Ep. 20 : Melody Copenny with Cru Storylines

The lovely and brilliant Melody Copenny is joining Katie and Michele on the podcast today to talk about her work with Cru Storylines! She also gives some G R E A T tips for telling stories in newsletters and MPD convos.

Mentions and Notes: Subscribe to Cru Storylines, impactmovement.org, Lake Hart, Cru World Headquarters, CeCe Winans, Poynter Institute for Journalism and Media Studies, MailChimp, Shelby Abbott, Judy Douglass, Marilette Sanchez, Family Life, Leader Impact, When You Love a Prodigal, Rebecca Kelsall, melody.copenny@cru.org, Inserts for Cru Staff Newsletters

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Transcript

Katie Johnson: 0:17

Welcome to the Cru MPD podcast with Katie Johnson and Michele Davis. We love that the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. We are driven to equip and inspire Christian workers to be Christ centered, fully funded and financially faithful, so that missionary staff can come alongside all people to help them to know Jesus. This process is more widely known as Ministry Partner Development, or MPD, for short.

Michele Davis: 0:45

We are excited this week to be talking to Melody Copenny, who is the editor in chief of Cru Storylines. Melody tell us tell us more about yourself.

Melody Copenny: 1:00

Absolutely. Well, first of all, thank you so much, Michele, and Katie, for having me with you both today. I love podcasting, I've listened to quite a few. So it's quite a blessing to be a part of one as well. So I have been on the mission field for 20 years. My first 14 were with the Impact Movement. And the last six have been with Cru here at Lake Hart, Cru headquarters. I I've served in a myriad of places, and then quite a few different things over those years. But I would say my, probably my primary, strong suit has been in the world of communications, marketing, communications, journalism, writing all those things. I graduated from the University of Georgia, many moons ago, with a bachelor's in magazine journalism and pursued a minor in English. So the written word has always been a love of mine. I first started writing as a teen, and got involved in newspaper journalism in high school, and actually was the Co-editor in chief of my school's newspaper. So I've just always enjoyed telling a good story, unpacking a good story. And getting to the heart of the matter, which are people like people intrigued me, I probably could have been a really good sociologist if I hadn't become a journalist. So telling stories, finding stories, sitting with stories are just life giving to me. And God is amazing storyteller. He is the first storyteller. And so I am really encouraged and blessed that I get to do the work that I do in journalism, with ministry as a foundation of it with my work with Cru. That's been a gift for me. And yeah, that's a bit about kind of how I've got going with Cru and a bit about my background in journalism as well.

Michele Davis: 3:03

Oh, my gosh, I love hearing that for a number of reasons. But one, I think it seems really beautiful that as a college student, you were pursuing, you know, the degree in magazine journalism, you said, and then you you took some time to do field work, right with Impact you are like working with students, disciples and students sharing the gospel. And then the Lord has allowed you to combine both of those things in your new role now, right?

Melody Copenny: 3:31

Very true. So in 2013, the Lord made it very clear to me that it was time for transition from the work that I had been doing with Impact. And he shared with me, "Melody, it's time for you to write." And so a little bit of a kind of going back to the past when I joined the mission field, and decided to serve with impact as a missionary one I had no context at all for what missionary work was, I didn't know what it was had gone to an Impact Conference as a senior in college. And the Lord changed my life there I was, at that point, one year into my faith, I was a brand new Christian, had come to the Lord a year prior after listening to a gospel album by CeCe Winans and that's how I came to know Jesus and heard the gospel. That's its own fun story. But I went to Impact 2000. And so I'm a brand new baby Christian. And the Lord meets me in a dynamic way at that event. And I learned about Impact's Campus Ministry Internship Program, and that was my entryway into missions. And so in doing that, I also knew that what I was saying and saying yes to the Lord for that opportunity, is I was also kind of saying no to this whole other career in journalism that I thought I was going to head toward. I was considering grad school at the time. I didn't do very good on the GRE, so that probably wouldn't be the best place for me to go at that point. But I had dreams and thoughts about what I could do as a journalist. And so you know, spending more than a decade on the mission field and then hearing the Lord say"Melody, it's time for you to write," was quite fantastic and reminded me that though I thought something that I love was being put to the side, and maybe I would never have a chance to actually use it. I was actually using it all those years and Impact, but in the way that I wanted to use it as a journalist specifically focused in that type of writing and work, the Lord had never forgotten. He was just preparing me for how to connect that part of me to this other part of me that was getting spiritually developed. And discipled and matured, as I was doing, you know, hands on field ministry work. I tell people often that what I got in those years with Impact, along with so many other blessings, was an incredible theological foundation that completely shaped my my heart, my mind my soul, as a writer, who then has opportunity to disciple, encourage, exhort, and challenge people, 1000s of people, depending on what your platforms are, in the words that you think create and write. And the Lord had a plan for all of that. And just to see even over these last six years, how that's come together for me, serving as a writer with Cru's writers team, which formerly served with Worldwide Challenge magazine to then be a part of Cru Storylines, and becoming managing editor and then being given the opportunity to become Editor in Chief. It's been a fantastic ride and something I couldn't have shaped myself, only the Lord could have done that.

