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News from the Diocese of Oxford

Date Added: Wednesday 26th September 2007

We are currently reviewing the way we share news and information across the diocese.

Between the 9th and 30th September we trialled this weekly newsheet.

The trial has now ended but please leave any comments on the format.

Formatted PDF version

Microsoft Word

Text Only Version

Sunday September 30th

Sunday September 23rd

Sunday September 16th

Sunday September 9th

Comments
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shahid shaikh.	6th April 2008

I think your weekly newsheet is a very good idea and have been printing it out and putting it on our church notice board. Please continue with this.
Judith McBride	13th October 2007

I appreciate the new newsheet. It has an immediacy that for me improves (perhaps even initiates!) a sense of unity between pew and diocese. One lovely if minor aspect was noticing that my daughter's old vicar is moving to a new and exciting post. Hope the spiritual side comes up the agenda.
Ed Lehmann.	3rd October 2007

I am, so it seems, a lone voices crying out in the wilderness... I will be absolutely honest: I am still not convinced that we need this new publication, and begrudge the extra money from our colection plates & parish share spent on it. Unless it would be in place of The Door itself (then I would vote for that). There is no urgent news in the last try-out copy that could not be published in the next Door. As I said before (see above) no more meditatioons - if there is no news, don't waste our money producing this kind of leaflet. Oh, and the only useful thing (not urgent either) was the Thames Valley Police link. The Link asks for a Name and a Password. The Password is not "Church Watch". So even this did not work and I wasted my time.
The Revd Geoff JHHBM van der Weegen A.OSCO	26th September 2007

Whilst it does tend to repeat a lot of the news I've already seen on the Diocese RSS feed, as a vehicle for allowing people at our services to feel part of the wider Church community it's great. We've been printing it out straight from the PDF and giving it out alongside our regular pew sheet, rather than trying to selectively include elements in our existing sheet (we barely had room for our own notices on that anyway) and the feedback so far has been pretty well universally positive.
Richard Peat	19th September 2007

Whilst I have read it we won't use it as a pew sheet. There is not much that would connect with our parishioners in this weeks edition (16th Sept) There may be future editions that we would consider using as a pew sheet.
Maurice Stanton-Saringer	13th September 2007

I agree with the comments about legibility. Also, the sudden 90-degree switch in the pdf version is (a) disorienting and (b) difficult to read, if you're trying to make sense of it on a computer screen.
Tony Dickinson	12th September 2007

New Weekly Newsletter: Whilst we are trying this new idea out: Please no more Reflections - URGENT news only. If there is no urgent news, then don't produce & publish it.
The Revd Geoff JHHBM van der Weegen, A.OCSO	12th September 2007

Thanks for the first News from the diocese of Oxford. Seems like a good idea and certainly worth a try. We will hand it out with our other weekly news sheet and see what people's reaction is.
	12th September 2007

I like the balance of 'in-house' information (e.g. new appointments) and material which can be used by those outside, or on the edge of, the Church (e.g. podcast for Racial Justice Sunday). I hope this venture will be a great success.
Piers Nash-Williams	12th September 2007

I much enjoyed reading this sheet and I think its a good idea - however, do remember that many of our congregations do not have computers and do not understand computer jargon. Therefore especially in the item "tell Bishop John" it would have been helpful to have the full address of Diocesan House for those who do still write/post rather than email!
Alison Birch	11th September 2007

Our pewsheet is generated electronically (i.e. I type it all up on a computer with input from various sources and print copies out for duplication weekly but we also have quite a significant email circulation - well, perhaps 20!). The trouble with having the pdf in that format is that it is very difficult to take the text and cut and paste it into an electronic version. If the text were available on the website, then I could copy it and paste it into the pewsheet, which the Rector is keen I should do. The particular problem is that it is in columns and copying the text takes the two columns and treats them as one. It's quite an effort to disentangle the text (as you might imagine). Having the text available as text on the website might be better than having it available as a Word file (not all people use Word believe it or not). Good luck with the venture. I am sure it would be useful for me - I am often short of copy!
Kate Spence, Wallingford Team Ministry	10th September 2007

Fantastic. It keeps all in the Diocese informed in a friendly and accessible nature.
Louisa Adams	7th September 2007

For web use the sheet is OK to print (and please coninue with pdf) but the font is difficult to read on screen. We plan to post the bulletin on our website www.iffley.co.uk/community each week. Can you let me know the release dates so that I can update our site promptly?
Rhys Hedges	7th September 2007

Although I have a program which can convert a PDF into MS-Word, it would be quicker if a Word file could be available for download. I do the DTP for the church magazine and newsletter and I am often need short "fillers" stories at short notice. The News looks as if it could be a useful source. Having a Word file would save haveing to retype or scan. Can I assume that copy is free to reproduce and that the Diocese has obtained and copyright permissons necessary? Reguarding copying: if this is the intention then the use of shaded backgrounds needs to be avoided to reduce toner costs. For example, our church would need to photocopy over 300 copies to allow one per family who attend our 5 Sunday services. We would also need to produce large print (A3) copies to make The News accessible to the sight imapired. Also, would it be possible to produce an audio version which can be downloaded? Finaly, The News could usfully include the DofO website URL and an e-mail address for contribitons.
Robert Willis	7th September 2007

A very good idea - we will be very glad to have it to put out for prayer.
Sister Mary Bernard SPB	7th September 2007

I like this - especially the prayers for 'back to work'. It's not completely clear to me how it is to be distributed - most of the info is already available on the web site or to those who subscribe to the web notifications - albeit in not quite the lovely layout!
Linda Richardson	7th September 2007

I think this is an excellent idea as there are some items which need to be seen before the next issue of the door is out. It is really good for prayers etc and up to date.
Suzanne Ackford	6th September 2007

Excellent idea and in a very readable format! Thank you.
Helen-Ann Hartley	6th September 2007

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