Visiting Other Churches as a Stake Communication Director | A How I Lead Interview with Maria Duncan

Maria Duncan was raised in the San Francisco East Bay area where
she learned the gospel from sister missionaries and joined the
Church as she entered her teens. She moved to Cache Valley, Utah
for high school and college, graduating from Utah State with a
bachelor's degree in Technology Systems, then worked in the
professional media market and has since transitioned to project
work. In the Church, Maria has served in Young Women and Relief
Society, worked with the stake youth, and been a Public Affairs
(now Communication) director for the most recent six years. She
serves on boards for non-profit organizations in her community
while coaching middle school sports and raising seven children with
her loving husband, Tom. Links There is already a discussion
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Library Highlights 3:10 Intro to Maria and an explanation of the
role of a stake communication director 6:30 Misconceptions about
the role of a stake communication director 8:50 The Global
Communication Network site requires a special login. The purpose of
a private site is for a private way to access marketing and PR
materials before they're released to the public. 9:15 A good
starting point when you are called as stake communication director
10:50 Maria’s stake’s focus is interfaith work. Bringing The Church
out of obscurity and serving your fellow man. It’s about getting to
know your community and building connections and relationships with
people from other faiths. 12:20 Maria shares some of the things
that she does in her calling and the time commitment. She attends
different churches in the community and builds relationships with
them. 15:40 Involving youth in stake communication activities.
Maria shares an experience she had taking some of the youth to a
food giveaway and to another local church. 19:10 Are other pastors
or church leaders skeptical when you want to work with them? 21:00
When visiting other churches cater to your audience. Dress as they
dress, join them, sing with them. 23:00 How Maria involves the
youth and the importance of taking youth to other churches 25:10
Attending different churches in the community and building
relationships 28:40 Importance of networking and building
relationships with other faith communities 30:10 Focusing on
connections and relationships rather than conversion. Maria’s
calling doesn’t allow her to talk about the church so her main
focus is just building a relationship. 33:20 Reflection on the
experience of temple open houses 36:10 Maria has 14 people that
work with her on the stake communication team. There is a graphic
designer, newspaper writer, youth specialist, social media manager,
JustServe leaders, education specialist, interfaith leadership, a
member of the stake presidency. 38:20 Advice and tips for doing a
temple open house. 41:40 Gratitude for the stake communication work
and its impact 42:30 How leadership in stake communication has
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