Michele Davis: 6:37

Okay, that is, I'm just so excited about your story. This is really cool. I want to click more into that that moment you had where you felt like God was saying, to be a writer, and to start using that. So like, when you feel this call from the Lord to do that, what was your first move next? Like, did you know that that would be writing for Cru? Or did you consider doing some just, you know, blogging or writing on your own? Or maybe both? Or like, what did what was your next step with that? That, urging inside of you?

Melody Copenny: 7:11

So when I when the Lord revealed that to me, my first thoughts were, "Thank You, Jesus," because for something from something new and a little bit more context, so that was 2013, like winter-ish. And that fall, I had experienced a lot of losses in a concentrated way. Within like a month, two month time period, my grandmother died unexpectedly. She's a second mom to me. So it's a devastating loss. Two weeks after we buried her, I was hit from behind in a car accident that totaled my car, that actually been a gift to me some years prior from a ministry partner, given to me for free. So that car was totaled, I had injuries from that car accident that required physical therapy for months at a time. Other losses were happening in my world. And so it was just very devastating. So I was in this place of me and the Lord, we're just kind of walking through life. And I was very wounded, and very much hurting. And so I was at an Impact Conference that year. And the Lord spoke to me there and said, you know, "This will be the last time that you'll be serving in this way for this for this conference for the ministry in this way." And I was like,"Thank you, because I'm tired". And I was,I am tired, I have served well, my soul is tired as well as my heart and my mind, and I'm ready for something new. And so when that call to, to write came, it was like, I'm open to this. And so going into 2014, I knew about the Lake Hart STINT program, that Cru offered.(Yeah.) And it just felt like a good space for me to work out my pain and my losses, but also where I needed to go next. I still didn't have much clarity about where I was going to be writing, and would that be in the ministry space or someplace else. But when I did, Lake Hart STINT, my STINT was a little different, because I was local already here in Orlando, several impacts. So I continue to actually to serve with Impact as my ministry focus, but I did talk to one of our leaders instant and said, you know, what, I've been placed with a department at Lake Hart where would you have put me and he said, "Oh, we would hope you would have gotten you connect to the writers team." And so he said, "You know, I actually think you still should connect with them and have a conversation. That could be helpful as you look toward the end of STINT and kind of where you want to go." And so I had that conversation with Nick DeCola, who was our writers team leader at the time in October, I think 2014. And he asked for some of my writing samples and I sent those over and had a really good conversation. He was like,"Melody, I just want to say that, you know, if you would have us once you finished STINT, we would love for you to be a part of this team." And I was like, "Yeah, that sounds great to me." Because another prayer request that I had had going into like heart stent, because I had so much abrupt change and loss the year prior. I was like,"Lord, I don't want to get to the spring of 2015, and be trying to figure out where am I going next. I really would like for you just to create some soft ground for me to walk on in terms of transition, and that I'll know early on where I'm going next, it'll just help my heart." And so in October, like maybe two months into STINT, I already knew where I was going to be going. before it even ended. And so that was a gift to me as well to see the Lord meet me in that and show me this is the next place. And this is where I want you to go. And a lot of that initial time on the writers team was purely development, I've had opportunities to be trained by the Poynter Institute for Journalism and Media Studies, they train some of the world's best journalists, and I've got the chance to be taught by some of their most talented teachers. It's been really great to see what God's done in that time.

Michele Davis: 11:20

That's amazing.

