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Eagle-eyed readers will have noted that most of the December for January articles are now on-line, but the Bible Places piece, spacefillers and books are missing. They’re on their way, along with a couple of other surprises: getting ready for Christmas has meant that present wrapping and card writing has taken a front sea this week.
I’m also going to be off-line for a few days. If you have a problem, I’ll respond as soon as I’m able!
The Shepherd
December 7
2008: lots of exciting plans ahead
This might sound predictable, but here we are in early December and I’m already thinking about February 2008. Yes, I know, Advent has barely started and Christmas shopping? Well, that can wait till the day before(!)
But unless we look to the future, we end up being a little unprepared. And looking ahead, 2008 will be a brilliant year for thesheepdip.co.uk. From this update, I’m delighted to announce that Bible Society will become a regular contributor, giving updates of its work and ways in which you can support it.
It starts with the very next update, as chief executive James Catford answers our ever-popular 20 Questions series. There’s also news of its work as a separate article to download.
Bible Society is one of my favourite Christian organisations: they really do want people to engage with God’s Word, something I long to encourage.
We’ve also got a wonderful selection of interviews up our sleeves, including RT Kendall. Look out for that next month.
As if that wasn’t enough, we’re starting a new series of theology articles inspired by children, working at a link-up with a printing company to help you produce high-quality magazines and continuing with high-quality clip-art, cover art, finance articles from Stewardship and much, much more.
Why do we do it? Well, your church newsletter is one of the most important forms of outreach you’ll ever produce.
Why not make it your new year’s resolution to subscribe today? It’s only £25 for the year!
The Shepherd
December 2, 2007
Merry Christmas. Yes, already!
I love Christmas: the birth of our Saviour! But I also hate Christmas: it seems to arrive earlier every year. One way round this is to focus on Advent: preparing for the coming Christ.
But that’s not a lot of good at the beginning of November when we’re miles away from the big day, is it? Well, I’ve not much of an answer for that, especially as I’ve been planning Sheepdip articles for Christmas since August.
This month’s selection of articles are, I think, some of the best yet(Again due to parenthood these pieces are appearing slowly, but will be complete by the 15th).
Tony Anthony’s testimony is amazing reading. Max Somerset, a famous magician that your children will recognise from a CBBC1 series The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, will amaze you. And the Christmas facts will help fill those gaps.
Of course, being the best yet is never good enough for me. Over the coming months, we’ll have more exclusive interviews, articles, cartoons, clip-art, covers and much, much more. It’s a bargain for £25 a year, when you think about it.
The January update will be just as packed and might start arriving early, to help you plan for a busy December.
Every blessing
The Shepherd
November 5
All change as the wee lamb arrives
Crumbs! My wife and I had planned a quiet weekend practising breathing exercises, getting sheepdip articles ready and sorting out my wardrobe. We hadn’t expected to spend it in the delivery suite watching our first child arrive 10 days early!
As anyone who has become parents will know it’s an incredible experience. You run through every possible emotion in the book, worrying and wondering just what is going on.
Thankfully we have a happy story: after a 12-hour labour, Sarah Jane arrived safely.
Her early arrival means we’re slightly behind schedule for this month’s update. Articles are being added inbetween visiting hours and it might not be complete until October 15. Help might also take a little longer to reach you. Apologies, but I need to learn how to change a nappy and get some sleep.
The update might be a little sparser this month, but you will get at least 10 different pieces to download ranging from the usual to a few surprises along the way.
Next month will, of course, be for Advent and Christmas. Already! We need to ensure that people know Jesus is the reason for the season. Hopefully thesheepdip.co.uk will help you do that.
Remember, unlike any other service, you only pay for what you need. While the yearly or monthly subscriptions offer great value, if you only need one spacefiller, then just 50p is all you need to pay each month.
Please do pray for us as a new family.
Every blessing
The Shepherd
October 2, 2007
Help for your yearly & monthly subscriptions
One of the interesting challenges of producing any web-business is ensuring it works. And thesheepdip.co.uk does - but it can seem, like many programmes, strange at first.
We’ve had a few people get in touch to say they’ve had some difficulties with their monthly or yearly subscriptions - and more often than not, it’s because their web browser has sent them back to the ordinary shop and not their subscription. The solution is easy: just use the back arrow on your web browser to take you back to your unique subscription link.
