Our Parish Magazine – All change!

Just over 15 years ago, Alan Hodgetts asked Jill Gosden to “lend a hand” in producing the Parish Magazine. Over the years, the amount Jill did each month gradually increased. Then, in January 2006, Sally Lowe gave up her role as joint production editor, leaving Jill solely responsible for compiling the magazine and preparing all the content for printing.

For the past six years, month after month, Jill has tirelessly and faithfully fulfilled this role. It is a tribute to her loyalty, conscientiousness and determined hard work that the magazine appears every month.

Jill has achieved much more than simply ensuring the magazine production. If you take a look at a magazine from former years and compare it with what we have today, you will immediately be impressed by how the magazine has been transformed in its appearance, layout and content into a most attractive and contemporary publication. I know that our magazine is very highly regarded – not only in our own community. I regard it as an invaluable communication in the locality, one which interests both the church and the secular community.

For personal reasons, Jill feels that she has reached a point where she needs to relinquish her role. With typical thoughtfulness, she informed me of her decision some while back but has said she is willing to continue to produce the magazine until, and including, the double-edition that will come out in July 2012. This, she hopes, will give us time to make an orderly transition to a new production team.

I refer to a new team because, Joan Davies, the magazine’s editor, has decided that Jill’s departure is an appropriate time for her also to “retire”. Joan has been editor for an even longer period and I am sure that all of you will wish to join me in extending our warmest thanks to her for the first-rate job that she has done for us over so many years. Joan collects the copy that is submitted, makes editorial decisions as to what is to be included and proof-reads each copy before it is sent to the printers. Jill told me how much she respects Joan’s editorial judgement and undoubtedly they have worked well together. There is also a real need for someone to help with organising the magazine distribution in Effingham.

The magazine is financed partly by subscriptions but also by advertising revenue which is very capably managed by Pat Mills. Adverts are renewed on a rolling basis throughout the year and, for this reason at least, we must try to secure future of the magazine.

When Jill started with the magazine, it was as part of a bigger team. She and Sally would share the production work, each taking responsibility for specific pages and articles but knowing that either could cover for any absence by the other – a backup Jill has had to manage without; I am aware that ensuring that the magazine goes out on time every month has involved considerable forethought and planning in Jill’s personal life. The team also used to include someone who would forge links with the local press, businesses and organisations helping to provide and promote magazine content.

So, now, we need a new team.

We need an editor, computer-literate and with email, who will oversee the magazine content and we need someone to actively gather copy for inclusion both from within the church community and the wider local community. Most of all we need preferably two people to take over the compilation of the pages for printing – that might be you and someone you don’t yet know. Whoever takes over any of these roles will make the job their own, will do it in their own way and will quite probably take the magazine in new directions.

New production editors do not need to have previous experience of desktop publishing but you do need to have general computer competency including word-processing, image handling and other software along with a willingness to learn and an “eye” for what looks right on a page. Material for publication is submitted in a variety of forms – handwritten, typed, emails or Word documents - which Jill then sets out in the pages of the magazine template using MS Publisher often augmenting material with images and information sourced on-line. She is willing to share her knowledge of this and pass on electronic magazine copies. However there are other publishing programmes which you may be more familiar with and would work just as well.

Jill says that compiling the magazine can be a rewarding and enjoyable challenge. It is difficult to know who among you might have the skills and aptitude to take on this task so if you feel you might be able to help please do not wait to be asked – simply get in touch with me, or Jill, or one of the churchwardens straight away. You are not committing yourself to anything simply because you express an interest and we hope to find more than one person to lighten the load. If you know this is not for you but know someone who might be approached, either have a word with them yourself, or let one of us know who you are thinking of. Obviously the sooner we have a new team in place, the longer they will have to learn what is involved and decide how they want to continue.

I hope you will forgive me for using my letter in this way, but I am sure you will agree that the future of the parish magazine is of the utmost importance. I really hope to have some good news to report on this subject soon!

I write, as always, with my love and prayers and continued good wishes for the New Year.
Fr Andrew