Katie Johnson: 11:22

That is, yeah, I love your story. And I love how God so clearly knew where he wanted you to end up. And he completely orchestrated that path, even though you didn't see it. And so that's super cool. Um, so then I think one of the questions that probably people are wondering as they're listening, what is Cru Storylines? We've mentioned this, and we mentioned Worldwide Challenge, I think a lot of us are probably familiar with what that is or was. So can you explain what is Cru Storylines?

Melody Copenny: 11:56

So Cru Storylines, is our organization's digital publication. It's designed to show God at work in the world, got it in action in and through people. And so we cover stories in our US space, and stories that are, you know, international ones as well. We got launched in the late summer of 2017. And our predecessor was Worldwide Challenge magazine, which was a printed magazine, and it came to a close at the end of 2016, I believe is when that took place. And so at the time, um, Cru leadership wanted to move more into the digital space...for a publication piece, primarily because we could be able to reach more people, and actually see how those people are engaging with the content. When you create something that's printed, the only thing you know is that you mailed it to an address or location. But you don't really have a sense of how someone engaging with it. With Cru Storylines, we get bucket load of analytical information from, you know, open click rates for the publication to how long someone is actually staying on a page, interacting with the story, you have people being able to tell you directly how they have been impacted by story. Whereas with Worldwide Challenge, which I actually didn't serve with, specifically, the magazine close as I was transitioning on to our team, but with Storylines I've seen the emails that people will send when they've read a story, and have been affected by it, or they've seen pictures that have really moved them. And so it just gives a bit more of a tangible connection to your your audience, with a digital piece. And that's been really, really exciting to be a part of and to see. But Storylines exists not only to tell these stories, but to equip our Cru staff family, and being able to hear what's going on in Cru, but also share those stories with their ministry partners in the same way that Worldwide Challenge Stories existed to be an encouragement to ministry partners, and to give them vision for what Cru is doing. Not specifically only in the ministry of that person or, or missionaries that they support, but to get a broader vision for what crew is doing at work in the world.

Katie Johnson: 14:20

That's so cool. I love that we have a team within Cru that's gathering stories like this, and putting them out for our ministry partners in for us as staff to read. I'm sure it's encouraging, even for you as you write these stories of what God's doing through the ministry, to hear just all the work that he's doing in the world, right. So what gets you excited about Storylines? I mean, I feel like that's a silly not a silly question, but you seem excited for Storylines anyway. And God stories are exciting, but what gets you excited for Storylines and what are you hoping God does through this work?

Melody Copenny: 14:55

Great question. So what gets me excited? You know, I said earlier about You know, being a person that loves story and that enjoys digging into story. And so part of our process for Cru Storylines is that we have a pitch meeting every two months, and our writers come to that time, and our photographers to, and they bring ideas of things that they collected in terms of potential story ideas. And so to hear the breath of what's happening within Cru, and then to see something move from an idea that's pitch to a final story by the time production is finished, that gets me excited, because there's a process, it takes time. There's so many pieces that go into making something, you know, be a final, final product that you can read and experience. But to know that these stories are out there, and there's so many that we can't tell. And so the ones that we are able to tell are the ones that are we we've looked at them. And we've determined that these are stories that people not only will be encouraged by, but that it's more than, you know, a good thing that someone's done. Because what we're looking for in the stories that we publish, are, you see, you know, typically one story subject, one person we're focusing the story on, we're not trying to show someone as a super Christian, as someone that has it all together, because we want to help people to see that the people you're reading about are relatable, and they're just like you and me. And so in showing their struggle showing the ways that God meets them in their challenges. We use a one particular part of storytelling that involves like story arcing, a story, where you start with that, that main subject, you see them enter into, you know, some type of adventure or a challenge, you're getting background information on them to give context for who they are and their lives, then you're showing what we like to describe as the, the what's the word I'm looking for, like, what's the challenge and the struggle that they're they're experiencing conflict, that's the see the conflict or tension in their story, because every good story has tension. Usually, that's what you're reading for. And that's what a lot of people want to see in reality TV, but we're not doing all that stuff. But you're wonderful, that tension in that, that that challenge that they're they're working through. And then you want to move it into, you know, how are they developing? How are God? How is God meeting them in their journey in the midst of the the tension of their lives, and then moving towards not so much an ending, but more so like, what is the next step for them as they're continuing to engage in the lives that they're living. And we tell our writers often, you know, the goal is not to end the story with a nice pretty red bow on the end, because life isn't filled with bowls on the end, we're all in process. And so, you know, we want you to be able to set it up in such a way that readers will leave the story, either empowered to move forward in their next step of faith because they read about someone else's, both steps of faith that they're taking in their lives, or they find some ways to be equipped and resourced as a result of reading the story. So I will say that process for me, gets me excited about Cru Storylines. And then in terms of you know, what I hope God does through the publication? You know, that's a wonderful question. I think in some ways I want my prayer is that the Lord uses the work of our team, we have some talented men and women serving with Cru Storylines. Some that previously served Worldwide Challenge that have been with Cru for decades serving in this particular space of missionary journalism. And, you know, I want them to be encouraged in the work that they're doing in the ministry that they're providing. I also pray that those who read this content will be discipled through it. Our team has a unique position to be not only digital storytellers, tellers, but digital disciplers in the content that we get to create, and so that people can read these Christian growth stories or these feature articles, or see these photos spreads, and be encouraged in their own journeys with the Lord. And we'll share that content with other people who may be curious about Jesus or could be, you know, journeying in their Christian faith and maybe not as close to the Lord as they once were. And so they come across a story that gives them pause to sit for five or seven minutes, drink a cup of coffee and consider the Lord in a new way. You know, there's so many ways that God gets our attention. Stories are just one of those ways. And so, you know, it encourages me to see how he can use the content that's created through Cru Storylines, to bless and reach people in the world too.

