I was sitting in church sunday (I attend a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church) and thought to myself "why not Twitter the sermon's highlights?" So, I did. It helped me pay attention and was like taking notes. My tool was my new iPhone.
What's a "Twitter" you may ask? Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) is a social networking site allowing short little messages maxed out at 140 characters. It's not really instant messaging (IM) because you're "twittering" to the world, or at least those on Twitter. I like to think of it as a sort of "in/out/comments" board you'd find in an office.A twitter "tweet" (those on the site) my write something like:
HighDef Edys (aka Dreyers) has that flavor in their new "Loaded" line of ice cream, @alphabunny. It's freakin' great! 25 minutes ago from web
or
doctorlinguist God bless FireWire Target Mode. 34 minutes ago from TTYtter
or
newmediajim hi new Twitter friend @Dayngr! and good night to you and all my Twitter budzz! about 1 hour ago from web
You get the idea. You'd be amazed at the friends made on Twitter. Folks encourage you if you're off to a meeting. The techies can solve nearly any problem. And it's even racy on Fridays when some of the folks participate in "Stripper Friday," which is fairly harmless. Some "tweets" change their avatars (little pictures generally representing themselves) with a more, as I like to say, expressive avatar. We'll leave it there - it's pretty clean fun generally. Especially when you know their usual avatar.
Another phenomen on Twitter is the ability to marshall folks to a given cause or website. Take AnnOhio for example. She and WickedStepMom were twittering back and forth one day about sending packages to service members in the field. It also involved NewMediaJim (a true Twitter super-star, and NBC cameraman extraordinaire) and BlondebyDesign. I added in some ideas and now several service members are getting much wanted care packages and letters.
So, back to my thought on a sermon by our Pastor Chris. Here's a raw copy of my twittering:
"we will prevail eternally and here and now - can we face our circumstances? Yes we hold onto faith and do our part proactively 11:11 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Boaz becomes their redeemer. The point: 1 importance of brutal reality but understand we will prevail w God's promise. 11:02 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Ruth offers to pick up leftovers in field of Boaz. Ruth is doing what she can to survive. Boaz sees her work and favors her because she too ... 10:58 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Naomi's circumstance: no means to survive. Call me Mara "bitter". Stockdale: u must confront brutal reality to survive & be proactive 10:54 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Ruth & sis want to return w Naomi - Naomi says no - Ruth insists & they return to Bethlehem 10:50 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Israelites spread out - not at home - Naomi's husband & son die 10:46 AM July 08, 2007 from web
Using book of Ruth as basis for theme. Ruth 1 & 2 10:43 AM July 08, 2007 from web
now talking about adm stockdale's time in hanoi hilton. Theme: facing reality 10:41 AM July 08, 2007 from web
using theme of chasing dog - now talking about horse in storm - horse escapes thru gate - chases horse for 6 miles - compares dog v horse & ... 10:38 AM July 08, 2007 from web
@ church will tweed themes of sermon 10:31 AM July 08, 2007 from web"
Oh, it's backwards isn't it. But that's the trick, you learn to actually follow pages and pages of Twittering backwards. It actually works.
I have learned more to help my job in a short while Twittering than I ever imagined. I've made some great friends too! There's DoctorLinguist (he puts a human side on being a doctor), "1389" a great conservative blogger and writer, ChrisBrogan a real thought provoker and teacher, and of course MelissaMaples who brings us an American's perspective on life in Turkey (including weekly trips to the bazzars in search of the tackiest T-shirts made on the planet).
I think it's ok to Twitter from church. Like at work, it actually makes me think about what I'm doing and is a sort of diary of the day. Some call it a waste of time - I call it an investment in life.
5 comments:
Twitter certainly defies any kind of explanation. It's sort of you really have to be there to get it kind of thing. It's a huge network of people connecting...it's totally amazing and blows me away at times.
It was interesting to see your notes from the sermon coming through in the middle of the other tweets for the day. Somehow, it all works.
:o)
Excellent post, Dan. Seems to me that the best aspect of tweeting from your church is that you're bringing some random salient points from the sermon to those who are following your tweets. The bonus here is that you're multitasking in a constructive manner and the people reading what you send via Twitter are getting some content they might not otherwise run into.
When I first heard about Twitter I scoffed at the idea of being constantly "updating" total strangers about my life. But then I decided to try it and Dan was one of my first Twitter friends. Reading him and later some of the people he mentions in his post along with other Twitter "personalities" I understood the value of this wonderful network and how it can teach you, enrich your view of the world, and just plainly hook you. Maybe I'm more of a regular (bilingual) Twitter that sometimes is there and sometimes disappears, but it is always nice to come back and see what my new friends all over the world are up to. Now I know why someone would willingly tell the whole world about your daily mundane life: Because you are not really updating strangers... you are talking to friends.
Muy buen Post Dan! Felicidades!
I agree with Ian. Plus as you said it is just like note taking. I feel you retain more when you write it down as well as listed and see it live. Now, about that iPhone...
Thanks, Dan, for the mention - you're awesome.
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