The Communications Committee is currently chaired by Christine Smith and has a robust membership, each of whom is responsible for a key area. The committee meets quarterly but works virtually throughout the year; the minister attends the meetings.

Communications Vehicles

• Domelight Newsletter:  The Domelight continues to serve as the monthly newsletter for UUCT. The Domelight is published through Constant Contact. Each month, between the 25th and the 30th, the next month’s Domelight is emailed to approximately 600 email addresses; approximately 150 open it each month.
• Website:  The overall website responsibility lies with the Communications Committee, with oversight from the Technology Committee. The website is maintained by volunteers and by the church administrator.
• Yahoo e-lists:  The lists, which people opt-in to join, enable immediate messages and announcements. The lists largely maintain themselves and have presented no major problems in a long time. The main church e-list comprises 140 addresses and the social action e-list 26. We recently added a third list to allow for personal messages (such as help-wanted, sale items, need advice on vendors, etc.).
• Facebook:  As of September, 2014 our Facebook page had 160 likes. Well over half are non-members; the average age of our “likes” is 35-44.
• YouTube:  We have a presence on YouTube through the posting of videos of services and sermons.
• Order of Service Announcements
• Church media equipment:  In 2013 we purchased screens and equipment for use in church services. Their use has been well-received and will continue to be expanded.
• Media and Public Relations:  In 2014 the committee purchased a small ad to be posted four times during the year in the USF alumni magazine. That ad template is available for use in other venues.  Also, an article about the church appeared in the Tampa Bay Times this year.

Community Engagement

The Emerson Forum:  a forum for exploring issues of ethics and public policy founded by the UUCT in 2012.
• The Emerson Forum had no activity in 2014.
• The Emerson Forum committee accepts ideas from the congregation and is considering its future.