The eMinistry Network              

                                   Connecting the Church in Ministry

FAQ Table of Contents

What's a teleclass?   How does it work?

A teleclass is a class held on the telephone, just like a conference call.  People call in from all over the country at the scheduled time of the class.   Your only cost is the class registration fee and the cost of the long distance phone call.  You must be able to call in from a landline or a cell phone.  Please use a cell phone only if you have to.  Please do not use a cordless phone.  No speakerphones are allowed.  Cell phones, cordless phones -- and definitely speakerphones -- can negatively affect the sound quality of the class for everyone. 

When you register, you'll receive a confirmation email directing you to the private class page for your class.  This class page contains all the information you need for the class:

You'll receive a reminder email two days before the class.  Please be sure to set your spam filter to allow emails from eministrynetwork@comcast.net.

Please call in a couple of minutes before the class is to start.   When you dial the conference number, you will be asked to enter the PIN code, followed by the # sign.  As soon as you do, you will be on the call.

At the start of the class everyone will have the chance to say their name and where they're calling from.  Helpful information about teleclass participation is found below in the "Teleclass Tips" section of this FAQ page.  It is also found in the "Teleclass Tips" link on your class page. 

The class will include a presentation by the leader on the class topic -- and there will also be time for conversation and questions. eMinistry classes always begin and end with prayer.

When the class is finished, everyone says goodbye -- and you simply hang up!

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What's a web-seminar?   How does it work?        

IMPORTANT!!   Participating in a web-seminar usually requires that you have the ability to be on the phone and online at the same time.  Please only use a cell phone if you absolutely have to -- that is, if you have dial-up internet service.  Each cell phone increases the possibility that the sound level quality of the class will be poor.

You will find all the information you need to participate in the class via phone and computer on the private web-page for the class.  When you register, a confirmation email will send you the link to this page. 

A web-seminar is a class which has two parts -- the audio (either on your phone or through your computer speakers & microphone) and the visual (through logging on to the web-seminar website.)  

The Visual:

Pro System Checker

You should check "Participant only."  

There is no charge for the "conference plug-in."

The Audio:

For the audio portion of the class, you will call into our telephone bridge line at class time.   The bridge line information will be given to you on the private class page created for the class.

If you use Skype, for a small monthly fee you can call any phone (landline or cell) in the country using Skype via your computer.  You will need to have computer speakers and a microphone activated.  Most laptops come with a built-in mike -- almost every computer will have a jack for a microphone or headset.  Click here to download Skype.  The software is free and easy to install. 

Please call or email us if you have any questions about any of the above.

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What is a typical eMinistry teleclass like?

Depending on the topic, the above material may be covered in a series of classes.  

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How do I sign up for a class?

It's easy!  Click on the registration link next to the teleclass name you want to sign up for, and you'll be taken straight to our secure server.  

As soon as you're registered, you'll receive an automatic confirmation email giving you all the information you will need to participate in the class.

If you do not receive this email within one day after registering, please email us or call us at 509-456-7344.

Reminder:  you will need to adjust the time of the class according to where you are located:  for example, if the class is to be held at 7:00 pm Eastern and you live in California, you will call in at 4:00 Pacific.  You may also need to adjust your calendar to reflect regional differences in Daylight Savings Time. 

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How do I register a group of people for a class?  How does a group discount work?

If you want to register several participants from your congregation for a class, you can do so by clicking the registration link next to the class listing -- this will bring you to our "shopping cart" page.   Enter the number of registrations you wish in the "quantity" box on the page and the total registration amount will appear.  Then click "check out."   On the check-out page, in the "Comments" box at the bottom, you must include the name and email address of each participant so we can contact everyone individually with the call information and class page link.  

On selected classes, a registration discount may be offered for two or more participants who register together.  

What if there's no teleclass on the ministry I'm interested in? Or how do I suggest a ministry topic for a teleclass?

We are always looking to expand our teleclass offerings.  Send us an email and let us know what ministry you want to explore, and we will do our best to 1) connect you to some resources and 2) develop a teleclass on that topic.  

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Who are the teleclass leaders?