Until now though, that simple piece of advice hasn’t been on the site. To help make things easier for you, we’ve created a subscriptions page, offering you this exact advice in simple step-by-step instructions, with pictures (they really do paint a thousand words). Have a look and see what you think.
Buy a monthly or yearly subscription really is the best way to save money while ensuring you have access to a ready-made library of articles for your church magazine or newsletter. At just over £2 a month, you can access a wide range of articles for your church magazine, only using what you need, when you need it.
In the meantime, Sheepdip Towers is still waiting for pending arrival of our first lamb. There are three weeks to go, but since when have babies ever arrived on time? If the October for November articles are delayed due to this happy arrival, I’ll keep you posted, via this page.
Happy dipping,
The shepherd
September 15, 2007
Working ahead ... really ahead
Thanks for dropping by to see how thesheepdip.co.uk is doing. It’s been another really busy month. This time though there’s lots of reasons for it.
The first is that the computer that thesheepdip.co.uk is produced on has been remade. It’s my first-ever custom build and I’m really very proud of it. It worked first time, which was always going to be a worry. It’s still being fine-tuned and updating the site tonight took more than an hour simply because I had to find every new graphic again.
The second has been Greenbelt - we produce The Baptist Times from there, and it’s great fun, hard work and requires forward planning. But it was worth it, even if I missed Chas and Dave. Next time...
But the main reason is that my wife and I have been busy preparing a nursery ... all being well (please pray!) we’ll be given the gift of our first child in early October. A week after I switch jobs. So, yes, it’s fair to say that this is going to be a really testing time!
We’re making plans for Sheepdip up to Christmas, but it does mean that the level of support you’ve been used to might drop back a bit. You’ll still get technical help as soon as possible, but it might be within 72 hours now rather than three or four. Once I’ve got used to nappy changing, on the other hand...
Do look out for October for November articles appearing from mid-September, unless the baby’s early, of course!
This month’s batch of articles is, I think, the best yet. And there are still more to come.
Every blessing
The shepherd
September 2, 2007
Introducing some exciting new features
July has flown by - what with a holiday and then coming home to the floods. Were you affected? We had a close shave, for which I’m relieved, but some friends in one town have been directly hit, while friends in another are without water.
The August for September articles are now starting to appear on the site – they should all be up within the week. Again, they offer exceptional value if you download everything in the £3.50 bundle.
You’ll notice some new features this month: firstly, there is our exclusive interview with Jeff Lucas, the ever-popular speaker and writer. He, along with Tony Campolo, are two of my favourite speakers as they seem to know how to directly challenge me. Everytime.
So I’m delighted that Tony Campolo kicks off our new regular feature 20 Questions: it’s a title that does what it says on the tin. Christian ‘celebrities’ (for want of a better word) answer 20 questions about their life and faith. The people who have responded so far have given interesting and surprising answers. It’s a great addition to your newsletters.
Then our final big name this month is John Stott, and we have a summary of his final sermon at the recent Keswick Convention. This inspiring preacher has spoken to many of us over the years, so why not mark the 87-year-old’s retirement with this piece?
Of course, there are all the regular features too: the Bible notes round-up looks at children’s notes, seeing as the new term is starting; Barney heads back to school; our very popular Bible places series looks at the Sermon on the Mount - yes, we’re cramming in an awful lot this month.
Oh! I nearly forgot! We’ve teamed up with Stewardship, the Christian financial support charity, to offer a semi-regular financial column. We can become better givers and the column will give you some starting points.
Wow! That’s a great month’s batch of articles - go and have look now by clicking here!
Happy dipping,
The Shepherd
July 31, 2007
August and September, but first a breather
Well, it’s been another busy few days at Sheepdip Towers - the decorating is finally over and now it’s a case of getting all the furniture back in place. There’s been plenty of midnight oil burned over the past week getting skirting boards painted and the like. Thank goodness it’s nearly over!
All of the July for August articles are now on-line, including a great piece about The Mandate, a men’s conference taking place in November. If you thought that men don’t like going to church, well, you’ll be amazed! Check it out by clicking here.
We’re already gathering articles for the September and October updates. I’m pleased to announce that new regular features will be on-line soon, including our own version of 20 Questions. Famous (for want of a better word) Christians will be answering different questions about their life and faith. It’s interesting reading. I’ll let you know who the first respondent is nearer the time.
There will also be a semi-regular financial column, more interviews and more ideas for you as a magazine editor.
