CoE and Facebook
The Church Times has the story:
"Members of the General Synod are signing up to the social-networking website Facebook, after a new informal group was set up for them last week. Anthony Archer, a lay member for St Albans diocese, set up his own account in May, before embarking on the General Synod project. ‘This caused some anxiety among my student children and their friends that the parents’ set were now going to eavesdrop on their kids’ lifestyles,’ he said. To test the water, Mr Archer’s posting on his own page of the site was headed: ‘Can old farts do Facebook?’Speaking this week, he said the response on the site to his initiative was ‘a resounding yes’. He believes that it is important for the Church to use this type of media tool. ‘Networking is a natural desire, and ought to be at the heart of what the Church is doing in a ministry and mission sense.’ For the first years of its existence, Facebook was restricted to students and their friends, but last year it was opened to anyone with an email address.
...Elsewhere on the site, fans of the Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright, have created a profile entitled ‘N T Wright Bishop Extraordinaire’. This contains regularly updated postings and discussions on theological questions."
The article points out that only one member of the clergy has actually created an account as of this writing.
Read the rest here.
There are lots of CofE clergy who already have accounts on Facebook. What the story says is that only one clergy member of General Synod has so far joined the GS group mentioned.
Posted by Simon Sarmiento![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 10, 2007 7:27 AM
I'm on facebook, and it's been a great way to increase my episcopal social circle.
Also, my son is on facebook, and friended me there. I'm always amazed that my relationship with him is so strong that he would let me read his facebook, and I'm grateful because we've had some good conversations about online behavior that we might not have otherwise had.
Posted by Helen Thompson (Gallycat)![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 10, 2007 9:06 AM
There is at least one Episcopal bishop with a facebook account.
It's a good networking tool though I have the sense of worlds colliding as people I know from different venues (work, students, church, family, etc.) are "gathered" on my list of facebook friends.
Posted by Margret Hjalmarson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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August 10, 2007 1:47 PM