The place where you can share your ideas about enhancements or ideas to make Realm even greater!  You can post ideas, vote for other people's ideas, and see where we are in implementing those ideas.  Check it out here

Realm Ideas for Ministry

Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming live webinars!  It is easy to do, simply click on the "Owl" in Realm and navigate to "Catalog" and "Live Events." 

Here is what we have planned for this month

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• Coaching Leaders to Create Community
• Accounting for Daycare Revenue through Event Registrations & Contribution Funds
• Help! We Are New to Realm Inform, Where Do We Start?
• What Should I Be Tracking and Where Does It Go?
• Check Out The Latest Realm Release

To register, view dates and times, please go to MinistrySmart now to reserve your spot!

Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming webinars!  It is easy to do, simply click on the "Owl" in Realm and navigate to "Catalog" and "Live Events." 

Here is what we have planned for this month.

__________

03/02/2021 Ministry Impact Webinar | Beyond Thank You for Attending...Closing the "Sale" of Your Church With Guests 

Individuals and families come to your church because of an invitation, being new in town, or feeling the need to connect. They have given you their contact information! That is the green light to reach out and welcome them to your church. We will look at some calls to action to reach, welcome, and have them join your congregation.

03/03/2021 Realm Ask the Experts | Building Virtual Events in Realm 

Building a registration event has several components, join us as we lay out the best plan to make your event successful. Bring questions or challenges so we can tackle them together.

03/03/2021 Ministry Impact Webinar | What is vVBS, you ask? 

COVID is still here and the church's mission is still clear. As the church continues to go forth and make disciples, events look so much different than ever before. Many churches tried a virtual VBS last year, join us as we discuss what they did, how they did it and what they will change for this year.

03/04/2021 Realm Advanced Webinar | Let's Build a vVBS together 

Ok, you asked, and here's our answer. Join us as we build a virtual event together in Realm. We will go over each step in detail to help you plan your next virtual event.

03/09/2021 Ministry Impact Webinar | Developing Leaders  Postponed

You have been prepared for a time like this...Now prepare the leaders in your church who are looking to your staff for the answers. Train them to greet, meet and touch each other's lives without being worried about communicable illnesses. Join us as we present options for training, leading and how other churches are handling these challenges.

03/09/2021 Realm Ask the Experts Webinar | Who's on First? 

Now that you have converted your data, set up the Staff Users and started getting Realm ready for launch your church needs to think about communication and who will use what tools in Realm and when they should use those tools. Join us as we go through the communication tools and help point your church toward answers.

03/10/2021 Realm Advanced Webinar | Help! I'm in Charge of Children's Ministry 

Being in charge of the Children's Ministry can be a challenge! Join this webinar to explore all the tools in Realm has to make this job easier. Learn how to equip group leaders, attendance options, and the communication tools available in Realm to help your ministry stay connected.

03/11/2021 Realm Advanced Webinar | Equipping Volunteers for vVBS 

Your church has a plan and now you are ready for a virtual event, what about your volunteers? Are they ready? What steps should you follow for virtual volunteers? What tools are there in Realm to help them be successful? Join us as we show you how to equip volunteers in Realm.

03/16/2021 Realm Accounting Advanced Webinar | Preventing Fraud in Church Accounting 

Join us for our monthly Realm Accounting webinar, this month preventing fraud in church accounting. We will discuss steps your church or parish can take, reports to rely on, and share a few best practices with you. Come prepared to ask questions and share ideas.

03/17/2021 Ministry Impact Webinar | Building the foundation for virtual volunteers 

Volunteer Management has always been a huge ministry within the church or parish, however, how important is it to do your background checks, reference checks, training on how to work with kids, if everyone is virtual? Join us as we discuss building a solid foundation for volunteers in this era of virtual volunteering.

03/18/2021 Realm Ask The Experts Webinar | Background Checks 

Securing and affirming proper credentials for those serving in your ministry should include a background check in today's world. Follow along as we map the steps, processes, and how Realm can help you automate background checks.

03/18/2021 Ministry Impact Webinar | Websites Simplified 

Websites are an advertisement, a message, directions, information, and a sample of your church or parish. However resources like budgets, personnel, and time are not always available. Join us as we discuss websites simplified.