Michele Davis: 19:56

That phrase digital disciplers is So, like it's so clutch, it's just a really good phrase. And I think especially just thinking of a vision of like creating a media outlet where you are, like you said, you're empowering people to move forward in their faith, or you're helping them find ways to be equipped and resourced. And so your goal in this sounds like, is very development oriented. And, and very, you know, KINGDOM OF GOD oriented, too, building the kingdom of God. So this is, it is so visionary to hear to hear you talk about this.

Melody Copenny: 20:42

And, you know, Jesus told stories, you know, he was a parable teller, because stories again, pull us in, and they get us or they get our attention. And I think to in a world where so much moves fast on social media and through different apps, and like your brain, I think, at times isn't actually even given time to rest, because you're seeing things so fast, even with video cuts, and how quickly they move, having a story that you can sit with and read, and your brain is processing information in different ways. I'm a fan of that, because I'm like, Lord, help us to not lose brain cells help us to stay smart. And really, we used to hear and when we were little reading, it's fundamental, it's so the more that we can do it, I think the better better off we will all be.

Michele Davis: 21:30

I can't just keep writing down all these amazing quotes from from you, Mel. And like, Lord help us to not lose brain cells, I want to make that like a refrigerator magnet. Like that's just so great.

Melody Copenny: 21:45

And one thing we're working on to for Storylines, is to move our content into audio form. I've been working with a dear friend, Andy to take one of my stories that I did back in 2019, I think it was when I went to Africa...to cover story about a Gambian fisherman, who also was a church planter, and the take that story and move it into an audio version. So I recorded it, and he's doing some editing on it. So hopefully, we'll have you know, that first draft finalized, because we love to be able to provide these stories in a way that gives double bounce to them, where you know, you don't have the opportunity to sit and read it, but you can listen to it while you're out and about into your life. And that's another way to engage with the content too.

Katie Johnson: 22:33

I love that you guys are doing audio versions of these stories. I was literally just about to ask that. And you just told us, which is awesome. Um, what platforms will that be available on? Is that, like...yeah, cuz I'm a person who likes to listen to things. I have two kids. And so honestly, I know you talked about like, reading is good. I just, I'm not a reader. (It's just your season. It's okay.) Not my thing...but listening...I love stories, too. And so listening is so easy for me. So yeah, where will people be able to find these stories? Once you release them?

Melody Copenny: 23:13

Great question. I don't have an answer to that one. Because we're still in those early early sketches are the process. So hopefully, you know, in the coming year 2022, we'll have a bit more of some tracks to run on that. Because even in so one thought with that is, I can see that those stories would be attached to the original story that was printed. So you can just like I think NPR does this actually where you can listen to a printed story in audio version. So I think that's going to be the easiest way to provide the content initially. There have been talks around what could it look like for there to be kind of a more branded podcast created for Cru. And more vision, I think needs to be put around it. But I You know, I've, I've heard those conversations with some initial, you know, ideas around that. And that will maybe have a space where these stories could actually fit as well. But you know, others will have to decide who could give more vision for it. So

Katie Johnson: 24:17

yes, that's so cool. I'm really excited about that. I mean, I'm excited about everything you guys are doing. But I'm especially excited about the audio story. Yeah.