There’s never been a better time to sign up - remember a year’s subscription costs just over £2 a month - for at least £7.50 worth of material you will not find anywhere else, including exclusive artwork.
Now that the decorating period is over, I’m off for a holiday. I’ll try and reply to your emails as soon as possible, but if there is a delay, I thank you for your patience.
Happy dipping!
the shepherd
Summertime ... and the decorating ain’t easy
Hi again! Thanks for dropping by at the Shepherd’s Blog.
It might look like not much has changed this month, but believe me if I were an animal, I’d be rather ducklike: looking serene on the surface but paddling furiously underneath!
Lots has been going on behind the scenes of thesheepdip.co.uk - and in my personal life, as the plan to decorate the study quickly actually turned out to be more complex. The final touches will be done next week. Still, the end result will be worth it, even if the paint looks more like Jaffa Cake Orange than Vanilla Slice!
I’m also hard at work on the new main thesheepdip.co.uk website. It won’t appear for a month or two yet (remember, I work on thesheepdip.co.uk in my spare time), but you’ll notice the difference when it finally arrives.
The July for August articles are now starting to appear, and the update will be completed by next Wednesday evening - July 4. Then a well-deserved holiday is in order!
One piece you really must use is about Scripture Union’s annual beach missions. It will be really topical to use - and give your readers something to pray about and look out for when they get to the seaside.
The new cover picture, featuring deckchairs, likewise will remind people that August is the time to take it easy. Not bad advice!
From the September update onwards, we’ll introduce some new regular features for your magazines. I’m pleased to announce that we have an exclusive interview with Jeff Lucas in that update.
And if you’ve just signed up to shop.thesheepdip.co.uk - welcome! We’re glad to have you on board and we hope you enjoy the service.
The Shepherd
June 27, 2007
New and improved
Have you noticed that every so often your favourite washing powder is suddenly ‘new and improved’? Well, that’s something that can be said about thesheepdip.co.uk this month.
The new June for July update is now going live (complete by Tuesday, June 5). There are a number of fantastic new features for you to enjoy.
 First up is a monthly piece of clip art. As the months go on, we’ll build up an excellent library to use in your church magazines.
Next, there’s a Christian cartoon. Brilliant and ready to use. 
Both of these are exclusively created for thesheepdip.co.uk - you won’t find them anywhere else.
Then there is the new cover picture, thanks to our friends at freefoto.com Log on and see our sunflowers! At the moment, it’s just a single A5 image - you can see what it could look like in the July catalogue
And that’s not all. Some additional articles, including the return of the celebrity interview, some regular features and much more. If you had a monthly or yearly subscription, it was already fantastic value, now it’s brilliant value.
Over the next few months, we’re aiming to give you up to 20 different pieces for your church newsletter every month. It will take some time to reach this target, but your readers will thank you for it.
Let me know what you think
the shepherd
PS: I’ll be decorating my study during June. We’ll respond to feedback as soon as possible, but there may be a delay!
May 31
We’ve got you covered
The state of our magazine covers is something that concerns me - many churches have one design which is used over and over again. It’s very boring, especially when the illustration is a clip art picture of a factory building (yes, this really does happen for one church).
With this in mind, I’ve been searching for a solution. Now I’ve found one. From next month, we’ll be adding a cover photo to the downloadable mix. It will come in two formats: a A5-sized black and white picture, and one formatted in such a way that there’s space to add in your church magazine’s name and the date.
Another piece of great news is that we should also be offering an exclusive cartoon and seasonal clip-art from next month. Again, these will be in black and white so you can easily reproduce them on your risographs!
We’re continuing to look at ways we can improve the content offered to you: if there’s something you specifically want, then get in touch with us.
BibleLands has been in touch as well (we have been busy!) to report that its now offering free resources for you to use in your magazines. There will be a permanment link in the links section, but you can log on to: www.biblelands.org.uk
The remainder of the June update will be going live shortly and we’re already looking ahead to July. Never stops, does it?!
The Shepherd
May 9
It feels like June already
It’s nearly time to start putting the June update on to the site. Thinking ahead for June hasn’t been difficult thanks to the latest mini-heatwave. You’d never think it was April, would you?
Some articles might not appear on the site until after the Baptist Assembly over the May bank holiday weekend. At the moment, it’s a real slog trying to get ready for it. If you’re there, I’m giving a seminar on Sunday at 4pm - don’t miss it!
