NEWS NEWS | 21 march 2013 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | PAGE 5
Church, there’s an app for that PARKING,
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The Orchard church in Oxford has embraced technology in its worship services and programming by developing a smartphone app. BY CHARLOTTE MONA ROI cmroi@go.olemiss.edu
The Orchard church in Oxford now has an app that members can use to stream sermons and use as a Bible with reading plans included on their Apple or Android devices. The app has been available since early February. “People may not always have a Bible on them, but these days people always have their smartphones on them,” Orchard member Taylor Sams said. The app is not intended to be the main resource for worship. Orchard Pastor Pat Ward said it is an aid to enhance the fellowship of his congregation by keeping subscribers up to date on events, prayer lists and movements within the church. “We also love technology and think that if it can be used in a responsible way, it can really help bring people closer to God,” Ward said. “On the flip side, we do have to keep reminding people that technology and podcasts can never replace the deep value that sincere community can have
in the life of a Christian.” Ward worked with the app’s designers to ensure a disclaimer was included regarding the app’s place in the worship experience. Users of The Orchard’s app can access the full-text English Standard Version Bible with scripture references for each Sunday and information on how to connect with the church through its website and Facebook pages. This Easter, song lyrics and scripture references will be posted for use at the morning services in the Grove. Ward said he hopes a tithing feature will be added to the app in the near future. Development of the app required two weeks to load the desired content, which included the past two year’s sermons, the church’s personal graphics and a short waiting period for app store approvals. One Orchard member said he is delighted with the app. “(The app is) very well put together and easy to use,” member Billy Canale said. “It’s great to have all the podcasts and other church info in the same place.”
athletics director for development/annual giving. “We were informed that the practice of parking on the curbs and sidewalks and grassy areas around campus was actually in violation of the American Disabilities Act,” O’Dowd said. The athletics department sought input on how to manage safe game day parking from a variety of sources, including the university’s alumni association, University Police Department, the department of parking and transportation and the city of Oxford, according to O’Dowd. He added that with 62,000 seats in the stadium, they wanted to manage the parking inventory of 6,000 spots as well as they could. “Obviously, we were concerned for students on campus and off campus,” O’Dowd said. “We were concerned for the faculty who do some work and research on the weekends.” According to O’Dowd, there are between 6,100 and 6,200 parking passes available to football fans for the upcoming football season. Only members of the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation will be eligible to obtain a pass. There are just fewer than
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6,700 members in the foundation, which means the passes will be awarded on a priority point system. The point system measures the number of season tickets a person buys and how much money he or she has given to the university over his or her lifetime. Fans who want to shuttle can park off campus and catch a ride via the city of Oxford’s shuttle system. The current plans are for the vehicles to run to and from the Jackson Avenue Center (movie theater) and the Oxford Conference Center off Highway 7. O’Dowd said that the routes are not final and that additional locations may be added to make traffic flow more smoothly. Marketing junior Jay Sheffer does not think the new parking policy is fair to commuters. “I think it’s a little ridiculous
that I can’t park in a parking spot that I already pay for anyways,” Sheffer said. “It just doesn’t seem fair.” Class of 2013 students recently had the option to join the foundation for only $25 to help them acquire points for the future. O’Dowd said that supporting the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation is not as hard as it may seem. “We’re not asking people for thousands and thousands of dollars,” O’Dowd said. “We set up people on monthly donations so that they can accumulate for the year.” People trying to drop off equipment in the Grove will still be able to access the area through University Avenue, and O’Dowd confirmed that there will be no changes made to the times during which people can set their tents up Friday before game days.
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