03/25/2021 Realm Webinar | Check Out The Latest Realm Release 

Join us 1 time per month as we cover the previous month's releases in Realm and discuss the WHY behind the HOW.

Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming webinars!  It is easy to do, simply click on the "Owl" in Realm and navigate to "Catalog" and "Live Events." 

Here is what we have planned for this month.

__________

Feb-3-11:00AM EDT-Realm Advanced Webinar | Realm Connect App: Giving 

• Today, there is an app for anything and everything you can think of with giving, purchasing, and mobile payment among the highest downloads. Realm Connect is about connecting your church or parish with a record of their giving as well as giving them a planning and giving tool. Join us as we show tips and tricks for successful giving with the Realm Connect app.

Feb-4-11:00AM EDT-Realm Ask the Experts | Strategies for Maintaining Group Information

• Building groups in Realm offers many benefits for the church including attendance, communication, leadership tools, events, and so much more. Join us as we present strategies on maintaining the information as your church continues to grow in the use of Realm.

Feb-4-2:00PM EDT-Ministry Impact Webinar | Principles for Managing Groups 

• Groups are at the core of how life happens in your church. Equipping leadership, creating lines of communication, and effectively managing information are some of the things we will discuss as we look at principles for managing our groups

Feb-9-11:00AM EDT-Realm Advanced Webinar | Registration Events 

• Registration Events will guide you through the best practices to incorporate when working with registration events, what to avoid when creating events, and how to make sure your events work for your church not the other way around.

Feb-10-11:00AM EDT-Realm Advanced Webinar | Attendance Options 

• Having options is great but if you don't know how or when to use them, they can lose value. Join us as we go over the various attendance options available in Realm and when to use them.

Feb-10-2:00PM EDT-Ministry Impact Webinar | Closing the back door, keeping attendees involved 

• The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our face-to-face involvement. Community and socially being together has suffered. Let's discuss ways that we can stay connected, keep our groups active, and avoid losing participation during this season.

Feb-11-11:00AM EDT-Ministry Impact Webinar | Beyond Thank You for Attending...closing the "sale" of your church with guests 

• Individuals and families come to your church because of an invitation, being new in town, or feeling the need to connect. They have given you their contact information! That is the green light to reach out and welcome them to your church. We will look at some calls to action to reach, welcome, and have them join your congregation.

Feb-11-2:00PM EDT-Realm Ask the Experts Webinar | How Do We Start Digital Discipleship? 

• The Mission of the Church never changes. Go make disciples.... The method to accomplish this mission does change. With all the changes in our world, this is a good time to examine how technology can impact our discipleship efforts. Do we have a plan? Join us as we talk about where we start digital discipleship.

Feb-16-2:00PM EDT-Realm Accounting Advanced Webinar | Rotating Advanced Topics 

Feb-17-11:00AM EDT-Ministry Impact Webinar | Measuring Digital Discipleship 

• Are you streaming? Do you use Facebook? Is your message connecting with your audience? How do you know? In this webinar, we will look at ways to measure digital discipleship.

Feb-18-2:00PM EDT-Realm Webinar | Launching Realm Connect to Your Church 

• Whether your church has already launched or your church is just getting started. Join our panel of experts as they share some of the best of the best launch ideas!

Feb-24-11:00AM EDT-Realm Webinar | Check Out The Latest Realm Release 

• Join us 1 time per month as we cover the previous month's releases in Realm and discuss the WHY behind the HOW.

Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming webinars!  It is easy to do, simply click on the "Owl" in Realm and navigate to "Catalog" and "Live Events."  Here is what we have planned for this month.

__________

01/05/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Advanced Webinar | Events within Groups

• With 2 types of events in Realm, when is it best to use Events within Groups versus Registration Events. Join us as we discuss the features of each to help you build your own guide on when to use which tool.

01/05/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Ask the Experts Webinar | Training Essentials for Managing Volunteers

• An understanding of where to start and how to build a training program is all a church needs to set-up a training process for volunteers. Join us as we review must haves, options, and best practices for a training program.

01/06/2021 - 11:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Communication: What's Your Message?

