the Public Relations Society of Kenya for being adjudged the best in-house magazine from the 22 titles entered for the competition from all over Kenya. The panel of judges had considered many factors before choosing Methodist for this award. Some of these factors were identified as:
1. Adherence to consistent prudent editorial policy,
2. Evidence of good news value,
3. Good design and layout and
4. Market appeal.
Among other things, the judges were also in agreement that Methodist Digest was the only Christian publication submitted for the competition. One of the judges, Mr. Gerry Loughran, an editor with Nation Media Group at the time, said this of Methodist Digest:
"The editors made a bold and courageous decision in changing to a radically different format, [from] A4 magazine, to a tabloid size newspaper and effected the transition with confidence and aplomb.
The Digest is comprehensive and meaty and very good for money. It shows great self- confidence and openness in carrying news articles about controversies within its own community.
The news format reflects a calculated commercial decision on how to attract readers, which we think will succeed. The WRITING IS OF HIGH STANDARD for the most part and the design was entirely appropriate to the format. In all, I felt the Digest faced a problem with courage and tackled it successfully with a HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL PRODUCT."
Even with this recognition, however, the department suffered a major setback when further publication of the magazine was discontinued the same year for lack of funds. Distribution of the magazine (as well as diaries) was inefficient as the one-man department was unable to collect or receive money from all the distribution points.
Later publications
The Communications department also managed to produce the following publications:
Title | Reference | Date | Cover price
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Speak out Says Bishop | Vol 3 No 1 | Aug-Oct 2000 | Ksh 100/-
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Tent Making or | Vol 4 No 2 | July-Sept 2001 |
Full-Time Ministry
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Doulos takes service | Vol 5 No 1 | Oct-Dec 2001 |
up the mountain
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The hot race for | | July/August 02 | Ksh 40/-
Nthamburi's successor
Special Edition
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Rev Dr. S. K. M'Impwii | Vol 5 # 2 | Oct-Dec 02 | Ksh 100/-
New Presiding Bishop
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Challenges the way forward
One, the Communications department needs to invest heavily on equipment and human resources if it has to perform its role fully and effectively. Radio and Television alone would cost not less than US $ 2.5 million. It would also cost about US $ 200,000 to establish a printing press, a vital tool for producing the necessary publications and literature.
The department has, for the last 10 years, depended on one employee, the Communications Coordinator and occasionally part time/casual staff. In order to discharge its responsibilities more efficiently and effectively, the department is working on a plan to engage more staff. Two, the department needs to urgently document the contemporary history of the Church including developing biographies of men and women who have made a sustained contribution to church planting or and growth
In December 2004, the department made video recordings of Rev Joseph Ntontimbu, Rev Francis Mungania and Rev Samuel Ngala who are among the earliest converts in their areas. Of the three, Rev Ntontimbu is advanced in age and is ailing. There is need also to develop biographies of successive Presiding Bishops. Three, the Church plans to provide more office space for both personnel and equipment.
The proposed Ministries Centre (see its profile elsewhere) will provide adequate space for Communications department. Kindly support it. Finally, the department plans to broaden its research component and enhance its capacity to deal with archival work. |
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