Michele Davis: 24:27

And I think that in this day and age, we have to, we have to think about it both ways. The having are the you know, first you're more about print digital media, but then providing an audio option. And for us as we're podcasters, in this space. We also do like a transcript to be read because, you know, I mean, frankly, not everyone can hear and also even if they can hear they may not have time to listen to us even on double speed and just want to skim for the good stuff. And so we have to I think, I think making these resources we're creating as accessible as possible is a really important value, at least that's a value I have for sure. It sounds like you do.

Melody Copenny: 25:11

I do, I really do. Because this, you know, there's a process as you're in something where you're focused on the end goal of producing. But I think there's, it's so wise to kind of take some steps back and consider, are we getting the best bounce for the work? And actually, my director, we had a good conversation before the holidays about that, that very thing, you know, how do we measure the amount of work we're putting into something to where we want it to actually be. And I'm a strategic thinker by nature. And so I've recognized how important it is, for me even going into 2022, to carve out time each week, where it's solely blocked off, for me to be visionary for me to be strategically thinking, and to be a bit disconnected from the the work, work, work, work, work. Because you can work work, work and end up working over a cliff, and you didn't mean to go over the cliff. And so thinking strategically helps you to actually see where do I need to be? And what are the things that are most important right now. So that's, that's good, too.

Michele Davis: 26:19

It's so good. Okay, so I want to go back to something that you were alluding to about, um, how you guys put together your stories and story arcing. And as you were telling about that process, for me, one of the things that came to mind is like how can we help our staff to learn some of those basics of storytelling, because we are all tasked with writing stories in our newsletter at minimum, right? Everyone listening, try to send out your newsletters each month to our ministry partners. And so I am thinking that it'd be really good for us to learn from you. How can how can a staff person out there who's maybe new to writing or, you know, they just don't have, you know, this kind of experience? You know, take a step to grow their storytelling ability and, and map out a story like that. Can you help us do that?

Melody Copenny: 27:12

Yes. So one thing I'm reminded of with prayer letters and telling stories...a good friend told me years ago, she's like, you know, a prayer letter is that it's a letter that should focus on one story, you know, and don't feel that you need to put everything that you've done for the whole month, you know, into this letter, because one that could be overwhelming for people to read. They may not read it. And it, it doesn't help them to pinpoint in on the vision that you're seeking to tell. And so I was like, that's a very freeing, like, perspective, to just focus on one story that you want to tell well. I think that, you know, going into what that story is, and, and how you want to tell it in a way that when people can understand kind of the big picture. There are things that we do from you know, a ministry perspective, in terms of the acronyms we use and other things that we say that for someone who doesn't do our work, it makes no sense to them. And so figuring out what are the key important things that are just kind of brought that I can use to describe what's going on, I think would be helpful. With Cru Storylines. And I'll say this is what I do with my prayer letters. And I have the benefit of this because I'm working on these stories, often editing them and helping to produce them, so I'm a little bit more closer to them. But any story that Cru Storylines publish is a Cru story. And so because it's a crew story, it's your story. And I'm speaking to those who are listening to this podcast as staff members, that these Cru Storylines stories are your stories, they cast a vision for what God's doing in the world. And it gives your ministry partners a way to get a bigger sense of what God's doing through Cru. And so what I do is I'll take basically like the introduction of a story, probably the first three or four sentences and I use MailChimp as one of the ways I communicate to my partners and I'll take that little paragraph stick it in you know this top of my MailChimp and I'll basically end it with, to read more click here, I give them a teaser, and then it it pulls them actually out of the MailChimp to Cru Storylines' website to see that story directly. And when I'm looking at analytics for my MailChimp, I can actually see who's clicking on the stories and engaging with them, which is kind of fun as well to take part in and so...(That's really cool.) That's been that's been cool as well to do

Katie Johnson: 29:43

So what does that um, it just kind of leads right into the next question. You touched on it a little bit and so if people wanted to use Cru Storylines stories in their newsletters, one way is to quote and then lead them to Storylines website and that article Are there any other ways to incorporate those stories in your newsletters? And what would that look like?

