By Henry R. Moncur III | ACTU Communication
A group of communication personnel from the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) territory met on March 7, 2024, at the union headquarters in Nassau, Bahamas for the News Writers Workshop. Organized by the Communication Department of ATCU, the workshop aimed to review and explore with communication directors, news writers, and ADRA Bahamas personnel the key principles of writing and publishing effective news stories.
Libna Stevens, assistant Communication director for the Inter-American Division (IAD), was the featured presenter. Peter Kerr, president of ATCU, shared the devotional for the day, and Abel Marquez, IAD Communication director, gave a special welcome to the participants via video.
In his devotional, Kerr reminded the Communication leaders of their important role. “As God raised up Jeremiah and called him to be used as his mouthpiece to proclaim his message, you are called as writers to share the story of the impact of surrendered lives to God.”
The workshop featured presentations on news writing and reporting, news coverage tips, basic photography tips, photos that enhance a presentation, and engaging the media. As a result of the workshop, Stevens hopes to see more stories coming from the union territory. “We want to have consistent news content of what is happening in ATCU to be shared with IAD, the global church, and the external media,” Stevens noted.
Nigel Coke, Jamaica Union Communication director, spoke to the group on media strategies as well as building relationships and working together with the media. Referencing Adventist pioneer Ellen White, Coke stated, “We must use every justifiable means to bring light to the people and put out the good news so that when the bad happens, it is drowned by the good.”
Henry Moncur, ATCU Communication director and event facilitator, encouraged participants to apply the principles shared to write more news stories about the impact of the work being done in the union territory. “Let’s ensure we have a news coordinator in each field who will help to generate and publish news that can be shared in our union, the division, and worldwide.”
Participants expressed their appreciation for the workshop and made a number of plans for collaboration on stories about upcoming ATCU events.
With a membership of 27,694, ATCU, which is headquartered in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, comprises four fields, namely, the Cayman Islands Conference, the North Bahamas Conference, the South Bahamas Conference, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Conference. In addition, Northern Caribbean University, which is in Mandeville, Jamaica, is jointly owned and operated by ATCU and the Jamaica Union.