Dear friends:
In her book, Alone Together, MIT professor and researcher Sherry Turkle explores the impact of technology-mediated communication, particularly on generations growing up with it as the norm.
Among a number of trends, she cites one called "presentation anxiety." People are increasingly alert to how they present online. They think carefully about what pictures they post and what messages they send because they want more than a connection to friends: they want to be followed and liked. Online communication, she says, is evolving into a kind of performance, which raises a sense of anxiety.
Another trend is around texting. Though wonderfully efficient, texting creates something researchers call "reassuring distance," suggesting that certain communication is best made at a safe distance. This is deeply tempting, as in-person conversations can be bumpy and downright demanding. The tone of voice, facial expression, and body language, combined with word choice, send a message that is nuanced and in need of careful management.
Research reveals that while screen-based communication is excellent at connecting people across distances, it can also create a sense of isolation. Though we have become experts at sharing information across a screen, cultivating personal connection is another matter altogether. In fact, we can spend the majority of the day communicating across a screen and still feel highly isolated.
It's a real problem, and the Christian faith offers something of a remedy. This week we'll have an unusually bifurcated worship schedule. I'll continue our sermon series Gospel Lessons from Ted Lasso by preaching from this passage in the 8:45, 9:30, and 11:00 Fellowship Hall services. You might also watch this video in preparation.
In addition, we have the tremendous good fortune to welcome Mark Ramsey, Executive Director of The Ministry Collaborative, a project of the Macedonian Ministry Foundation. Mark will be making two presentations this Sunday, both of which promise to be stellar. At 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall, he'll be presenting on an important subject, grounded decision-making for when the ground is shaking. At 11:00 a.m., he'll be preaching in the Sanctuary service as we celebrate the ordination and installation of our new class of elders. We're fortunate to have Mark with us, and I hope you will embrace all he has to offer.
It will be a rich Sunday across the whole campus. Come, and bring a friend.
Warmly,
