To be certain that your project is in line for production to meet your deadline and give your program the promotion it deserves, please be sure to submit your request — with complete details — through the communications request form.

To submit your blog for publication in the Weekly News, please use the blog submission form to ensure that your blog is in our weekly queue.

To keep all projects flowing smoothly and provide timely responsive service to all our ministries, it is essential that we enforce the following communications deadlines. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines and requirements and incorporate this timing into planning your programming so we can give you the best support possible!

Please also note that when you submit your request or blog, this system generates an email sent simultaneously to the entire Communications team. There is no need to email individual team members; if you see the screen that says you request was successfully submitted, you can be sure that everyone on the team is in the loop.

We’ve designed this request form to save everyone’s time by asking all the important questions about your event and the materials you need to make sure we can get started on your project as soon as possible. Once completed, you will also receive a copy of this request or blog submission via email for your records.

We also understand that sometimes, great opportunities come up after the deadlines — and we will always do our best to accommodate these! By making sure to plan and request promotions for your regular programming, we will not only be able to provide our best quality for the publicity of all events, but we’ll be better able to respond to emergencies and unforeseen opportunities.

Submit Blog Request Support

The turnaround time for all materials and event promotions (print, web, and social media) is two weeks.

Be sure to allow an additional 1 – 2 weeks if you need something produced out of house, such as signage, business cards, shirts, or anything large in quantity or irregular in size.

Exceptions

Blogs — submit two business days before blog should be posted
Deadline for blog to be included in Weekly Enews — end of day Wednesday
Web Page Corrections — submit request three business days (corrections to time/location/speaker, etc.) before you’d like it to go live
Sanctuary Worship Bulletins — final changes due by Wednesday at noon
All Other Worship Service Bulletins — final information due by Wednesday at noon

Audio/Video Services

Live Stream for Events — submit request one month in advance via communications request form
Video Recording of Events — submit request one month advance notice via Communications Request Form, video production will be complete two weeks from event date
DVD Copies of Events — one month advance notice via communications request form, DVD ready two weeks from event date
Voice over for presentations — submit request one week in advance via communications request form
Videos — Allow two weeks from date filmed for completion of video

Proofs and Changes

Proofs — 2 business days will be allowed to return proofs with corrections. If there is no response it will be printed as is. Reprints because of a missed proof will be charged to the ministry.
Changes — No changes except corrections (misspelling, wrong date, time, location) will be made after a proof is approved as final.

Seasonal Deadlines

Complete program information including name, date, time, place, simple description, and request for any materials/strategies requested to promote submitted online through the communications request form is due:
Advent — October 1
Lent — December 1

The fourth question on the form asks for “Request type” with the four options. Depending on which option you pick, different questions will appear, so it’s important to choose the correct option for your request. If you aren’t sure which one to choose, here is some information to help guide you:

Event related
Choose this option when you have an event that needs to be publicized. If you’re not sure whether you’ve already submitted your event, please check our events page to see if your event is listed. If you don’t see your event on the events page and you didn’t submit a request in the last week, that means we don’t have it! You can also search your email for a receipt for your request; when your submission goes through you will receive a confirmation email with all the information you submitted.

Additional event related support
Choose this option when you have already submitted an “Event related” request to Communications via this form but now need additional support, such as materials to hand out at your event or directional signage.

Materials/Web Update/AV Only
Choose this option when you need something unrelated to an event, like business cards, a general web update, or AV support only.

Story idea
Choose this option if you have a news item or photos for the weekly news or an idea for a feature-length story

Please wait until you have complete information to submit your request. Once we receive your request, production begins, so your event information must be complete, finalized, and ready to go so we can begin work immediately.

If you have all the information for your event itself, but you are still missing a few details for materials you’ll need at the event, please select the “Event related” request type send the event information now. When you have confirmed any additional information for whatever else you may need, you can submit a new request using the option “Additional event related support.”

Yes. Even if you are submitting an event that is going to be exactly the same as last year except for the date, please submit all the information the form asks for as if it were a new event. Looking over your previous year’s description will help you ensure that nothing has changed and that we’ll know exactly what you want to promote this year’s event.

When you book a space online through EMS and it is approved, you will receive a confirmation number. We ask for this to be sure your space is secured before we begin publicizing an event. If you need help with EMS, please contact Sandy Williams, Director of Operations (swilliams@myfumc.org).