Melody Copenny: 30:06

Yes. And one thing I want to say, with the MailChimp way that I've used our stories I did this recently is... I, in the MailChimp, I go ahead and say, to read more from the story written by so I put the writer's name and the photographer's name so that they get that initial automatic credit. And it doesn't look like I wrote the story unless I did write it. So there are times when I've written the stories, and they are mind blowing, they belong to other people, I want to make sure that that photo attribution and the writing attribution is automatically given. So let's say someone's wanting to print a story, you know, you're sending something out to your ministry partners by regular mail, you can still take, you know, a portion of a Cru Storyline story. And make sure that you attribute it to the writer and photographer, you can download those, those pictures as well from the website, just make sure that credit is given to the photographer. And maybe there's a portion of the story that you put in or you can print the whole thing if you wanted to...depending on what the story is it may be a little longer, but you can still direct people to you know, read more about this story online at www.cru.org/storylines. And so those could be some some good ways to help people engage with the content too.

Michele Davis: 31:25

That's great. Yeah, cuz giving attribution to the author and the photographer is super important.

Melody Copenny: 31:33

It is I will tell you, these are some hard working people are writers at minimum, their their drafts for their stories go through at least four to five revisions. And then there's a whole other process where we have an outside editor, and design team that's looking at that content again. And then we have a copy editor who does accuracy and editing as well. So their writing is probably getting touched and revised at minimum, I'd say eight to 10 times per issue, per story. And then for the photographers, they're, you know, out there capturing hundreds of pictures from a particular assignment, picking out the ones that are going to go on the story and doing all the editing on those pictures as well. So again, giving attribution is important because people worked hard to create their, their work, and we want to make sure that it's clear that they created it, and someone else didn't do it, you know?

Michele Davis: 32:27

So I'm curious to you. So like, do you ever have staff who are not on the Storylines...You know, who don't work for Storylines ever submit stories to be published? Or story ideas? If, if so, what would that process look like? If someone's out here listening like, oh, I, you know, for whatever reason, when I like I have this really great story, and I want to connect it to Storylines. What would that staff person need to do?

Melody Copenny: 32:56

Yeah, so yes, we do have people that are not on the team, but have been guest writers for us. Three stories specifically. So Shelby Abbott did a piece for us, I think it ran last year, if not, it would have been 2019. But his piece, I think may have been it was on a particular topic, either worry or anxiety. And it was well written. And we were able to, you know, publish it. And it was great for us because it allows our readers to get another another voice. That's not only a voice from our team. Last summer, Judy Douglass, we had actually our first book excerpt kind of story that we offered to our readers from her book, When You Love a Prodigal and take some excerpts from the book, and she did some, you know, editing and tweaking of them to fit the publication. So that was exciting to have that and I wrote an introduction for that story to lead into her excerpts. This coming May we're going to have a guest right here, a guest writing piece by Marilette Sanchez, who's a Cru staff member serving with Family Life with her husband, Moses. And she shared about a mental health issue that she had, and just being very honest about her journey with mental health and a specific situation that happened last year when the pandemic really kicked off. And she's already a very talented writer in her own accord, like she's just a gifted writer. And so she's taking her journey and packaging it to then share with our Storylines audience as a way to encourage people to in their mental health. So yes, we do this with the piece that Marilette is doing. One of our writers, Rebecca Kelsall actually brought this idea to our pitch meeting last year, one of our pitch meetings and you know, laid it out well, and you know, say this could be a Christian growth article, and this is how it could look and so that's how Got packaged. She also pitched the idea for Shelby's Christian growth piece. And then for Judy's book excerpt, we were in a editorial team meeting and it came up as an idea that we could pursue. So there are different ways that that could happen. If someone has an idea. And they're curious about, you know, could this be something for Cru Storylines? Reach out to me, you can email me and we can talk more about that idea. Or if there's specific writer that you have relationship with, or photographer that serves serves with Cru Storylines, you can connect with them, and see how they could potentially pitch that idea as well for the publication.

Katie Johnson: 35:39

That's great. So we will include Mel's email in the show notes. So those of you wondering what her email is, or how to contact her. We'll include those in the show notes, just so you know. So if you do have a story that you want to run by her, feel free to reach out. So how, I guess one of our last questions, right, how can staff subscribe to Storylines? What will be the best way to even get their ministry partners subscribed to storylines? Great question. So if you go to cru.org/storylines, at the top of the page to the far right corner, there'll be a button to subscribe. Most staff members are automatically subscribed to Cru Storylines. But those who have come on more recently, may not be receiving it. And so that is an easy way to go ahead and do that. And also to subscribe your ministry partners to it as well.

