Adventist Media ministry Mums At The Table has launched the next phase of its strategic plan: a partnership program to connect mums with local Adventist churches.
The multimedia ministry—TV, magazine, internet, social media and, more recently, radio—will continue to provide support for mothers with young children but will also refine its content to target an increasingly digital-focused audience.
“We have had great success in developing a vibrant, warm and supportive online community for mothers through our Mums At The Table closed Facebook group, but we now want to concentrate on developing smaller regional groups that can be hosted and managed by Adventist mums and their local church,” said Adam Kavanagh, project manager of Mums At The Table. [pullquote]
“Our main objective now is to engage and connect people from our Mums At The Table group to local church activities that cater to families, such as kids’ clubs, playgroups, Adventurers and Pathfinders.”
The Mums At The Table closed Facebook group was launched earlier this year and now has more than 2500 members, with about 100 new mothers added each week. Anecdotal evidence shows the majority of members are from other or no faith backgrounds.
“We really need Adventist mums to be a part of this ministry, to demonstrate the value and importance of faith in mothering, and to model how positive it is to walk with Christ and belong to a local church,” said Mr Kavanagh.
With many mothers now turning to the internet and social media for parenting support, the TV show, magazine and website have also undergone strategic changes to reflect the trend. The weekly TV show, which currently airs on free-to-air television in Australia and New Zealand, will have a more digital focus. While it will continue to be broadcast on Channel 7Two in Australia and Hope Channel New Zealand, the filming style of the show will now have an online audience in mind.
“Our segments will be shorter and punchier, and more intimate, to reflect what online audiences are used to,” said Mr Kavanagh.
Two-minute radio spots have also been developed for Christian radio stations around Australia, presented by show hosts, Rachel Humphries and Shona Solomon. Radio stations in the Gold Coast and country Victoria are already playing the spots, with more expected to follow.
The Mums At The Table magazine, previously available for free every month to churches, schools, community groups and individual subscribers, has become a bi-monthly publication from August. A subsidised annual subscription fee of $A15 will be introduced from the December 2019/January 2020 issue to help cover the cost of printing and distributing the magazine.
“Unfortunately, we have become the victims of our own success,” said Mr Kavanagh. “In a span of two years, our magazine distribution has grown to more than 10,000. We are a donor-funded ministry. This explosive growth of demand for the magazine has been so unexpected and, coupled with the increasing costs of printing and distribution, has meant that we needed to move to a more sustainable model.
“At the same time however, there will be a stronger editorial focus on the Mums At The Table website, to better take advantage of search terms and key words, providing mums with better quality online resources.”
Churches and mums interested in being a part of the Mums At The Table ministry can contact hello@MumsAtTheTable.com. To become a donor or to subscribe to the magazine, go to MumsAtTheTable.com.
