Disciple: The New Disciple

A new digital version is available to all readers

Change can be hard, but it can also bring unexpected gifts and new opportunities. Among all of the changes wrought by COVID-19 this year, we were given one of those gifts.

In the early days of the pandemic, diocesan leadership took a hard look at our budget to identify any adjustments that could be made immediately to help ensure the long-term stability and financial health of the Diocese. It was decided at that time to suspend publication of the Disciple for a few issues and explore how we might continue to offer it to all who want it, even with a reduced budget.

This was an exciting prospect. It was a long-held dream of the communications department to develop a digital version of the Disciple, one that was produced and designed specifically for online and mobile reading. As is often the case when something is not meant to be at a certain time, the pieces never seemed to come together for the right fit.

But this year they did. The digital Disciple is here!

The digital Disciple is available to everyone at no cost, and you can find it online, in the Apple App Store, on Google Play and Kindle (for Kindle Fires). Simply go to your favorite app outlet, search “North Carolina Disciple,” download the app, and you’re ready to read!

And it’s not only reading you’ll do. Now you can dive into and enjoy all the additional content we can only mention in print. No longer will you have to go somewhere else to find links recommended to you to learn more—simply click the link in the article, and you’re there! Never again will you have to track down your digital device to watch the videos or listen to the interviews offered online—they’re embedded in the article for you to enjoy.

This is the last print issue you will receive automatically. But if print is your preferred format, don’t despair. Limited print copies will continue to be sent to churches at no charge, and those who wish to have a print copy delivered directly to their homes can do so via a new subscription plan.

In addition to an exciting and interactive reading experience, moving to a digital Disciple does other good things. It supports our diocesan mission priority of creation care, as we’re reducing the paper, ink, energy and transportation resources necessary to sustain a print-only offering. By reducing the financial cost of producing the Disciple, resources become available to support other ministry areas. And with the flexibility of a digital format, we’re able to bring you more resources, news and stories than ever before.

Yes, in a year of challenges and struggle, one dream came true.

Change can be good. Enjoy!

TWO WAYS TO ENJOY THE DISCIPLE

The New Digital Disciple
The new digital version of the Disciple is available to everyone at no cost. You’ll find access to it here, on the diocesan website, or you can download the app on your favorite reading device.

The Disciple is available in the Apple App Store, on Google Play and on Kindle. Simply search for “North Carolina Disciple,” and you will find the familiar diocesan seal. We’ve loaded the last few issues to let you know you’re in the right place, but the Fall 2020 issue is the first one designed specifically for digital.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, if you log in and set up an account (just your name, email and password), we’ll be able to notify you when new issues are available.

Now no matter where you are or where you go, you’ll take the Disciple with you! (And did we mention it’s free?)

Keep the Print Edition Coming
We will continue to send a limited number of copies of each issue to every church in the Diocese at no cost. How your church makes those copies available is up to church leaders, and we encourage you to be in touch with them to learn more.

Want a print copy delivered directly to your home? That option remains available via a new subscription option. The cost is only $10 for a full year, and the cost will be pro-rated as each issue publishes throughout the year, so all subscriptions will renew in December.

Want to give a gift subscription? You can do that, too! Visit the same subscription link and enter the name of the person to whom you want to send the Disciple. (Please know that if you are purchasing multiple subscriptions, each transaction will take less than a minute to complete, but they will process separately.)

However you prefer to enjoy it, we thank you for being readers of the Disciple!