When I was a teenager, I dreamt of working for a newspaper. I don’t know if the dream arose from watching too many Superman movies or observing the excitement of reporters attempting to be the first to share breaking stories. There was just something fascinating about the whole process of getting the story, typesetting the articles and advertisements by the deadline, printing the newspapers, and distributing the news to as many people who wanted to read it. “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” still rings in my mind today.After I left the full-time ministry of The Salvation Army and earned my college degree, my dream of working for a newspaper came true. For the past fourteen months, I have been working as the Accounting Manager at The Courier-Journal – the major local newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky.
I was at first apprehensive. After all, my parents had raised me in The Salvation Army and I had worked for and pastored with the Army for so long that I had become comfortable with this close alliance. I had been fearful to venture outside that comfortable world, but was excited to learn something new; I was beginning with a “clean slate” – those I would now work with would know me as me with no predispositions.The first item on my boss’s agenda when I arrived for my first day of work was to take me on a tour of the whole facility. As he took me through the press room, I was amazed at the impressive computerized technology that was used to print the newspaper – and in color at that! I watched in fascination as the four-story-high mailroom machines inserted the advertisements into the papers and bundled everything for distribution. The newsroom was a flurry of activity as stories were being researched and developed. Even our finance department of 40 people was constantly busy – this was the biggest finance department I had ever worked in! And believe it or not, in 2008 our newspaper was number 7 in readership statistics in the country.
Then the real estate market plummeted and a big chunk of the nations’ newspaper advertising revenue plummeted with it. The newspaper business is a For-Profit industry and The Courier-Journal – along with the nation’s whole newspaper business – quickly began to feel the effects of a failing economy. It was apparent that as revenue declined, it was necessary to cut costs quickly. Newspapers across the country had already decreased in size – they are not as wide as they once were nor as thick. In the midst of the layoffs that were inevitable, I began to question if the printed word – whether in newspapers, Bibles, songbooks, books, magazines or anything else printed – is relevant today. Do we really need anything printed anymore?
My parents are avid readers and their love of reading became a love of mine as well.
I grew up in an environment where my unlimited imagination could abound in stories that I read. I still have the Bedtime Stories book my parents bought me to read while I was ill with the chickenpox. As I open the yellowing pages today, I am taken back to the time I was a child and am able to relive the feelings that reading those stories bestowed upon my heart so many years ago. 
Melanie Collins-OwensFormer Officer
USA South
4 comments:
'I began to question if the printed word – whether in newspapers, Bibles, songbooks, books, magazines or anything else printed – is relevant today. Do we really need anything printed anymore?'
In answer to your question: 'Do we realy need anything printed anymore?' My firm and emphatic answer would be 'Yes'! In an age when many of us would have the songs we sing in worship before us on a large screen, Bible readings too. And, as much as I love to sing with my head held high and not stuck in a book I actually miss having my song book in my hands and will often chose to use it simply because for me it becomes more personal. My song book, my Bible, with words underlined, dated, signed when I have claimed them as my own, prayed them, hung on to them. And, now looking back my Bible and song book have become a part of my spiritual journey as l look back and am reminded of what touched my heart, mind and will in the deepest parts, when and where and as I see what I have recorded they are almost like my prayer journal and I would never want to be without them, the written word. Call me 'Old Fashioned' but this has been a part of me for so long now. I need the printed word.
God bless you Deborah as you allow God to use you as a wordsmith.
Glad Ljungholm
Active UKT
I sensed when reading your earlier posts that we'd hear from you again, and I'm glad we did.
It's interesting to learn where that free spirited child from the African plains finally settled. My guess though is that you often long back to the sun setting on the equator, and hearing the beats of drums muffling the sounds of the native wildlife.
And maybe you've gone back there in your mind's eye, back home, in a white SA missionary uniform serving with your husband at your side in Africa....
Former
UKT
Oh how empty my life would be without the printed word. Though I get my most of my news from the internet and TV I can't imagine Sunday morning without a paper and coffee and danish. Or what my world would be or have been without books. A visit to the library can kill an afternoon, in the best way. Reading in bed would not be the same with a "Kindle".
My vote - keep the printed word alive.
I agree that the printed word is relevant today. Technology fails us at the most inopportune times, not to mention how special it is to hold a book, share a book, write and receive letters and cards. I especially appreciate the handwritten letter these days.
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