Do you use an announcements loop before your service(s)?

[jflash]

I'm only asking about slideshow-style loops, not video announcements (which, in my opinion, are a whole different level of production). My biggest problem is that I spend 3-5 hours a week basically reproducing what's already in the bulletin. If it helps people know better what's going on in the church, then that's fine, but I feel like it's 3-5 hours that would be better spent elsewhere since everything I put up is already in the bulletin and is read to the congregation at the beginning of the service. Thoughts?

Check all that apply on the poll.

[[Admin] osborn4]

We have a very short announcement loop that plays as folks file in. Usually 6-8 slides, including welcome, etc.

The bullletin is the main source of detail. The slides are very graphic and short on text, sometimes referring people to the bulletin.

At the beginning of service the pastor(s) announce announcements they want to bring attention to.

[Pastor Tim]

Not yet. Probably not ever because it just doesn't seem to me like our congregation would pay attention to it. There are a lot who don't even come in until the first song, so ....

Pastor Tim

[[Admin] skstarkiller]

I only do it when they actually send me the announcements

[Gene]

Our setup is similar to at Joel's church. Brief slide in a short loop, stuff is in the bulletin, and the pastor verbally announces some of note. (I'll bring the slide up on screen then, too.) It's the ol' "people learn better when multiple senses are involved and they're getting the info multiple times".

[AzDrew]

Yes, similar to Joel and Gene. I started out doing detailed announcement slides with all of the details that were already in the bulletin, but that was taking too much time. Now I pick about 5/6 things from the bulletin to highlight and stick to a more graphic theme with less text. For example for a bake sale announcement I'll make a graphic with an image or 2 from sxc, then add "Bake Sale" with the date. I now only spend maybe 30 minutes or so on announcements per week, and it's spent doing more of the "fun stuff" (creating graphics).

[kbob]

used to-but now we make personal presentations, from the stage, by one of the elders, cell group leaders, and or the leader of that particular ministry. I'd love to do a visual reinforcement for them, but we rarely get notice prior to the morning of the service.

[[Admin] osborn4]

I should mention that we create the visuals to show when the pastor (or whoever) is making the announcement. It helps hammer home the announcement. Since we are making the full screen announcements anyway, we put them in a loop with a welcome slide and the sermon title slide to show before the service.

We also show it for visitors more than members. Visitors are more apt to be looking around, trying to figure stuff out. And the more we can inform them, the better.

We used to spend 1-2 hours making an exhaustive announcement loop, but we decided it was more important to spend time on the sermon and worship slides, so we cut back.

We still probably spend 1/2 to 1 hour, but we are making some better looking quality pieces, rather than a collection of PPT bullet lists with clip art.

[hussra]

Similar to Joel and Gene - a few highlights on the screen, everything in the notice sheet, verbal announcements of a few items (quantity depends who's leading the service...)

We have also, on occasion, used the pre-service loop to suggest things for people to pray for quietly before worship, which was quite effective.

[Lee Ann]

We only put up major all-church events on the screens along with the welcome slide, everything is in the bulletin, and some items are also announced in the service.
Even when an event is promoted by all three means, we still have people complaining that "they didn't know about it, we should announce it...."

[scmatthew]

No pre-service loop here. We have only one bulletin and it's on the bulletin board in the lobby. All announcements are read /spoken by the assistant pastor and we show a graphic to reinforce the point.

Steven

[Sysmom]

We run a loop before and after service - it's the same one.

We also print the current announcements in the Program, and for some things, have flyers inserted into the program.

And we have video announcements after worship and greeting is over.

Our loop includes the announcements which are printed - some other ones which are a bit further out than the scope of the announcements, some general promo for small groups, Bible studies, and other groups like that - a slide for each of our missionaries, and some other ... stuff. Even at 7 seconds per slide, it takes at least 4 minutes to go through them all.

I didn't vote for anything, because I wasn't sure what that qualified for. A couple months ago, it was the program, the loop, and someone standing up to give the announcements.

The video has replaced someone standing up to do them -- much to the utter joy of the pastors who had to do it.

deb