Make the Most of a Tool for Connection
Several years ago, UUCPA acquired a new membership database called Realm. I know, yawn, right? The ins and outs of a database aren’t very interesting to anyone besides the paid and volunteer staff who use it frequently. However, Realm is much more than a way for UUCPA staff to store and retrieve information about the congregation. It’s also the basis for our directory, and makes the information in the printed directory accessible to you anytime, anywhere.
In her workshop right after the service on Sunday, April 18 and repeat workshop in the evening on Tuesday, April 20, BJ Wishinsky will walk you through the realm of Realm and make it easy to:
- Keep your information up to date Realm gives everyone access to their own profile. BJ will show you how to update your own information in the time it would take you to drop a line to Jeff. Plus you can upload a photo, check whether you’ve made your pledge payment, etc. And no more opening the print directory to discover that your contact information is wrong!
- Share only what you are comfortable sharing Realm puts you in control of your personal information. BJ will show you how to adjust your settings so that they share what you want to, no more or less.
- Go green We used to print an updated directory every month. Most people didn’t take a new one nearly that often, but several staff and others did, because information changes so frequently. People move, get married, have children, add a phone line or drop their landline; the database never stands still. That meant a lot of paper tossed into the recycling. We wanted to update it less frequently to save paper, but the longer we waited, the more outdated it became. Now, the moment the information is updated, you can access it online, without any lag time or the destruction of another tree. You can still get a print directory now and then, but BJ will show you how to access the information online so that it’s always as accurate as possible.
BJ is retiring at the end of this month, having had a wonderful effect on our community in only 2 1/2 years here. Among her many skills is teaching people how to use new tech, especially seniors. If you haven’t had a chance for some extended time with BJ, don’t miss out! Come to this workshop, learn something useful, and enjoy better connections with the rest of the UUCPA community.
–Amy