More on Soul Café

Hi readers,

I contacted Edwin Rourk, the Region 1 online community director in Portland, Ore., to find out more about Soul Café, www.soulcafe.org. Here's a portion of some information stuff he sent me. I'm trying to get this blog linked there. — Rachel Pritchett

What is an online community?
An online community is an interactive group of people joined together by a common interest. Soul Cafe is an online community initiative of Region 1 of the ELCA that was conceived and seeded through the efforts of the Project Believe group in the Oregon Synod.

What is this going to do for us?
Soul Cafe is a sacred space on the web that enables geographically separated Lutheran congregations, church affiliated organizations, and individuals to meet, interact, and get to know each other through idea sharing and communication for real solutions to the shared problems, issues, and challenges facing the Church today.
Why will people use it? (Will this be just another thing?)
People will use the online community because of the needs we all face: the need for introductions, conversations, and solutions – together and searchable in one place, not scattered all over the web. An online community is a tool that will enable these conversations, serve as an archive, and help us to go forward as the Church. Soul Cafe is being launched for just this reason. Soul Cafe was built to promote mindshare, and it’s always open!

How do you use it? / How do you participate and interact?
First, you create a profile – set up your home page. Something many folks are already familiar with doing, having joined or participated in other social web applications. Next, you will venture out to search and explore the community and join in any groups and conversations you might be interested in, or start your own. You participate in or start any group that is relevant to whatever it is you are needing or wanting to do. It really is that easy.

How is this different than Facebook?
Facebook is great for what it was built for, but FB is exclusive and “me centered.” The center of the FB experience is the individual using it – it's you. That’s fine, but vibrant online communities are “us centered.” Online communities are inclusive and the heart and center of Soul Cafe will be all of us together. Soul Cafe will be entirely searchable by group, individuals, topic, media format, and within the groups themselves. Everything and everybody will be easily accessible.

What is the timeline and where are we?
We are currently at the end of a two month preliminary “alpha” phase, or “seeding” of the community. This introductory release within a smaller, more manageable geographic area has allowed folks to help us work out bugs, create profiles, and join or start those initial groups that now populate Soul Cafe. We are now positioned for a full “beta” launch of the community to include all of Region 1, opening the community to the congregations, church affiliated organizations, and individuals who will benefit from this transformational resource tool.

How to become part of Soul Café
All are welcome at Soul Cafe - come on in and create a profile - then join a group, start a group, learn, share, be part of the conversation – come, be the Church at www.soulcafe.org!
We'd ask that you do at least 2 of the following: (Or why not all of them?!)
• Sign-on to Soul Cafe and fill out a profile
• Join at least one group and maybe even start one if you feel it would be relevant
• Share Soul Cafe with others outside of your congregation or church organization
• Put a copy or a stack of this 2-sided sheet around upcoming church functions
• Help a friend sign up with Soul Cafe
• Give this sheet to anyone you feel might be interested or benefit from Soul Cafe
We’re building the community together. Thank you for your help!
See you soon!