They are leaders in ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and in other mainline Protestant denominations -- lay people and clergy who have expertise in a particular area of outreach or congregational ministry.  All of them have had active participation in a congregation, and understand how ministry works within the congregational setting.  We have sought them out and asked them to share their knowledge with you.  

Some of them may have led workshops on their topic in their diocese or at a conference for the wider Church.  

You can find biographical information for each of our leaders below the description/listing for their class, along with any available links to their ministries.

If you have experience in a particular ministry area and would like to lead a class, send us an email and tell us about it!  We will be happy to explore the possibility with you.

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How do I contact a teleclass leader directly?

If there is a link to their ministry website, you can contact them directly through that website.  If there is no additional link to the leader, you are welcome to send them an email via the eMinistry Network, and we will see that your email gets forwarded on to them.  Please be sure to put the leader's name in the subject line of the email.

Please note:  Our policy is not to give out our teleclass leaders' email addresses.

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What if I register for a class and then find out I can't attend?

Click here for our registration and fee policies.

Teleclass Tips

Participating in a teleclass is like being part of any group situation — certain practices will give the best experience for everyone on the call.  Here are some things to be aware of.  But above all, relax!  The teleclass process is much easier than it may sound….and we’ll do our best to make it a great experience for you!

1.       Please call in from a grounded, "land line" or, if necessary, a cell phone.  Please do not use cordless phones or computer VOIP -- which can cause static and background noise.  The more participants on a call, the more everyone's noise gets magnified!   Speaker phones are not permitted, as they negatively impact the sound quality for all.  

2.       Try to call in as close to the scheduled class time as possible.  The class will have a few minutes in the beginning when participants can check in (usually you can just give your first name and your location.  The leader may ask what size congregation you are in.  This will give the people on the call a sense of who’s participating and from where, and gives some time for the group to gather before beginning.)

3.       If you have to call in late, please just join the call but don’t announce yourself, as that can interrupt the class process…. Feel free to introduce yourself later when you want to ask a question or make a comment.   

4.       You can always hit "Star 6"--*6 -- while on a call to "mute" yourself.  This is especially important if you have dogs barking or other noise happens while you are on the call.  We have heard everything on a call — dishes being washed, lunches eaten, etc. — so please make sure to use the mute option if that will help the class. 

5.       When you want to say something during the class, introduce yourself and then wait for the leader to acknowledge you.  It often happens that several people begin to speak at the same time — that’s okay!  The leader will ask for your names so that you can each get a chance to talk. 

6.       Also, you of course never have to say anything if you don’t want to!  Sometimes participants just want to be active listeners.  Participation is helpful to the class as a whole, and the leader may ask a question or ask for a few people to comment, but feel free to participate only at the level that you feel comfortable.

7.       And remember, just as in any conversation, make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute if they want to.  If you have special questions or needs, the leader may arrange to follow-up with you after the call. 

8.   Your feedback is very important to us!  We make considerable changes in our classes based on participant feedback.  After the class you'll receive an email with the link to the class feedback form (the link is also on the left-hand column of your class page) -- please fill it out and submit it as soon as possible.

9.       Other than that, dial into the class and enjoy!!

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Can I audiotape a teleclass I participate in?   

No. Audio taping of teleclasses by participants is not permitted.  

Can I have others sit in on the class with me -- either on other extensions or via speakerphone?

No.  Using a speakerphone negatively affects the sound quality of the class for everyone.  Everyone needs to call in on a separate line.  Also, participants should register and pay for the teleclass individually -- this enables us to email them phone information and the link to the class page for each teleclass.  This is a ministry -- we keep our registration fees moderate, and at this time they are our sole source of funding to cover the basic costs of holding our classes and paying our leaders.  

If several people in a congregation would like to register for a class together, we encourage you to do so!  Congregations can benefit from members' sharing the same teleclass experience, and can use our teleclasses as a basis for further discussion or exploration.  

On selected classes, we offer a discounted registration fee for three or more participants from one congregation.  

Please click here for more information on how to register your participants.

What if my question isn't answered on this FAQ page?

Please contact us!  Probably others have the same question, and we are constantly working to improve this website.  Your suggestions will be most welcome.

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Revised: July 22, 2009 .

Copyright © 2009  The eMinistry Network