Tech Forum

As a ward bulletin specialist several times over (mostly due to the lack of it getting done), I appreciate anything that improves our lives when collecting and accurately updating Ye Olde Ward Bulletin. I like the idea of this open source project in that it creates a simple informational website with a mobile-friendly display of that week's announcements: https://github.com/DeeeeLAN/wardbulletin

Playing around with it isn't very user-friendly but for professional developers it's dead-simple. I'm wondering if anyone has played with this and what the response has been from the older segment of their ward. Another unit in my Stake has been using it for a while and just displays the QR code on a sign with the usual passalong cards, etc. on tables on either side of the chapel. The QR code just goes to their website. While it seems like a fairly straight-forward approach, my guess is that it's not straight-forward enough for a high rate of adoption unless I'm grossly underestimating the expertise of the average ward nerd

Any experience you'd be willing to share (or pure speculation) is very much welcome!

This very concept was recently brought up in Ward Council and was tabled.

My wife does the weekly bulletin on her computer, prints it, runs the copier, folds them, and distributes them Sunday. Of all the various means of distributing the same information, e.g. website, emails, texts, or "Circles" phone app, to get the best bang for the buck, a large segment of our membership prefer the paper-in-my-hand method...I happen to one of those. Besides, displaying a QR code in the front of the chapel at best would seem distracting by encouraging everyone to suck up internet bandwidth and diddling on their phones/tablets rather than paying attention to the meeting.

We have a website that is regularly maintained but very little traffic.
Emails...just another login and message to trash.
Texts? ummmm, no.
Circles? Some use it like our primary presidency to communicate with all the teachers which works fairly well. But general bulletin type information? Hard copy is still the best way.
Summed up, younger could probably go with digital format. Us old-schoolers still prefer hard copy.
Just my two cents...since you asked. /grin\

When I tried to refer folks to our printed ward bulletin, they would tell me they gave them to their kids or threw them away. Nobody wants to bring paper home from church.

Since COVID, we no longer have a printed bulletin. My wife creates a PDF and sends it out to everyone who can receive email.

We taped a QR code on the inside cover of the hymnbooks and on the table in the foyer. It directed to a site that contained the bulletin. This worked well for us and was easy for us to maintain. There was a little nervousness initially with some of the less tech-savvy people but I think we got through it fine. After coming back from COVID shutdowns, we had a different bishopric who didn't feel like maintaining it. Now we have no bulletin at all!

For the more tech savvy, QR Codes are a security issue. In most cases there's little to protect the display from being swapped for another QR Code that goes to a malicious site.

It might go to a site that drops malware before forwarding to the real website.

Even if you had a preview of the URL, ward sites are not going to be directing to a regular church site, but the kind of sties that small-time hackers would use.

As for the QR codes in the Hymnals - hopefully someone it maintaining that site. Otherwise, someone may scan it and find it going to a completely inappropriate site. (Purveyors of "adult entertainment" frequently scoop up expired domains.) If the site's not being maintained, it would probably be best to remove all the QR codes to prevent problems. They can always be replaced if they're maintained again.

I don't know if the Handbook requires us to have a ward bulletin, but I know we are encouraged to keep announcements to a minimum from the pulpit in Sacrament meeting. So what is the best alternative?

drepouille wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:43 am I don't know if the Handbook requires us to have a ward bulletin,

It does not. Item 4 of Planning Sacrament Meeting (General Handbook 29.2.1.1) says:
"Announcements. These should be kept to a minimum. Most can be printed, shared electronically, or shared in other meetings."

So a printed bulletin is a suggestion, but not the only way to provide announcements.

In our ward we will get one or two of the most important announcements in sacrament meeting, and the rest are shared during second hour meetings.

drepouille wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:43 am I don't know if the Handbook requires us to have a ward bulletin, but I know we are encouraged to keep announcements to a minimum from the pulpit in Sacrament meeting. So what is the best alternative?

The church calendar is a powerful but under utilized tool.

Does anyone have experience with wardbullet? It's an app that is used to create and disseminate the ward program/bulletin. You can use it for the Sacrament program, announcements, and callings. It will create a qr code for people to scan, or it can be printed. I'm wondering if it works well and what issues people have had using it. Specifically how it's been received by ward members.

We use Wardbullet for our Stake Conference. I love this app. We create both Adult Session and General Session bulletins. It has really cut down on the amount of print bulletins we need.