Courtesy of Wikipedia

It’s easy to get lost in the rich history of California’s Spanish missions. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, located on the central coast of the state, is no exception. Founded by Father Junipero Serra in 1771, the mission is situated in what the Spanish explorers called “La Cañada de los Osos,” or “the Valley of the Bears,” so named for the number of grizzlies that populated the area. Fr. Serra sent an expedition of hunters from the north to San Luis Obispo to kill the bears for meat, and the successful expedition coupled with the very fertile soil of the valley led to his decision to found a mission there. Almost a quarter of a century later, the mission still stands as the centerpiece of Catholicism, community and culture in San Luis Obispo!

Courtesy of California Missions Resource Center

Despite the mission’s age and long history, it is certainly not stuck in the past when it comes to ministry scheduling. Mission San Luis Obispo uses Ministry Scheduler Pro, the most advanced cloud-based ministry scheduling software available. It’s exciting to see this 250 year old mission embracing new technology to help create good liturgy and foster full and active participation!

The benefits are clear: getting your church online helps to streamline and organize the church, and makes it easy for new people to get involved. But we understand that new technology comes with new challenges. At Ministry Scheduler Pro’s recent webinar, 4 Easy Steps to Get Your Church Online, MSP users discussed their concerns and shared tips on how to best address them:

• Not all the church’s volunteers feel comfortable with computers

Be accommodating to those who don’t use computers regularly by offering printed copies of schedules. Offer training sessions where new computer users can learn how to use the online scheduling system. Or, set up an “Online Scheduling Kiosk” where those without computers at home can log in to take advantage of the online system!

• The schedulers are concerned that volunteers will log in and “mess stuff up”

Customize and control exactly what your volunteers can access and change online. Schedulers will save time by enabling volunteers to make changes, and can rest easy knowing they can only change what they have access to.

• Is the sensitive information in our database really secure and safe online?

Be sure to work with a software company where data security is the highest priority. Ministry Scheduler Pro uses the most robust, government approved technology to safeguard your information so you never have to worry about it ending up in the wrong hands.

Do you have any other tips on overcoming the challenges that come with bringing your church into the 21^st century? Share them in the comments below!

Spring is in the air and you know what that means… time for spring cleaning! Once you’re done scrubbing the floors, organizing your cabinets, and giving away your old clothes, take a step back and see how a little spring cleaning can help streamline your volunteering process! Here are a few tips and tricks to get your volunteer organization in ship shape for spring:

• Organize and streamline your scheduling process with a cloud-based volunteer scheduling program.
• Clean up your database by deleting non-active volunteers from the list to make room for new recruits!
• Encourage volunteers to renew their commitment by sending them an email with upcoming events.

What’s the best way to keep everything clean and organized when it comes to managing volunteers? Let us know in the comments!

Tens of thousands of people will come together during National Volunteer Week from April 21 – 27 to make their communities a better place. And you can, too! Whether you are an active volunteer, a volunteer scheduler, or someone looking for new ways to volunteer your time, take this opportunity to get involved in your community and commit to a cause you believe in!

National Volunteer Week, established in 1947 and sponsored by non-profit network Points of Light, is a great way to inspire, recognize, and encourage volunteerism and engagement in community organizations. Get involved by:

• Recognizing and thanking outstanding volunteers at your organization
• Seeking out new ways to foster positive transformations in your community
• Find volunteering opportunities near you by visiting HandsOn.org

How will you celebrate service next week? Share your inspirational stories in the comments!

Questions on running your first schedule with MSP? Sign up for our upcoming Scheduling 101 webinar! Want to learn best practices when it comes to scheduling holidays, or find out how churches use MSP to grow participation in their ministries? Check out our catalogue of past webinars for a variety of topics!

What topics would you like to see covered in future MSP webinars? Share your ideas below in the comments!

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Did you say a prayer before logging onto your computer this morning?  Today, April 4^th, is the feast day of St. Isidore of Seville, the patron saint of the internet and technology! Although there weren’t too many computers in the time of St. Isidore (the 600s), his vast encyclopedia of knowledge, known as the Etymologiae, has a “structure similar to that of a database.” Accordingly, in 1997, Pope John Paul II gave St. Isidore the distinction to help guide Catholics in their internet and computer use.

We wonder what St. Isidore would have thought about the marvels of modern technology, like creating flawless ministry schedules in a minute flat, reading scripture online, and following the Pope himself on Twitter!

Before your next Google search, say St. Isidore’s prayer:

Almighty and eternal God,
who created us in Thy image and bade us to seek after all that is good,
true and beautiful,
especially in the divine person of Thy only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant we beseech Thee that,
through the intercession of Saint Isidore,
bishop and doctor,
during our journeys through the internet we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee
and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen

What everyday technologies are you thankful for? Let us know in the comments!

One of the newer ways people have found to celebrate is by proclaiming their faith in a flashmob: a large, spontaneous gathering of people who perform a choreographed dance in a public place. Here are our favorite Easter flashmobs on YouTube:

1. Dance Your Shoes Off

This 2011 dance was performed by longtime Ministry Scheduler Pro users Second Baptist Church in Houston, TX! After the massive dance number, all the dancers’ shoes were left behind and donated to those in need.