Articles | Book Reviews | Education
Final Publication
This issue of OMNI marks the final printed publication of the newsletter and also the beginning of a new method of communication. Starting in September the Ontario Multifaith Council's web site www.omc.on.ca will incorporate all the kind of information that we have included in the newsletter over the years. It will feature articles, book reviews and innovative developments in pastoral practice and education. The site will also include updates on Restorative Justice and the Re-integration Project, besides regular announcements regarding conferences, events, and job postings.
In the past there was some reluctance to put OMNI on the internet. This was largely due to the fact that it was a quarterly publication and there was good reason to believe that all this information could be lost in space. It was not very likely that our readership would remember to regularly connect with the site four times a year. But this has changed.
OMNI will no longer be a quarterly production. As articles, book reviews, and all the other information becomes available they will immediately be placed on the site. But in order to guarantee that the readership will access this information an e-mail will go out informing people what is presently available on the site. There will be instructions about how to connect with this information and since people are already on line it will just be a matter of moments to view the latest additions.
What we are expecting from our readership is a registration of their e-mail addresses. The enclosed insert is the best way to register and we urge you to fill out this form and communicate it to the Ontario Multifaith Council Office. Once you are on the e-mail database you will be regularly informed about new material on the site.
There is one drawback to this approach. How do we serve those people who do not have an e-mail address? This question was raised by both the Ontario Multifaith Council and the Ontario Chaplains Association. It is a serious concern and both organizations are committed to finding a solution. The problem is that we really do not have a good idea of how many people will be affected. Are we talking about a large or small percentage? Once this is determined it may be possible to send out a printed version to those people. It may not be of the same quality as our present publication but it would be way of maintaining communication.
In the past our readership has been limited to Ontario. This new method of communication will enable us to become national and even international. The Ontario Multifaith Council is unique in Canada and will inevitable attract attention from a wide spectrum of people. This will not only enable us to get information from a broader field, but it will also provide us with the opportunity to broadcast the content of OMNI to a wider audience. Articles sent to OMNI will get far more coverage than before - a very satisfying concept for those making submissions.
Again I would urge you to fill out the enclosed form and sent it immediately to the OMC Office.
We will be in touch with you in September.
If you want to get a preview of what OMNI will look like on the web site connect with www.omni.omc.on.ca Much of what is included in this present issue has been put on the site. It will give you an idea of what to expect in the future. Any comments or suggestions can be sent to the Editor at 12805 Jane Street, King City, ON L7B 1A3, Ph. 905-833-2778, Fax 905-833-7199 or E-mail paul@chidwick.ca
Paul Chidwick is the Editor of OMNI.
Posted by editor on September 30, 2003 10:13 AM