Although we will soon be providing more detailed instructions for using EPrayer, here are a couple of quick tips and explainations:

• Prayer requests and praise reports can be filtered in many ways and the subject line of each post searched for names and various topics. Posts can also be ordered by date, by category, and by subject. If you have a preferred sort order you can store this setting in your individual profile by clicking on the small triange to the left of the "Prayer Requests and Praise Reports" title then selecting "My Preferences".
• Click on a particular post's subject line to expand the content to show the full details and any updates that have been submitted. Click the subject line again to collapse the detail view or click on a different subject line.
• If you would like to submit a new prayer request or praise report, click on the "New Request" button, complete the entry form, then click "Submit".  You must assign a Category, fill in the subject line (either the name of an individual, family, or topic), and provide a few words of detail. Most other fields of information are optional. Although viewing of posts to the EPrayer system are restricted to church members and regular attenders, please be sensitive to what information is included in the details section. Currently, posts are NOT moderated so should appear immediately for all registered site users to view.
• If you place a checkmark to the right of the "Subject Contact", a box for entering an individual subject's name, address, and e-mail address will become available. As more and more church members and regular attenders become registered, you will find that this information automatically is filled in from their registration profile. If an e-mail address has been provided, the subject will receive an e-mail letting them know that a prayer request has been entered on their behalf. If only a postal address is entered, Pat at the church office will receive an e-mail asking that she send a card of encouragement to the subject letting them know that folks at the Bridgton Alliance Church will be praying for them.
• Near the bottom of the form for submitting a request, praise report, or update you will find a field titled "Distribution".  Please check one or more boxes keeping the following in mind:
  • The 'website' box must be checked for the post to be seen by all registered site users.
  • Only Pat Burgess (using the church office account) can view those posts which have only the 'Bulletin' box checked. These posts will be included in the weekly bulletin.
  • Only Ann Ruel can view those posts which have only the 'People in Prayer' box checked. These posts will be included in the printed prayer lists for People in Prayer.
  • Only Jamie Basile can view those posts which have only the "Alliance Antenna" box checked. These posts will be included in the monthly church newsletter "Alliance Antenna".
  • Only Bob Davis can view those posts which have only the "Prayer Chain (Telephone)" box checked. When he receives one of these, he will activate our church telephone-based prayer chain.
  • If you want the prayer request distributed in multiple ways, check more than one box
• If you would like to receive an e-mail automatically anytime a new prayer request or praise report has been submitted, check the E-Mail Notification box at the bottom of the page. I would suggest that prayer group leaders, Pastor Boon, and Deb Dean check this box.
• If you would like to receive an e-mail automatically anytime a new update is posted to a previous request, open the details for the particular request and click the  E-Mail Notification box at the end of the particular request.
• If you have a question about what to enter in a particular field of information or what a particular feature does, hover your mouse pointer over or click on the "?" in the blue circle to the left of the field of information or feature for more information.
• If you have suggestions, find bugs or other problems,  or are not able to figure out how to use a particular feature, please call Bill Severance at 647-9375 or send him an e-mail at webmaster@bridgtonalliancechurch.org.