• Who are trying to reach? Why should they listen? Are you reaching your intended audience? Communication is hard to navigate and harder to measure. Join us as we look at the tools available and how to apply it your church.

01/06/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Ask the Experts Webinar | Why Realm Shouldn't Be Staff Driven?

• Change and new tools can be enough to keep you busy now you have to think about who will use the tools. Join us as we present 3 key reasons why Realm is not a Staff only or Staff Driven tool, even in small churches.

01/07/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Advanced Webinar | Reopening: Launching Realm Connect to Your Church during COVID-19

• Launching Realm Connect to your church has several moving pieces with COVID-19 it may be hard to figure out what's important, how to find the WIIFM, and what your message is? Join us as we discuss the elements to focus on, how to create the WIIFM and let you ask the important questions about how or why your church should focus on launching Realm Connect now.

01/12/2021 - 11:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Using your ChMS for Outreach

• ChMS stands for Church "Management" software but what if you looked at your database as a Church "Movement" software? In this webinar, we will talk about how to use your ChMS for outreach to your members, your community, and the world. Learn what information to collect and how to use it for an effective outreach ministry. Learn how to create a communication plan for outreach and learn how to analyze your efforts.

01/12/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | Working with the System Group

• The System Group in Realm can be very helpful depending on the size of your church. Join us for this webinar as we discuss the best way to use the system group base don the size of your church. It can all come down to best practices and we want to help you build those for your church.

01/13/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Ask the Experts Webinar | Creating Community = Creating Engagement

• Conversations are better than announcements. In this webinar, we will discuss best practices in creating content that is engaging. We will also cover how to model this and teach group leaders to create content that is engaging.

01/13/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | Realm Connect App: Groups

• Today, there is an app for anything and everything you can think of...including managing Groups within your church or parish. Join us as we break down how Realm Connect can improve Groups Management for your Leadership and/or Staff.

01/14/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Advanced Accounting Webinar | PPP: What Does 2021 Hold For Your Church or Parish?

• Join us as we continue to discuss the changes, newest provisions, and share successful tips and tricks from a CPA leading his church through this maze.

01/19/2021 - 11:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | What is Digital Discipleship

• Our world has turned upside down. Churches closed or reduced attendance due to the pandemic. In this webinar, we are looking at how to reimagine how we can use technology as an integral part of our discipleship efforts.

01/19/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | What Should I Be Tracking and Where Does It Go?

• Learn best practices in tracking information in Realm. Profile fields, notes, pathways and groups. When should you use one over the other? We will also discuss the types of information that you should track and types of information you should avoid trying to manage.

01/20/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Advanced Webinar | Realm Connect App: Events

• Today, there is an app for anything and everything you can think of...including Events, both registration and within your church or parish's Groups. Join us as we break down how Realm Connect will connect your church through Events.

01/20/2021 - 2:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | Engaging the Congregation to Use Realm

• Your information system is built. Profile fields, groups created, and populated with both participants and leaders. You have teased the congregation with news on an incredible new tool of community and communication! Are you ready to launch Realm to the congregation? Let's look at some concentric circles of rollout and preparation you need to complete to improve your successful Realm Launch!

01/21/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Webinar | Launching Realm Connect to Your Church

• Whether your church has already launched or your church is just getting started. Join our panel of Experts as they share some of the best of the best launch ideas!

01/26/2021 - 11:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Data Management Policies and Procedures

• Consistent usage of data is critical to usage and management. Your church should have a document for managing all of your data. From profile fields to system management, how your data is created and stored in Realm.

01/27/2021 - 11:00 AM Realm Webinar | Check Out The Latest Realm Release

• Join us 1 time per month as we cover the previous month releases in Realm and discuss the WHY behind the HOW.

MinistrySmart Talks is a podcast hosted by long-time ACST ministry consultants Jennifer Hollingshead and Keith Hudgins. Listeners can tune in to hear practical ministry advice and meaningful encouragement from the lessons Jennifer and Keith have learned after working with over 600 churches in the past 15 years.
 

The podcast is available on over 15 different popular platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. Download it and let us know what you think!

We are excited to have all 1000 of you here with us to share ideas, post great questions and find great answers.  Who else on your staff is not here yet?