Coming up: a look at the site where Israelis claim Jesus was baptised, Annie Porthouse’s regular column and a look at the new series of Doctor Who. Both the wordsearch and Barney’s Page will be linked by the theme of the Lord’s Prayer. And there will be, as ever, a few surprises.
Happy grazing,
The Shepherd
Who do you vote for? Our free articles can help
The local elections are now just a few weeks away, and Christians will be pondering which way to vote. As voting is such an important thing to do in a free country, I’ve decided to make available free of charge three articles written by the Christian wings of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties. Please do download them and use them, not just in your magazines but perhaps as a handout in your church noticesheet.
You can get hold of them from the front page, the catalogue and the samples page.
Please do tell other churches that these articles are available for them to download and use!
Happy Easter
The Shepherd
All of May is nearly on-line
Well, it’s been a busy week, shepherding in the latest batch of articles to go onto the shop.thesheepdip.co.uk - remember, it’s free to browse, and it’s well worth downloading from!
Coming by Tuesday evening next week will be a special article: I’ve managed to get the Christian wings of the three major political parties to write a short piece explaining why you should vote for them on May 3, the local elections.
You might want to encourage your local parties to add to this work as it is a local election after all. I strongly believe that everyone should vote in every election, even if it is to register a protest vote by spoiling the ballot paper. But unless you know what you’re voting for, you can’t vote properly.
With May nearly up, it’s soon time to think about June. Can you believe we’re nearly halfway through the year and it’s still March? I’m aiming to get a Doctor Who piece for June as the new series is about to start, and an interview with one of the first female vicars.
Is there anything you’d like to see?
The Shepherd.
PS: I’ll be working on a how to guide on accessing your subscription from the Click&Buy account. This will be after Easter,but if you get stuck, simply go to your C&B account, choose TRANSACTIONS and then OPEN SESSIONS. You’ll then be able to click on your link.
It’s nearly Easter, or is it May? I dunno anymore!
Hello again,
Thanks for your continued support of this new ministry, I hope your readers are enjoying the exciting articles you’re now able to add into your newsletters, thanks to thesheepdip.co.uk.
It’s nearly the end of March, and that means it’s almost time for the May update. There’s lots of articles ready to go up over the next few weeks, including some political pieces aimed at the local elections in May. I’m trying to get all three major political parties to contribute.
It’s also just before Easter, and I’m looking forward to getting away to Spring Harvest. But in order to do that, there are some deadlines to meet for work: so this weekend, I’m thinking not just about March, but May and April. Some days I really don’t know whether I’m coming, going or have already been there!
In other developments, I’m working on a new version of the main sheepdip website. The main reason is that I want to learn Dreamweaver, the industry standard website design programme. It’s proving to be harder than I thought, but once I’m there, you’ll notice the difference. Pages will be faster to load, easier to read and it will iron out some kinks in the current site.
I’m also working on sourcing some quality clip-art and illustrations for your newsletters - as more of you continue to invest in us, we’ll be able to provide more content for you. So spread the word!
As ever, I’m keen to hear what you think.
The shepherd
March 24, 2007
Welcome to the Shepherd’s Pie
Every good website has a blog now, and thesheepdip.co.uk should be no exception!
This new section will help give updates with the behind-the-scenes running of the site. I’d originally thought of calling it Shepherd’s Crook, but realised that this might make the site seem dishonest somehow!
Over the next few days, I’ll update the samples page to accurately reflect what’s now on offer from the shop.thesheepdip.co.uk area, so look out for some new articles to download free of charge.
The site will also benefit from a new how-to payments guide, which will let you see how it works if you haven’t already signed up. At just £25 for a year’s access, it’s a bargain!
I’m already looking ahead to May and June, and have approached the main political parties for a short article about why people should vote for them in the local elections in May. You might want to get personal statements from your local candidates too, as every vote matters.
Barney has been thinking about what to do for Pentecost: he’s suggested a magic trick that involves eating a candle - a great parlour trick from years gone by, but in these health and safety conscious days, is it really safe? I’ve told him to nibble on some more grass and come up with a better idea.
I’m thinking about giving the main site a facelift - already. The internet never stays still, and I want to ensure that the site loads quickly and easily.
Your comments are always welcome! Don’t forget our sister site is there for debate, comment and please for help - ditchthedayglo.co.uk
Until next time,
The shepherd
March 3, 2007
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