According to many pastors, the church newsletter is alive and well. But some have added Facebook pages to reach a wider audience.

At Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunset Drive, Lisa Blackburn uses Facebook to communicate with youths.

“I used to publish a monthly newsletter, but I didn't know how much they read that — or if they (read) it at all,” said Blackburn, a volunteer on Trinity's children and youth committee.

On Facebook, teens are more apt to see youth group meeting times or respond to invites, Blackburn said.

“A lot of their parents I'm friends with on Facebook also — and that's another bonus,” she added. “When I create the event, I also include their parents so they are caught up on what's going on.”

Blackburn said college students often stay in touch with the church via Facebook posts, which also are used by the younger teens.

“I don't know that they're any closer to each other than kids prior to Facebook, but I do notice a lot of comments on each other's walls. They definitely use it to communicate with each other.”

At Church at the Heights, which meets at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Staley Avenue, members also communicate through Facebook.

According to 31-year-old Kara Kelley, a ladies Bible study transformed to a Facebook discussion group when logistics got in the way.

“Myself and another member of our group — due to having babies — we decided to forego doing Bible study this past fall. (But) we didn't want to completely lose contact,” she said.

“We decided to have a discussion using a book. Once a week we posted a discussion question. The girls would respond throughout the week.”

Kelley said of the 10-member group, six were active on the site.

“(The others) followed along. They didn't post a whole lot, but still wanted to be involved.”

Senior Pastor Ralph Vogel said the ladies group has since inspired a series of Bible reading groups, categorized in three levels according to how much time parishioners want to devote.

“It's definitely age-driven,” he said, noting participation is scarcer among the older church members.

“A lot of people, especially in their mid- to late-60s and 70s, are very intimidated by computes and e-mail, let alone social media. That's been a barrier that's been formidable to breach.”

Despite the range of technology aptitudes, Church at the Heights has abandoned the printed newsletter, relying instead on its website, e-mail and printed announcements and bulletins.

At St. Paul Roman Catholic Church on McKean Street, Facebook joins a host of communication methods already in use.

“We haven't replaced anything,” said pastoral council member Pat Brody, who created St. Paul's Facebook page last year.

“We have the TV (and) radio Mass. We just kind of added Facebook as a way of reaching out — especially to the younger people,” she said.

Like many parishes, St. Paul has a website and publishes newsletters and bulletins.

Friended by about 100 people, the Facebook page often features photos or posts about upcoming events.

“Sometimes we'll put a little prayer on there,” Brody said.

“Basically it just gets us out there in the community a little more with the technology available today. We might as well use it.”