I’m not at all sure that it’s unPresbyterian to leap into things with curiosity and passion, but I do think that we Presbyterians have grown increasingly scared during our years of decline. We’re afraid that any misstep will bring the next disaster (usually someone quitting the church over an alleged slight).

On top of that, communication techologies have changed — and changed *us* — so dramatically over the last 20 years that we can’t help feeling insecure. I suspect that some of the resistance is given voice in the comment I’ve heard often, including on the floor of the conference, from people who’ve decided in advance that they don’t want to like Twitter: “I don’t *want* to know what you’re having for breakfast!” (Code for: Even though my breakfast menu is exactly the kind of small talk I make to be friendly, something about reading it online annoys me.) Maybe people are just afraid of seeing too much data about each other, and they’re not sure they can filter out the extraneous.

Which leads to my second suspicion, given voice in the frequent complaint: “Whatever happened to talking to each other in person?” Carol and her co-presenter did an admirable job of explaining why that fear is unfounded, but they may as well have been talking to a wall. I suspect that people are in fact feeling cut off from each other, that their humanity (as social beings) feels as if it’s been compromised over the last couple of decades or so, that they fear that future generations won’t care about the personal connection they’ve found in the church for their own lives.

Carol’s description of the conference here is very generous, and the kindness is appreciated. I think, though, that we’ve been both overly fearful and overly patient with each other’s fearfulness. I really hope that I and my age cohort are not as fragile as we’ve been trying to make Carol’s generation feel. I’ll bet that we won’t fall to pieces if the next generation moves the church into the 21st century, even if we go kicking and screaming. Actually, I, for one, am willing to learn what I can about how to make it all work in a new way, even if I stumble and stagger my way along. If my years of experience are good for something, I’m glad to share of them whatever proves useful. If not, well, it isn’t as if there’s a lot of evidence for the success of my bunch.

I’ll do what I can and never mind what isn’t needed.

Why? bc im sick & tired of being mired

But being older does present some problems for technology use. Older people may have vision issues and even more important many have never learned to type, so it takes more effort than many realize for my generation to get into technology. There is also the problem that many older persons need help when things don’t work and so churches need to figure out how to help them. Or they have old outdated very slow computers that someone else set up and they don’t understand what is happening on their screens. So we need to provide support.

The rewards are well worth it — my community on facebook is wonderful and today tried the #tworship on Sundays on twitter, after I get home from church.

I follow Bruce Reyes-Chow and Carol on Twitter and Facebook and sometimes get left in the “virtual dust”,but it is such fun, I won’t quit. Love your God-complex shows. I listen through podcasts.

I want to start a facebook group for the adult Sunday school class I lead. Hope to get that going next winter or spring.

Like Carol, I just jumped in. Policies etc. can come later or as you go.

As a presbytery moderator, I would like to use technology to better connect our churches. Presbytery meetings desperately need reformation, and interactive and virtual technologies could really make a difference. This will be a challenge to introduce, but we have no choice.

I appreciate your thoughtful comments on this blog. Keep at it, as people like me have a lot to learn. I have been in ministry for over thirty years, but in many ways I feel like a beginner.

And, to add to this, Progressives must jump in early and often because great numbers of younger people are going to miss the message if we don’t.