When I completed my registration this afternoon, I was the 105th person to register. I’m told that 166 people are registered for this year’s Society of Adventist Communicators convention. A very popular part of this convention is the tours on Thursday, and 120 people participated in today’s tours to Focus on the Family, Porter Adventist Hospital, news stations, newspapers, and PR agencies. While the tours were out-and-about, another group of people assembled for the Fundamentals of Journalism class for the certification program.

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With a class titled “Fundamentals of Journalism,” it might sound like a bonehead journalism course. It was anything but a basic journalism class! We took a look at the complexity of communication and unpacked S-E-M-D-R or Source-Encode-Message-Decode-Receiver. Most of our dialogue centered on encoding and decoding the messages we produce. We as communicators encode our messages by (effectively) putting thoughts into words. Those encoded messages are then decoded by our intended audience through four filters: education, income, hobbies, and worldview. Our afternoon session covered excellence in communication in how we ethically frame stories.

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For today’s lunch break, we split up into unofficial groups and went out for lunch. It was great to connect with other young professionals (I believe we were all 20-somethings) and compare notes about the challenges and rewards of our jobs. In some ways it was a “collective head banging session.” It was nice to know that we weren’t alone in our frustrations and breakthroughs. Of course, there was plenty of laughter and light moments. Interacting with colleagues like this, sharing ideas, discussing solutions, figuring out new technologies and how this-or-that works: this is one of the primary reasons I come to the Society’s annual convention.

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Tonight introduced a new convention feature. We had a Communication Showcase where six individuals (including myself) shared communication projects from the last year or so. It is essentially a time of inspiration and understanding the creative process behind various projects.

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The biggest decision out of the business meeting tonight was the decision to begin a paid membership program for the Society of Adventist Communicators. Membership will have some great perks including members-only web access to an online learning center, a membership directory, professional development resources and more. The initial fee? Just $25 a year for an individual. You’ll see more about this in the near future.

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If you’re not here in Denver this year, you’re missing out! It’s already been a great experience connecting with colleagues. Make sure you mark your calendar for October 15-18, 2009. We’ll be convening for our 20th annual convention in San Diego, California. - Heidi

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Whenever I travel, my “marketing eyes” are on high alert watching signs, brands, advertising, people, you name it. The same was true tonight when I flew into Denver. My positive first impression of the Denver Airport took me through the concourse with moving walkways and past colorful advertising posters and standard airport retailers while following good directional signs and reading interesting “Did You Know about Denver” displays while waiting for the train. Even the train ride from terminal C to the main terminal was a positively branded experience complete with the Mayor of Denver’s official welcome.

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And then my positive experience broke down. The signs were confusing to me as I (an experienced traveler) tried to find my actual baggage claim area (first) and then where to find the hotel shuttle (second). After several minutes of wandering and even asking directions, making a couple phone calls, plus remembering George’s helpful hints, I finally found my way to the shuttle pick-up location.

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Did you have a similar experience at the airport? And have you ever wondered: How often do guests in our churches, schools, ministry centers, or administrative offices have a similar experience? Talk back to me! - Heidi

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