reyes-chow :: FAITH

Too much time on my hands

This trip to the Kansas City area was weird.  Unlike my last trip and most that are coming up, I was based in one place and there was a good deal of down time.  I had significant time to be on my own, to take some time to rest and even sleep a full night.  Rough I know.

Still, the trip reminded me of a few things:

1. I like hanging with my family.  I thought about all these place to go, but then realized that it would be more fun with the crew.  When I am back in SF, I hang at coffee shops to get outside of the rest of my life, but where the rest of my life is absent, it is just not the same.
2. With more time does not come more efficiency.  Like I said, I had these blocks of time, didn't really get anything done.  Yeah, I know one does not NEED to be efficient all the time, but it would be nice to know that I got a few things done with some of the extra time.  I am not on vacation for gosh sakes.  With me, I am either on vacation and or working.  Limbo, this was.
3. Talking about life, faith, culture and church give me energy.  Some great people here in the Kansas City area.  I think I would like to come back when all that white stuff is gone, snow that is.  You can see more about the conversations here, Reflections from the Heartland.
4. I totally want to come back here when it is not snowing and I can catch a Royals game.

In the mean time, here are the things I have Yelped about while here, because when all else fails, you can call for Yelp ;-)

• Heartland Center
• Magazines and Coffee
• Caribou Coffee
• Homer's Coffee House
• Southminster Presbyterian Church
• First Presbyterian Church of Liberty
• Parkville Presbyterian Church
• The Power Plant Restaurant
• Central Presbyterian Church
• Lucky Brewgrille
• Village Presbyterian Church
• Dos Reales Restaurant
• Gates BBQ

shut up about Yelp already

At some point folks will stop thinking that I am just wasting my time on such social networks like Yelp, Facebook, etc.  Granted my pastoral world is different that most folks and the whole 2.0 thing is a natural fit for my personality, but come people, don't hate.  In fact, embrace such opportunities that may already be present in your congregations via that one or two or 10 people who get and get into the 2.0 interactions.  We as a church in today's "flat world" ignore and reject the possibilities to our own detriment.

Case in point . . . today I have have received messages at this point from 30+ people who probably have no interaction with a pastor or church on a regular basis.  And no, these are not negative comments, but "complements" via the review site, YELP.COM. 

Now I have talked about yelp in the past, but when something has this much effect, I gotta hollar!  Almost 100% or our recent visitors have at least seen the reviews of MBCC on Yelp, have visited our website, my blog, our facebook group, etc. 

The reason that today I will probably have 50 or so "compliments" tossed my way is because I was chosen as the Review of the Day (ROTD) for my review of ImagiKnit.  This is the second time this has happened with similar results.  50 or so folks are only the people who took the time to send a compliment.  I have already seen a bump in traffic to my blog and I bet the same will happen at our church website.

Positive visibility people!

And if you still don't believe the effectiveness of the service and its ability to get folks to church when they are looking for one, take a look at the link to Yelp's RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, read the REVIEWS OF MBCC and then read these words from one of our most active members.

Yaaaay, another ROTD!!!!!  Congrats!!  This review holds a special place in my heart, because it's the one that led me to MBCC.  :)  Ah, yes, the Lord moves in mysterious ways. . .haha!

The best part about this is that it is not all that hard.  Write your own reviews, have friends write them, invite members to write them.  Be honest of course, but at least make an attempt to get out there where folks are hanging out anyway.  Heck if I know you, give me the word and I'll write a review for you!

We all know folks are searching. 

The important questions is, "will they find you?"