Keeping a calendar for events, deadlines, and other timely notices related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be much easier thanks to a new online denomination-wide calendar developed by Chalice Press and Communication Ministries.
The new calendar is built in Google’s calendar feature, which means information can be added to most calendar programs on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. By subscribing free to calendars, changes or additions will be updated automatically on personal calendars.
“For years Disciples communicators have worked to create a denominational calendar that was more user-friendly than a simple listing or a static web page,” says Chalice Press’ Brad Lyons. “When Chalice Press created an online calendar two years ago to accompany the popular print Annual Planning Guide and Calendar, we realized we had also created the skeleton for a denominational calendar. As more people rely on electronic calendars, adding an electronic version of the planning guide that worked across most devices was imperative.”
Since different users will want different information, the calendar is actually a combination of six different calendars:
- Church observations
- Deadlines and notices
- Events
- Holidays
- Meetings
- Seminars and classes
Users can subscribe to as many or as few as they wish.
You can access the denominational calendar from the newly redesigned Disciples.org by clicking “Events Calendar” in the yellow section on the right side of the main page. You can also go straight to the calendar at http://www.chalicepress.com/calendar2013_2014.aspx.
To subscribe to the calendar through your smartphone, table, or desktop computer, go to the calendar and click “Subscribe to these calendars.” After completing a short form, you will receive an email with instructions on subscribing to the different calendars on different devices.
Because the calendar can be updated, new events can be added or changed at any time. If you have an event of interest to a broad audience of Disciples across the United States and Canada, send it to [email protected] for possible inclusion. Communication Ministries reviews potential calendar additions, and Chalice Press adds approved events to the calendar.
In addition to the free calendars, three additional products are available through Chalicepress.com:
- The print version of 2013-2014 Annual Planning Guide and Calendar, the calendar Disciples pastors and congregational leaders have relied upon for years, is $9.00. Discounts are available for large purchases.
- An electronic calendar containing lectionary through June 2014, in both English and Spanish, is available for $2.99.
- Free monthly email reminders about events, deadlines, and more will begin in January 2013.
More information about these calendar features can be found at http://www.chalicepress.com/calendar .
Offering received Sept. 26 & Oct. 3