The Role of Technology in Greening

In the last post I discussed the impact of driving to our churches and possible alternatives we might consider. I am a United Methodist, and this week my annual conference is meeting. As the name suggests this happens every year. Clergy and lay delegates from every church in the conference gather for several days in the same location. It's a blessing in many ways. The fellowship and communion are generally a high point for many who may be in struggling churches. But again, I couldn't help but reflect on how many cars were in the parking lot of our meeting place, and how many miles were traveled by those in attendance.

This year the meeting is in Jackson, TN (my hometown!). It is a fairly central location in the conference. The border cities of the conference are Paducah, KY and Memphis, TN. I don't think any part of the conference is farther from Jackson than Paducah, which is roughly 120 miles away. So round trip plus a little in-town driving during conference equals about 300 miles. That's not a terrible distance, but it's easily a tank of gas. Now multiply that by 700-800 people, which I'm estimating by clergy and lay numbers is about the attendance, and you have quite an impact. Now I know this is only once a year, but I'm wondering if there are better ways of accomplishing our objectives without all the travel every year.

I won't get too technical, but one of the main reasons for meeting every year like this (other than it's in our rules) is that in United Methodism pastors are up for appointment (moving to a different church or moving to your first church) every year! Theoretically, everyone is up for a move annually. Now, we generally move less than in past years, but it still can be quite often. There is discussion about making appointments longer by conference action, so that it could be several years before a move was even considered - unless dire circumstances arose. But what about other solutions like using technology such as video conferencing?

This might not work for a gathering like annual conference, but I think lots of travel for church meetings could be eliminated by using conference calls or video. A good friend of mine recently introduced me to Skype, where with the addition of a small computer camera anyone with a decent internet connection can communicate via videophone with anyone else in the world! He and his wife demonstrated by talking with friends who currently live in the Dominican Republic.

Of course, technology is always a tricky friend. It seems that many people are relying on technology to "fix" issues of climate change rather than changing their wasteful habits. Trying to use cleaner fuels and better filters rather than driving less or using less air conditioning is one example of this. I also know that in ministry there is something to be said for a true human connection. God did not send a memo; God sent God's self in fully divine and human form. So there is something about the incarnation that changes the way we do things. I don't really approve of churches watching a sermon being simulcast from another church in their worship, and not only because it threatens my job! But I think this type of technology and others can be used, carefully, in beneficial ways.