Episode 53: The Wild Wild West of Church Communications with Karin Hamilton
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My guest today is our very own Karin Hamilton! That is right I am interviewing Karin!
Karin Hamilton is the Canon for Communications and Media for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Karin has worked for the ECCT for 25 years. Before coming to ECCT, Karin worked for 8+ years at a local parish. Karin has an MS in Journalism, and her background is in sociology, which provides her with a well-rounded view to her work in communications. Karin is also an avid runner and lover of the Wild Wild West — mainly Utah. Her Friday afternoons are spent tending to horses at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding center in her home of Old Lyme. Karin has a unique and progressive approach to diocesan communication and the church at large. For example, her dream of hosting a diocesan podcast focused on the ministry and work of every-day Episcopalians is what launched this very podcast. Karin has also been the editor of the annual print magazine CRUX, which showcases the various corners of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut focused on a central theme that develops throughout the process. |
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Karin retired at the end of June, and by the time this podcast airs she will have already been retired for a week! The Episcopal Church in Connecticut and I truly honor and respect and thank you for the work you have done, Karin.
Welcome Karin!
Alli firsts asks Karin,What was the diocesan communications world like when you first started? Karin said it was very print-based and included a 6-time a year newspaper. This was a very lengthy and time-consuming process including many steps, actual cutting and pasting. Karin created ECCT’s first website in 1995.
Karin said that one of the more shocking moments was earlier on in her career when the staff at that time were unwilling to engage with the media, including one time when a highly controversial person name to Connecticut. This is not how Karin approaches the media, she encourages churches and communities to reach out to ECCT if they have been featured in the news.
Karin also remembers when Bishop Desmond Tutu came for Bishop Ian Douglas’ consecration and the Associate Press couldn’t show up. This was “Karin’s time in the sun” sending a few lines covering Bishop Tutu’s visit to the Associated Press. In her tenure here at ECCT, Karin has also written for a number of other publications.
Alli asks Karin what other dreams have come true for her within the communication here in ECCT and what dreams does she have for ECCT's communications going forward. Karin says getting the diocese set into the digital communication world, and transitions the staff from one medium to another. Karin also tweeted the election of Bishop Douglas in 2009, which was a first for the church and for Karin.
Karin says she has always wanted to have more focus on supporting and encouraging parishes with communication, and storytelling.
Looking forward, Karin would love to see more churches take communication more seriously, and engaging their community in deeper conversations.
Karin and Alli talk about the importance of the diversity in telling stories — image, text, video, audio, etc. and how those are adapted to the various platforms on which they appear. Karin hopes that the church will continue to realize that communication is important and will support it and help it grow.
Alli asks what are some communications regrets you wish you had time to complete before retiring? With some humor, Karin says she wishes she was a bit more organized. She said her strength was in launching new ideas forward and not so much in recording or cataloging them once they were finished. Also, Karin regrets the lack of time dedicated to working with more churches individually.
Alli asks Karin how this work has been for her spiritual life and her relationship with God. Karin said this work has been challenging. It has always encouraged her to ask where God is in her life, in the media, how is God using the work we are doing? Karin says it has been hugely spiritual for her. When she is stuck on a deadline or doesn’t know what to write, she asks “Okay God, help.”
It has been a very faithful expression of how Karin is with God and how God is working in the world. Karin has been continued to grow — including recently chasing the understanding of what is the Cosmic Christ, which was introduced in the most recent CRUX issue. Karin says that her relationship with Christ is very much alive and very much beyond the church building.
Alli talks about her experience working with Karin as a mentor and her encouragement for Alli to focus on her professional, personal, and spiritual work.
Finally, Alli asks about Karin’s favorite “mis-communication” moments. Karin didn’t come up with any specific moments off the top of her head, but did mention that in her editing has come across some interesting misses — several coming from Alli herself. 🙂
Karin ends with thanking all the staff people she has worked with and who have supported her over the years, to the whole of Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and the Episcopal Communicators group.
To read the letter of thanks to Karin Hamilton for her faithful work to ECCT, please visit EpiscopalCT.org.
Welcome Karin!
Alli firsts asks Karin,What was the diocesan communications world like when you first started? Karin said it was very print-based and included a 6-time a year newspaper. This was a very lengthy and time-consuming process including many steps, actual cutting and pasting. Karin created ECCT’s first website in 1995.
Karin said that one of the more shocking moments was earlier on in her career when the staff at that time were unwilling to engage with the media, including one time when a highly controversial person name to Connecticut. This is not how Karin approaches the media, she encourages churches and communities to reach out to ECCT if they have been featured in the news.
Karin also remembers when Bishop Desmond Tutu came for Bishop Ian Douglas’ consecration and the Associate Press couldn’t show up. This was “Karin’s time in the sun” sending a few lines covering Bishop Tutu’s visit to the Associated Press. In her tenure here at ECCT, Karin has also written for a number of other publications.
Alli asks Karin what other dreams have come true for her within the communication here in ECCT and what dreams does she have for ECCT's communications going forward. Karin says getting the diocese set into the digital communication world, and transitions the staff from one medium to another. Karin also tweeted the election of Bishop Douglas in 2009, which was a first for the church and for Karin.
Karin says she has always wanted to have more focus on supporting and encouraging parishes with communication, and storytelling.
Looking forward, Karin would love to see more churches take communication more seriously, and engaging their community in deeper conversations.
Karin and Alli talk about the importance of the diversity in telling stories — image, text, video, audio, etc. and how those are adapted to the various platforms on which they appear. Karin hopes that the church will continue to realize that communication is important and will support it and help it grow.
Alli asks what are some communications regrets you wish you had time to complete before retiring? With some humor, Karin says she wishes she was a bit more organized. She said her strength was in launching new ideas forward and not so much in recording or cataloging them once they were finished. Also, Karin regrets the lack of time dedicated to working with more churches individually.
Alli asks Karin how this work has been for her spiritual life and her relationship with God. Karin said this work has been challenging. It has always encouraged her to ask where God is in her life, in the media, how is God using the work we are doing? Karin says it has been hugely spiritual for her. When she is stuck on a deadline or doesn’t know what to write, she asks “Okay God, help.”
It has been a very faithful expression of how Karin is with God and how God is working in the world. Karin has been continued to grow — including recently chasing the understanding of what is the Cosmic Christ, which was introduced in the most recent CRUX issue. Karin says that her relationship with Christ is very much alive and very much beyond the church building.
Alli talks about her experience working with Karin as a mentor and her encouragement for Alli to focus on her professional, personal, and spiritual work.
Finally, Alli asks about Karin’s favorite “mis-communication” moments. Karin didn’t come up with any specific moments off the top of her head, but did mention that in her editing has come across some interesting misses — several coming from Alli herself. 🙂
Karin ends with thanking all the staff people she has worked with and who have supported her over the years, to the whole of Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and the Episcopal Communicators group.
To read the letter of thanks to Karin Hamilton for her faithful work to ECCT, please visit EpiscopalCT.org.
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In Christ and Coffee,
Karin & Alli
In Christ and Coffee,
Karin & Alli