My Mastery Journal

A 12-Month Full Sail University Student Journal. My journey from minister to pastor to community conserver!

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A None Says Stop Praying, Start Helping

A None Says Stop Praying, Start Helping

Religiously Unaffiliated feels Black Churches in Gulfport, Mississippi Should Stop Pushing Religion and Start Helping People.

Although the purpose behind writing the article The Secret of Membership Retention: Exploring the Enigma within the Black Churches of Gulfport, Mississippiwas to help reestablish the connection to black churches, it is quite impossible to do so without hearing and…

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New Media Publishing and Distribution Mastery Journal

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Students & faculty: Save 50% on Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac from OnTheHub. Run the PC programs you need and the Mac applications you love side-by-side.

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https://soundcloud.com/g-tremain-merrell/movie-trailer-voiceover

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https://soundcloud.com/g-tremain-merrell/all-state-style-professional-voice

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https://soundcloud.com/g-tremain-merrell/fiver-southern-car-salesman

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Public Relations and Reputation Management Mastery Journal

It would appear that this class ended just as quickly as it began. As valuable as this curriculum has been, I am all too ready to move on to the next class. This class was extremely overwhelming. I loved the topics, but the problem for me was the time for each topic. I feel like I never had to time to decipher the most important components. This is a bit upsetting because I often became very excited when learning of the possibilities.

My favorite assignment had to be the Week Two Discussion: Advising Public Relations Practitioners. In the faith-based industry Public Relations is a function of Church Communications or Church Marketing. Although there is nothing new about Public Relations in and around church, because technology and online social media it has had to evolve rapidly just to stay current. In many churches across the state of Mississippi, secretaries are the church communicators / church marketers all while wearing many other hats. I enjoyed this assignment because it gave me a catalyst and a foundation for several seminars to launch. In fact, several pastors in my network have already requested me to build websites, teach online engagement, and even bring their staff up to speed on social media tools that could make their work flow more easily.

I learned about many functionally useful strategies and tools that I will be incorporating into my arsenal. However, there is one that I have yet to master. Although I still do not fully comprehend it on a functional level, I believe Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will be the most helpful to me. As far as I can gather, an understanding SEO will greatly increase my chances of building a following that will promote my content to a viral status.

               The knowledge that I have acquired in Public Relations and Reputation Management is going to bless me to build a better rapport with public relations professionals here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Public Relations professionals, many times, position themselves to be gatekeepers. In the churches, they are the secretaries. Understanding what I have learned in the class has shown me how I can be a great benefit to these professionals as well as their clients, thus giving me the opportunities I need.

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Love is What Love Does

Love is What Love Does

The Tom Hanks character Forrest Gump always said, “Stupid is as stupid does” in response to people asking him if he in fact was stupid “or something.” The statement actually came from a Charles Dickens book “David Copperfield”. In it, a character was describing another by using a similar statement, “Handsome is as handsome does”, meaning you are only as handsome as your actions. Is it safe to say…

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On a Mission

Suburban Missions highlights churches that aim to improve the quality of living in their surrounding communities.

Mississippi is the poorest, the most obese, and has the lowest life expectancy rate in the nation. It is arguably one of the most miserable states in the country as reported by USA Today. Think of the impact that has on you as a resident of this state. Mississippi has a stigma of…

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Gulfport Pastor Aims to Minister to the Teen Spirit

Gulfport Pastor Aims to Minister to the Teen Spirit

According to a few real estate websites, Gulfport, Mississippi has a rising violent crime rate. The United States violent crime rate is 367.9 violent crimes per 100,000 persons, and Gulfport, a small port city, is 340.9 as of 2011. The statistics website Quandl.comreported some statistics based on research they did three months ago.

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Social Media & Online Community Engagement Mastery Journal

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Gulfport Bishop Determined to Empower Black Communities

Gulfport Bishop Determined to Empower Black Communities

A Gulfport clergyman is unwavering in his mission to empower the surrounding communities of his church. The area his church is located in is one of the lowest concentrations of black churches in Gulfport. He says he and his church plan to do all they can for that area.

Bishop Anthony Thompson is a community developer whose main concern for the black communities of Gulfport, Mississippi isfinancia…

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A List of Black Church Experts and What They Can Do To Help Gulfport

A List of Black Church Experts and What They Can Do To Help Gulfport

Discovering how to strengthen the strained relationships between black churches of Gulfport, Mississippiand their surrounding communities is a task that proves difficult. Experts flood social media platforms with strategies and advice that could greatly benefit your church efforts. This article will provide two experts on four different social media platforms that can greatly improve your…

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Black Church Leaders in New York Address Anti-Poverty Efforts

Black Church Leaders in New York Address Anti-Poverty Efforts

Rochester church groups say anti-poverty efforts lacking. @DandC http://t.co/MlPqoNM02p

— Dick Moss (@Tavi59) May 5, 2015

Monday, May 4, 2015 black churches in Rochester, New York called for stronger efforts to dismantle racial and economic inequalities. They are saying that there is a lack of anti-poverty programs in place and that the existing ones are not remedying the problem. In fact,…

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Sports Journalist says, “Most Athletes don’t Talk about Faith”

Sports Journalist says, “Most Athletes don’t Talk about Faith”

Faith and the Fighting Sport

  Tremain, the Heavyweight announcing the Main Event.

Saturday, May 2, 2015 at the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi Ritehook Promotions held “Biloxi Sweet Science III.” Up and coming fighters traveled from all over the country to take part in this annual boxing showcase. Some came to build their…

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Capturing the Fighting Spirit

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Multimedia Reporting Mastery Journal Assignment