Michele Davis: 36:39

Like, can you add your ministry partners to that or is there? Okay, well, and I know, on our MPD resource site, we have some inserts that people can print and put in their newsletter about Storylines, we can also put that in the show notes. Is that the best way to let our ministry partners know? Or do you have any other tips for how we can get this out to our ministry partners? Because I think this is just such a great resource I would love for my ministry partners to be able to read these stories.

Melody Copenny: 37:06

Absolutely. So yes, the inserts would be great for paper letters, for electronic letters that you're sending out, you could easily take one of our more recent stories, and put that into your electronic letter for that month and say, Hey, did you know that Cru has a digital publication, you can learn more about it here subscribe to sign up for it. It's very likely that we have covered a ministry that many people serve with. So I would encourage people to even go to Storylines, and basically do like an archive look at the different stories we've covered over these last five years. And see if there's a story specifically for your ministry, whether it's a campus story or a Cru city story or Family Life, or Oh, my goodness, there's so many different stories. Yeah, Leader Impact, go look and see. And that can be a story that you could again, package and share in a newsletter and say, Hey, here's an example of the kind of ministry that our strategy, what we're doing. And this is a story covered by Cru Storyline would love for you to sign up to get more stories from them in the feature, here's how you can do it. It could be that I don't think you can just pop in ministry partners email address, they may choose to do that for themselves. But you can point them to the website for sure. And they can go ahead and move forward with that if they want to.

Michele Davis: 38:29

That makes sense. Yeah, that I mean, that's that seems appropriate. Have you ever done a story about MPD?

Melody Copenny: 38:38

No, we've never done a story about MPD.

Michele Davis: 38:42

Well, we should talk...I have some ideas. Okay, I mean, okay, yeah. All right. Well, Melody, this has been so visionary and so encouraging. Thank you so much for carving some time out of your busy day, I'm sure and, and joining Katie and I here it's been so lovely to hear more about Storylines, to hear more about your journey on staff and your journey and using all of your gifts to build the kingdom. And we're just really, we're just really excited about the work you get to do.

Melody Copenny: 39:15

Oh, I'm grateful and glad to be with you guys and give this encouragement exhortation. I do want to say, like one closing thought, (I want that.) Okay, as people consider, you know, telling stories, improving their storytelling, even if you're like, "I'm not a writer, Mel's a writer. She knows how to do this, you can do this with her eyes closed, but this is hard for me." I just want to encourage you to just speak from your heart as you connect with your partners. You know, these men and women, churches, organizations, have partnered with you God has brought them into your life because they connected with your story. You told a story at some type of appointment or through a letter or something that you were able to communicate yourself and these people got vision for it. And so as you're communicating with him for your prayer letters, just remember that all you're doing is telling your story. And reminding them of God's work in the world through their giving through your ministry. But also reminding them that...here are ways that you can pray, these are things that are happening that I want you to be praying for, like I do that often, if I'm talking about something short, in a prayer letter, I'll say what you please pray for it, whatever those things are, that I've already mentioned, so that they can see their partnership with me in the work and it's not specifically giving, it is giving and is praying and being connected to the work and so just know that you're continuing to tell a story. And even when you feel discouraged and challenged, I've had a recent year where I've had some hard things happen. And it was difficult to you know, get prayer letters together, I was tired, weary, I didn't have the emotional, mental strength for it. But when I did get those letters out, I just spoke from my heart and invited people into where I was in the journey and how they could pray for me. Again, being wise, you know, you don't need to tell everything about everything. Because some people...it can be a little too much. But knowing like, you know, what are the the big pieces that I can convey, so that my partners have a sense of how I'm doing. And we don't have to create perfect newsletters, you know, again, we are people that have lives that are layered, and so no one's expecting you to be a perfect missionary that's telling these perfect, amazing stories and everything's good every time you send something out. Sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones that feel the realest that involves struggle and difficulty...and still seeing like God is at work in this situation. Please pray for these people that administering to or this situation that's come up and it's very discouraging. But unbeliever the Lord for whatever that may be, and so yeah, those are just some words, signing off.

Michele Davis: 42:01

Thank you. That is a really good place to wrap up. And so thank you so much.

Melody Copenny: 42:07

You're welcome.