Here is a selection of hints, tips, reminders and offerings as we journey through Advent and Christmas …  And a competition for you to take part in ...

*Follow The Star

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for daily Bible readings and reflections by downloading the free app (Android and iOS), and find other resources and activities:

https://www.churchofengland.org/christmas

On social media, you can find out what all our Churches are doing as they #FollowTheStar.  Here is the CofE feed – please do send in your stories and pics from across the Diocese.

https://twitter.com/churchofengland?lang=en

And there is a booklet “12 Days of Christmas Wonder”, this year based around the Carol “We Three Kings”.  Here is a link to the sample:

https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/media/74637/follow-the-star-2019-booklet-sample.pdf

*Be social … on social media

If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, post great pics on your Facebook pages, and  Instagram, post and promote your chaplaincy!   Those pics at this time of year should come in very handily when chaplaincies are asked (in January ...) to provide new and approved pics for the Diocese to use on social media, prayer diary etc.  Or if you have a reflection piece to offer, why not share it on twitter?

It was great to welcome friends from all parts across the Diocese at our four recent social media training sessions.  If you weren’t able to join us, fear not, as there’ll be more training next year with our ‘star’ social media trainer, Amber, to help us build and expand our social media profile across the Diocese. 

*Sign up for A Church Near You

270 churches across the Diocese are now signed up to A Church Near You (ACNY).  That’s great.  It’s such a good way for people to find out about your Church.  As we know, very many people visiting a Church do so for the first time at Christmas, and here’s a twitter post example:

https://twitter.com/LivDiocese/status/1203679414514601984

We know there are still some delays in getting those who want to sign up.  We’re sorry to hear about that.  If you’re still having problems with this, please email communications@europe.anglican.org and tell us where you are in the registration process, so we can help with ACNY colleagues.  

If you are registered, you'll want to make sure that all your planned Christmas season services and activities are up to date.  For more information, see:

https://www.churchofengland.org/ACNYchristmas

*Enter the 2020 Diocesan Photo Competition

In this coming year, we’re looking to promote our position as an Eco-Diocese.  Cameras at the ready, here is the competition:

“Please send us a picture that demonstrates how your church is responding to the challenges of environmental sustainability.”

The deadline for entries is 31st January 2020.  Please send your entry marked "2020 Diocesan Photo competition" to communications@europe.anglican.org

Bishop Robert will judge the entries and the competition results will be announced in February 2020.

*Look back over the year with our 2019 Diocese in Europe Annual Review

We are pleased to say that “European Anglicans”, piloted this summer, will become a more regular Diocesan publication.  This year’s Review will be an issue that reflects on our life as a Diocese through the media and posts on our website.  

It is scheduled for online publication before Christmas for you to be able to use as a resource over the Christmas season, and beyond, to keep your congregations informed on what’s been happening across the Diocese over the past year. 

*Consider what you could contribute to Diocesan comms in 2020

If you’ve done any, some, or all (gold star!) of these things above, you’re offering exactly the kind of comms support we’re looking for in the Diocese.   So please have a think about how you could do the same on Diocesan comms.

There’ll be more information on this in January ...