Facebook, Social Media, Connection

Yesterday I had an experience where Facebook connected me to a friend whom I haven’t contacted in years. I think the story illustrates how Social Media has connected us at a speed that wouldn’t have happened for me even twelve months ago. Let me share the story.

Tonight I am sharing a talk on prayer at our Alpha gathering. As part of the talk I’m sharing a few significant stories in my own prayer life.

One of the stories happened while I was a Youth Director at First Presbyterian Church in Babylon, New York. As I prepared the talk yesterday afternoon I thought about a few people from that church. I decided to try to find them via the Internet.

That wasn’t hard. I did a Google search for First Presbyterian Church in Babylon. After finding the church’s web site I saw the church had a Facebook page. The first status report on the church’s page was written by one of my friends.

That didn’t take long—ten minutes.

I immediately sent my friend a Facebook Friend request. I thought of some other people I knew from that church. I went through the Facebook friend list of my friend and sent out a Facebook Friend request to another man who I knew in Babylon. That man immediately responded to me. We had conversation yesterday afternoon and last night on my Facebook page and via E-mail on Facebook. I did some of my writing on my I-Phone.

Having this conversation brought back many wonderful memories.

I wonder what my Grandmother Moore would think about this story?

This story illustrates many dimensions of how our ability to connect has changed. I’m still trying to come to understand Facebook and Twitter—and I know many other ways of Social Media connection exist too. I hope and pray that the church and especially Presbyterians are thinking creatively how these mediums can enhance our ministry.