Gracetalk Mailing List

Gracetalk Etiquette

A few Helpful “Gracetalk” Etiquette Tips

• Keep your note focused and succinct. We hope to share discussion, not suffer it. Maximum file size is 40k.
• Send Personal Comments (thanks, questions, greetings, etc.) to an individual’s personal e-mail account. The address can be read from the e-mail headers.
• Do not quote lengthy messages to which you are replying — quote only the essential part. Remember, maximum size is 40k.
• Send questions about LIST problems to the Moderators’ mailbox not to the general readership.
• Keep in mind that attachments should not be sent to the list. Remember again, maximum file size is 40k. They may crash the server, and/or cost the host for expensive server reconfiguration. This list is still mostly a volunteer effort.
• Address mail to Gracetalk directly. Do not send cc: to Gracetalk as tenth or fifteenth recipient. The Gracetalk list server can not accept long recipient lists.
• Remember to send vanilla text e-mail. Microsoft Email Clients, make sure you do not use RTF. Netscape Email Clients users and Microsoft Email Clients make sure you do not use html. Everyone, please do not use vcard signatures, or any other fancy e-mail add-ons. These tend to produce garbage for most of the other list users. (If you get a short three line message followed by 20 pages of computer gibberish, you probably just suffered someone’s inattention to this detail.)
• Let’s be gracious with the computer incompatibilities we will encounter.
• Important: Send compliments to the list, send complaints via private e-mail.
• It is inappropriate to send chain letters through Gracetalk. Gracetalk is not meant to be a guilt inducer, but a tool for conversation. We hope Gracetalk is a helpful tool for our communications within the Southwestern Washington Synod.

Gracetalk FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: What is Gracetalk?

GRACETALK is a loosely moderated list for the purpose of enhancing communication in the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA. The exact purpose of this list will evolve in response to requests from the SWWA Synod Congregational Ministries Committee, the synod Bishop and Synod Council, and the members of the Southwestern Washington Synod. 

Q: Who can join GRACETALK?

Any member of any Southwestern Washington Synod congregation can subscribe to Gracetalk.

Q: What if I or my congregation is not receiving communication via GRACETALK?

If you wish to subscribe, follow the directions below for joining.

Q: Can others outside the Southwestern Washington Synod join this list?

Currently the list is only open to members of our synod congregations (including all those rostered in this synod), former members, and seminary students from the Southwestern Washington Synod.

Q: What information is appropriate for this list?

GRACETALK is loosely moderated list for the purpose of enhancing communication in the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA. If your communication will do that to the Glory of God, post your information. If your message is not gracious or does not reflect God’s Word for us, think again about posting it. Check out Matthew 18:15. Let it sit overnight, and then if it still looks somewhat iffy, send it to the moderator or a trusted pastor/friend for a second opinion.

Q: Can we use this list for Congregation or Conference notices?

Congregations and Conferences are encouraged to send congregational/conference information to SWWA-Synod-Gracetalk@googlegroups.com. Your congregational/conference news may be of interest to the other subscribers, wishing to participate, pray for the event, or as a source for ideas for their conference or congregation’s events. Those not wishing to read this news may easily delete the messages after reading only the subject line.

Q: May I send greetings to long lost friends via Gracetalk if I see they are also subscribed?

GRACETALK is not the place to send personal notes to long lost friends . Send them a personal message – you will find their e-mail address as part of the message header.

Q: May I send attachments via gracetalk?

No, GRACETALK is not the place to send attachments.

Q: How do I get on or off either list?

You will find the forms to subscribe or unsubscribe from the list under the Gracetalk menu on the Synod website. Fill them out and then click on the send button. The forms will be forwarded as attachments by your email client software. You do not need to fill in the message portion of the email message. Just click the “send” button. The attachment contains all of the required information. The request will be dealt with within 48 hours.

Q: How do I reply to messages I receive?

To reply to a message, use your software’s reply functions. To reply only to the sender of the message use the “Reply” function. To have the reply go to the entire Gracewords list, use the “Reply All” function. Please pay attention to make sure the reply goes where you want it to.