I need to thank Christy Ramsey for bringing it to my attention that I didn't explain how this was resolved as completely as I should have, so here it is. I also want to clarify that my purpose for writing these posts is to try to raise awareness of technologies that can be used to serve the Lord more effectively online. My prayer is that they will be encouraging and educational.
I wrote a few posts about RSS, how the PCUSA is using it and how I don't believe we are using it well. The first clarification is that I have been successfully subscribed to the main news release feed for the PCUSA for at least a few weeks now. The missionary letters feed I wanted to use for the NWMC site has also been updated (about 2 months from the last time it was). The pages used to list feeds also do a very good job explaining RSS and offering links to feed readers.
I had a very difficult time locating the feeds for a few reasons. The page that lists all of the feeds is not linked to from the home page and is located in the graphics library section of the site. Additionally, they don't use the RSS feed icon (
), but they do use an older RSS graphic of the same color. Finally, most pages with RSS feeds will display that icon in the header of the newer web browsers, but the page listing feeds doesn't do this.
I wish the feeds consisted of more than just page titles. I don't want to leave my feed reader unless I know I want to read an article and a five to ten word title usually isn't enough to make this decision. When I investigated integrating the PCUSA feeds into the NWMC site (along with others), I discovered the feed is only intended to be integrated in a pre-formatted block that I don't want to use. I want it to fit in with the site and play nicely with other feeds from sites I think our visitors should consider visiting. I also will not endorse the company this pre-formatted section includes a link to. I don't know them and even if I did, I don't represent NWMC (other than by attending it) and won't place endorsement-like links on the website.
The final straw was that I had to register to get this feed for the website. It was just one barrier too many. That may sound ridiculous, but all I wanted was an RSS feed so I could further broadcast the PCUSA's mission news on a site that caters to people who are very much interested in it. Adding their RSS feeds to this site would only give them more visitors and spread mission news further while continuing to give the denomination credit for the information. I didn't want to do it the way they had things set up, so I emailed the webmaster asking permission (after more hassles I won't get into). She kindly responded, but didn't offer permission. I asked again and she forwarded my request to another person who I've yet to hear back from after a month. Quite frankly, I'm ready to move on and work on projects that will produce results.
I believe the web and RSS are only tools, but that they can be quite helpful in fulfilling Christ's call for us in the world today. Once again, my hope and prayer is that this post will assist our denomination in using them more effectively towards that end.
Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions and feel free to contact me.