There are so many platforms for communication these days: social media like TikTok and Facebook, planning/project apps like Discord and Trello, and of course, email, text, and phone.

It can be a challenge as we don’t have one set of established norms. And overwhelming! I know I am not the only person to go to respond to a message I saw earlier, then be stumped when I can’t figure out where I saw it — Messenger? Text? Email? 

I think we have to be deliberate in letting others know how we like to communicate. We can’t assume. One person prefers texts, another hates them.

So, as we get ready for the beginning of the new church year (our programs are laid out similar to an academic calendar), here is what I prefer:

* Vast majority of communication: email. I will respond within 24 hours, except for emails received Sunday evening and Monday all day, as that is my sabbath.

* Social Media such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook: I rarely respond to (or even check) messages here. 

* Texts: please reserve texting for things that require immediacy, e.g. we’re working on something together and you need a quick answer, or we’re supposed to meet and you’ve had a delay. 

For emergencies, PLEASE feel free to text or call me.

And another way to communicate, probably my favorite way when the opportunity presents itself: good ole face-to-face. We’ll have another opportunity for that, beginning Wednesday, September 6. Every Wednesday at noon, you are invited to come to Live Oak Community Sack Lunch. Bring your lunch (we have a microwave in the kitchen) and enjoy chatting with other Live Oakers, (including me most weeks.) It’s a great way to take a break from the workday and reconnect with friends.