Senior lands job at top-5 UMC
Phil Bowdle, a media communications major from Cincinnati, Ohio, begins his new position in the coming weeks as the Web master at Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Ala. Frazer, with more than 8,000 members, is one of the top-5 largest United Methodist Churches in the nation.
Bowdle got this opportunity through a contact at his current church, Armstrong Chapel United Methodist Church in Ohio. Bowdle worked at Armstrong as a creative worship arts director helping with youth activities, worship, video and design for the past four years.
As a student, Bowdle also created his own production company, “Skies Limit Productions.” He has produced projects for the Highbridge Film Festival , Asbury College and outside companies such as Proctor and Gamble. This summer, he will travel to Beijing as part of the 50 Asbury College students who will help broadcast the Olympics.
He credits his Asbury education for preparing him to adapt to an evolving media climate. “Asbury doesn’t hand everything to you, but provides you with the opportunity to grow. They don’t teach you software, they teach you how to learn software. If you take the opportunities they give you like the Olympics and the Highbridge Film Festival, it provides a platform for you to challenge yourself. It’s very rare that you get those opportunities in college.”
He could have continued to pursue opportunities in the corporate world; however, Bowdle had another calling. “Industries don’t change lives but a church like Frazer has been doing great ministry without a Web site. It’s great to think what can I do to contribute.”
He admits he is overwhelmed that so many people will view the Web site he creates. Bowdle wants to not only equip Frazer with a Web site, but also teach other churches how to make an effective Web presence.
Bowdle looks forward to the challenges of his new job. Frazer broadcast services for many years via television. He hopes to expand this outreach globally on the Web. “A church in Alabama can be a worldwide church.”
Released: Feb. 1, 2008
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Tagged: media-communications and features
