Continuing Professional Development, Even in a Pandemic
By Megan Forgey, Communications Consultant
“The capacity to learn is a gift, the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”
-Brian Herbert
In December 2019, before the global pandemic, a contentious election cycle, and let’s not forget murder hornets, I already knew 2020 was going to be a challenge. I was planning to leave my comfortable journalism job in January to explore a career in software engineering. And like many things in 2020, that path didn’t work out quite the way I had planned. I quickly realized that I underestimated how much I love writing, and knew that a career filled with writing code wouldn’t be fulfilling for me. So, even before COVID-19 hit the U.S., my year had been filled with professional challenges and growth. Then, when I started working with The Episcopal Church in Colorado in late March and a church in Longmont in July, my professional growth expanded even further. This year, as it has been for many others, has truly felt like a decade of learning as I go. Without the help of a welcoming community and countless folks willing to lend a hand or quick advice, these last seven months would have been much harder.
Like so many of us church communicators, I scrambled to quickly learn how to edit videos using my computer’s free iMovie software, put together an e-newsletter that united and excited our parishioners, and make uplifting and visually-appealing Zoom slides each week.
I have also spent more time on Facebook than ever before. Full disclosure: I didn’t even have an account before February 2020. Facebook quickly became a place to ask for advice, find inspiration, and see what other churches were doing with a concept I was struggling with.
Each month, in Caffeinated Church’s parish collaboration meetings, I have had the chance to garner more wisdom from the other church communicators, administrators, and the occasional priest that join us. Sites like Udemy and Skillshare have helped fill in the technical gaps when I needed help with social media marketing and video editing.
This year especially, when we’re all experiencing varying levels of burnout and exhaustion, is not the time to stop personal development. Through connecting with others and sharing wisdom and ideas, we can withstand our enthusiasm even as we fight to keep our heads above water in the always changing landscape of COVID-19. Continuing to seek personal development can help reignite the creativity and passion that may have gone dormant in such a stressful time.
In December, we hope that you will become a part of Caffeinated Church’s membership community. We pray that our little corner of the internet has proven useful to you with your work, and thank you for coming along with us.
If you are looking for ways to continue your professional development, check out these offerings:
Check out classes on Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare.
Share and collaborate on Caffeinated Church’s Facebook page
Ask a question and get advice on our forum