Lutherans Help Develop Web Site to Connect Faith Communities

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A new Web site that will connect faith communities with a variety of spiritual and intellectual resources, is expected to be fully operational in 2001, said the lead consultant for the project, John L. Peterson. Peterson is director for public media with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Department for Communication.
The site -- http://www.faithandvaluesmedia.org -- will introduce its concept with a video streaming event, "Is God in Cyberspace?" Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Panelists scheduled to participate are Dr. Bruce Lawrence, chair, Religion Department, Duke University Durham, N.C.; and Steve Waldman, founder, chairman and chief content officer of beliefnet.com, a Web site for a wide array of religious perspectives and beliefs. Journalist Jim Hartz will host the online conference in front of a live audience.
The program will also air on Odyssey, a national cable television network, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, as a special edition of the network's regular series "The Real Bottom Line."
This month, http://www.faithandvaluesmedia.org broadcast videos of various presentations at the 2000 ELCA Communicators' Consultation held in August in Chicago and Lisle, Ill., Peterson said.
Faith and Values Media is a service of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition (NICC), New York, the nation's largest coalition of Christian and Jewish faith groups and traditions dedicated to media development, Peterson said. The Faith and Values Media Web site was developed in partnership with eCorporation, which helps organizations and businesses develop their uses of the Web. The company is based in Lexington, Ky.
The Faith and Values Media Web site is undergoing initial testing this fall, a business plan is being refined, and the Web site design is being developed, Peterson said. "The site must provide good value and cover operational costs," he said.
Peterson cited four reasons why http://www.faithandvaluesmedia.org will be different from other Web sites that offer faith-based information and resources:
+ The site offers connections to faith groups in every community in the United States, he said.
+ There are many spiritual and intellectual resources "that have not made it to the marketplace because they are not necessarily 'popular,'" Peterson said. The site will make those available, he said.
+ The site is connected to the Odyssey Network. "Research shows people are simultaneously surfing the Web and watching TV in greater numbers," he said.
+ The site will highlight streaming of audio and video on the Web, he said.
The value of http://www.faithandvaluesmedia.org is that people seeking spiritual information will be able to find it in one place versus surfing through several sites on the Web, Peterson added.
"This exciting new Web initiative is a natural evolution for Faith & Values Media," said Rick Baker, chief executive officer of eCorporation. "The site will offer 'seekers' the resources they need to make spiritual choices and provide them with connections to local faith communities."
The Web site has a "tremendous" number of potential users, Baker said, noting NICC's faith groups comprise more than 160 million people.
"John Peterson was selected to lead the charge in this effort because of his years of effective leadership in NICC, which has garnered him much respect in the organization," said Edward J. Murray, president and chief executive officer, Faith and Values Media and NICC. "While knowledgeable in 'all things Internet' he has a great affinity for the needs of real people whose expertise is modest."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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