Share this post with them or send them this link

https://onrealm.org/MSLC/Help/UserVoice?Length=4

If you haven't already, click on "All Topics" to the left and begin to follow the topics you are interested in! It is the best way to get notified when something new gets posted about your favorite topics.

Pastor Appreciation Month is a special time that congregations set aside each year to honor their pastors and pastoral families for the hard work, sacrificial dedication provided by these special people. 

Focus on the Family began emphasizing Pastor Appreciation Month in the early 1990s, reminding congregations to honor their clergy staff and families throughout the year, but suggesting a special tribute during October. For churches that wanted a one-time celebration, they also chose its second Sunday as Pastor Appreciation Day.

What are you doing to show appreciation for your pastors?  Reply to this post and share your great ideas.

Check out what ACS is doing for your church during pastor appreciation month.

https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm-pastor/

Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming webinars!  It is easy to do, simply click on the "Owl" in Realm and navigate to "Catalog" and "Live Events."  Here is what we have planned for this month.

__________

Oct-9 11:00:00 AM Realm Advanced Webinar | Group Leader Engagement

• If you build it, they will come. Well, not always! Just because you asked them to do something, doesn't mean they will. Join us for this informative webinar on ways to engage your Group Leaders in all that Realm has to offer.

Oct-14 11:00:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Creating Community while Practicing Social Distancing

• In an environment where we find ourselves social distancing how do we create engagement, community, and connections?

Oct-14 2:00:00 PM Realm Ask the Experts | Reporting: Queries and Predefined Reports

• Queries and Predefined Reports don't live in separate neighborhoods. Join us as show you how to use queries and predefined reports together to tell your ministry stories.

Oct-15 11:00:00 AM Realm Advanced Webinar | Communication Tools

• Communication Tools webinar will go over all of the communications options available to your Group Leaders, Participants, and Staff in Realm. To create real ministry, you have to create community through communication.

Oct-15 2:00:00 PM Realm Accounting Advanced Webinar | Rotating Advanced Topics 

Oct-16 11:00:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Data Management Policies and Procedures

• Consistent usage of data is critical to usage and management. Your church should have a document for managing all of your data. From profile fields to system management, how your data is created and stored in Realm.

Oct-20 11:00:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Caring for the Vulnerable

• The recent crisis in the world has introduced us to many new terms in the church. One of those that many ministries already knew was the vulnerable. However, we traditionally called them shut-ins. Now as we adopt a new normal, a new direction for group meetings, is your church meeting the needs of the vulnerable? Are you programming for those that may not be able to return at any occupancy level? Join us as we examine how churches are handling this and share some creative ideas with you on how to include this in your ministry.

Oct-20 2:00:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | Administration Strategy

• You have been named Church Database Administrator (your new Job Title). Let’s focus on how to be successful as you develop strategies to guide and build quality processes and procedures on data management for your church.

Oct-22 11:00:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Live Streaming for Churches 101

Oct-22 2:00:00 PM Realm Advanced Webinar | Changing Profiles

• As an Administrator in Realm, when you make changes to an address, communication preferences or privacy settings who receives them, why and what should you prepared to do.

Oct-23 11:00:00 AM Realm Ask The Experts Webinar | Effective Pathways - New Members

• Pathways can be your best friend or worst friend. If you build them correctly they can help your church ensure that no one gets left behind. Join us for this webinar on building effective pathways to track new members through their journey at your church.

Oct-28 11:00:00 AM Ministry Impact Webinar | Virtual Handshake, Connecting People

• For the time being saying hello and welcome just got very "hands-off" so what can you do to extend a hand and welcome a guest or visitor, say hello to friends in the church and community as well as connect people to each other. As humans, we crave connection both physically and emotionally. Now it time to put those together in the virtual world!

Oct-28 2:00:00 PM Realm Webinar | Launching Realm Connect to Your Church

• Whether your church has already launched or your church is just getting started. Join our panel of Experts as they share some of the best of the best launch ideas!

Oct-29 11:00:00 AM Realm Webinar | Check Out The Latest Realm Release

• Join us 1 time per month as we cover the previous month releases in Realm and discuss the WHY behind the HOW.