Blessed Be the Recipients: A Reflection on Communication

The Mid-Week Missive is based on Community Rules: An Episcopal Manual by Ian Markham and Kathryn Glover, both administrators at Virginia Theological Seminary. I am working my way through this book, reading and writing  through the lens of our Life Together as part of the Christ the King Episcopal Church family, as well as part of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. 

Rule #12: Think About How Communication Will Be Received. Markham and Glover’s reflection on this rule can be found in their book, which can be purchased here. 

How does this rule apply to our Life Together at Christ the King? As is the case with most churches these days, we have a number of different ways in which we communicate. This blog is one of the newer means of communicating that I have taken on. We have our Facebook page, website, the Weekly Herald e-newsletter that goes out every Monday, the Sunday bulletin insert, the Sunday announcements prior to worship, and good ole fashioned word of mouth.

But when organizations and individuals communicate, how it is received is as important – if not more – than what is received. In other words, “how does this message sound?” Some messages are purely informational, and thus have a neutral “tone.” Some are intended to bear hopeful, exciting, good news. Some are meant to inspire, motivate, and rally. Others are meant to bear difficult news. Some of this nuance can be difficult to catch digitally/electronically. So when we communicate via the internet, we need to be sure to remember that “tone” is sometimes difficult to decipher.

One good rule of thumb is to always try to assume the best and give others the benefit of the doubt. I can’t tell you how many times a quick phone call or face-to-face meeting have cleared up a misinterpreted email. At the end of the day, we are an incarnational people, and incarnational communication is the most effective means to relate with one another. But when that is not possible, we can still aim to incarnate the Way of Love in how we communicate.

Pentecost blessings and peace,

Richard+