Annual Report: Technology and Communication Committees

 TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

The Technology Committee operates, manages, maintains, and purchases: all installed and portable audio systems; all TVs, cameras, and video systems; all desktop, laptop, tablet and server computers; all computer software, and their licenses, for all church devises; the church phone system; all church ethernet and Wi-Fi equipment and cabling; and all specialized 28 equipment for hybrid/Zoom meetings.

 Additionally, the committee members run the sound board and live stream high-quality, multi-camera, broadcasts of the weekly Sunday Services along with any special events as requested. The committee retains IT contractors for the higher-level technical support of the church’s IT systems and the church website. The committee also sets policy for the use of all these systems and consults with office staff in contract renewal negotiations for the church copiers. 

The highlight for this year was the conversion of the church’s internet and phone system to dedicated fiber optic service from copper lines for the phone service and copper coax for the internet. This has resulted in vastly improved internet speeds while providing the church with substantial savings for these utilities. 

We look forward to the new year with plans already underway for additional and improved video equipment in the sanctuary that will make our Sunday morning streaming even better! The Technology Committee is always interested in new members to assist in any roll, large or small. No experience required! Anyone interested should contact the chair. Additionally, the youth continue to help support our streaming efforts on Sunday mornings. We look forward to their continued support.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

In 2024 the St. Mark Communications Committee continued its mission of assisting in the many ways we communicate with each other, with our larger community within the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, our denomination, and our neighbors in Ballwin. This committee was formed and tasked many years ago to find ways to serve our mission through the use of emerging communications technologies. We are still actively assisting staff and other groups get the word out regarding opportunities for worship, especially during annual liturgical calendar events such as Lent, Easter, Advent, and Christmas, and providing documentation of these and events on the Congregational Bulletin Board and Discover St. Mark Facebook pages.  We hope in the coming year to expand telling the St. Mark story through other forms of social media. 

A special thank you to all the members of the Communications Committee for the work you have done this past year. As we embark on this new year, our goals are to make our website and social media presence even more useful to our St. Mark mission of sharing the Good News of God’s Love for all. If you would like to join us in the work of the Communications Committee, all are welcome!