Protocols for the Arkansas United Methodist
Official E-Mail Network

The Arkansas United Methodist Official E-Mail Network is a service provided to the United Methodists of Arkansas by the Arkansas Ministries Office (Roy P. Smith, Conference Director of Ministries).   Jim Lane is the volunteer network manager.   Messages which meet the protocol criteria described below, for forwarding onto the network, are welcomed from all sources (official and un-official).

We do not function either as a "Chat Room" or "List Serv".   Every request to add or to delete someone from the network is a personalized service, as is every request to forward items to the network.   Editorial discretion will guide decisions on multiple requests of the same nature and other items not of a general interest to the network.

Unauthorized use of the Arkansas United Methodist Official E-Mail Network Directory is strictly prohibited.   Individual correspondence is encouraged.   However, use of the entire list, without each individual's permission, (sometimes called "spamming"), would be in violation of the E-Mail legislation enacted by the Federal Congress.

E-Mail Network Protocols

1. Membership is completely voluntary. Members will be
    added and deleted simply by making a written request.

2. Members will be requested to provide the following
    Directory information upon applying to be added to the list:
        Name
        Lay or Clergy
        E-Mail address
        Local Church
        District

3. Everything forwarded for distribution must meet the
    following protocol requirements:

    a. It must not contain vulgar or obscene words,
        or insensitive language.

    b. It must not contain an attack on any other person.

    c. It must not contain an unsubstantiated attack
        on any church or church related agency.

    d. Whatever it contains must be completely truthful
        and verifiable by the Sender.

    e. Unsubstantiated rumors and messages will not
        be passed on.   If the message contains information
        about a virus it must have first been cleared through
        the Internet virus hoax web page
        http://www.snopes.com.

    f. E-Mail chain letters will not be passed on.  These are Email
        messages that urge you to pass the message on to other people.

    g. Prayer requests will be passed on if they are for lay and clergy
        members of the annual conference or their immediate family,
        or for events within the churches of the conference.  The person
        forwarding the request must have the permission of the person
        for whom prayer is requested before passing on the information
        in the message.  We will not pass on information about the
        nature of the illness, medical procedures, etc. without specific
        permission from the person involved.  Requests from individual
        or church-based "prayer chains" will not normally be passed on.

    h. We will post all "bulletin board" type messages ---
        (i.e. Revivals, homecomings, church events, church anniversaries,
        VIM and Mission events, and district and conference events, job
        openings, requests for books, church-related items for sale,
        church-related items you are looking for, etc.).  We encourage
        groups having an ongoing need to pass on multiple messages to
        create their own mailing list.

    i. We will not post requests for individual financial assistance
        for events that are normally sponsored by individuals and local
        churches (i.e. VIM and mission trips, church camps, retreats, etc.).

    j. We will post requests for funds, food, services and goods
        for disaster relief, etc., which have been assigned a GBGM
        or UMCOR fund number, or other requests which come to
        us from official UM offices and agencies.  Requests for
        assistance for Arkansas related needs (not having a fund number)
        must be approved by the Conference Minister for Missions
        and Outreach or the Conference Minister with Volunteers
        in Mission before they can be forwarded on the network.


    k. We will post death notices of all clergy (active and retired),
        and their spouses and immediate family within the Arkansas
        Conference, or who were related in some way to the Arkansas
        Conference.  Death notices of laity within the official family
        of the Annual Conference will also be posted.  We request that
        the person notifying us of a death furnish the following information:
        Full Name, relationship to the Annual Conference, the date and
        place of death; the date, time, and place of family visitation, the
        time and place of funeral or memorial service, and the Name
        and address of places for memorials.

    l. When posting messages about events, always include the date,
        time and place (to include location address), and a point of
        contact for the event (with phone number and email address).
        Go to www.mapquest.com and find the location, then include
        that link in the message.  This will assist people who are not
        familiar with the location of your church to find it.

    m. This email network will not be used for debates between individuals.
        Those need to be between the parties involved.

4. The volunteer manager of the Arkansas United Methodist
     Official E-Mail Network is:

        Jim Lane
        Area Staff (Manager of E-Mail Network)
        508 Brent Drive
        Sherwood, AR 72120-6057
        VOICE: 501 834-9492
        FAX: 501 834-9493
        PAGER: 1-800-618-1204
        E-MAIL: emailnetwork@arumenet.com
        Emailnetwork Website: www.arumenet.com
        Conference Website: www.arumc.org