Louisiana Conference Communications Office Reaching Out in New Way

While many aspects of the United Methodist Church in Louisiana may seem to be shrinking, the Louisiana Conference Communications Department has increased its outreach in the past year and plans to do even more in in the next year.

Director of Communication and Strategy Todd Rossnagel and Associate Director William Willoughby are introducing new ways to keep United Methodists across Louisiana connected with the latest news and events, and with each other. Trying to distribute credible information while disputing misinformation in the throes of disaffiliation has been difficult, Rossnagel told delegates to the 2023 Annual Conference in Baton Rouge on Thursday.

“We have had quite a year,” Rossnagel said.

A Louisiana conference-produced video podcast, “Staying,” is a 15-episode series that lifted and celebrated what it means to 'stay United Methodist' and also objectively presented information surrounding disaffiliation. The series, which reached more than 25,000 people, also featured diverse points of view on matters related to disaffiliation but also called out disingenuous and harmful campaigns of disinformation designed to mislead congregations that were considering disaffiliation.

“Staying” was produced by Willoughby and hosted by Rossnagel and Rev. Van Stinson, assistant to the bishop.

Willoughby also announced plans to produce “Black Church Matters,” a new podcast to be hosted by Rev Karli Pidgeon. The podcast, slated to begin in late June, will focus on black leaders in Methodism and issues unique to black churches.

Rossnagel said “Black Church Matters” is one way the Louisiana Conference is “expanding our witness.”

Rossnagel also announced that the conference’s state-of-the-art television studio is nearly completed.

Built in a vacant office at the conference office, the studio will be available to all churches in the conference to record a welcoming video, a message to newcomers, an announcement about a special event, or any other need.

Rossnagel also is the host of the award-winning “Louisiana Now” podcast, which twice has been named the “best in class” podcast in the entire United Methodist Church.

Meanwhile, the conference increased its engagement on Instagram by 26 percent and its reach on Facebook by 15 percent, Rossnagel said. The conference also created a Tik Tok channel in the last year, despite reports that China uses the app to spy on American users.

“If they’re going to be spying on us, let them learn about Jesus in the Louisiana Conference!”

You can follow the various Communications channels below: 

Facebook

Instagram

Tik Tok