Email Lists

An emailing list (email list) is a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users.

The mission of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches email lists is to provide a way for groups of like minded individuals to communicate via email on issues relating to the GA, the wider Unitarian movement, the Districts and the Affiliated Societies.

Email lists are a great way to receive announcements or participate in online discussions and participation is free.

The email lists cost nothing to subscribe to. To subscribe and participate all you need is an internet connection and an email address.

Types of Lists

One type of electronic mailing list is an announcement list, which is used primarily as a one-way conduit of information and can only be "posted to" by selected people, similar to the old GA email group.

An email address lists@unitarian.org.uk has been set up and anyone having information they would like posted to an announcement list should send the information to this account.

Another type of electronic mailing list is a discussion list, in which any subscriber may post. On a discussion list, a subscriber uses the mailing list to send messages to all the other subscribers, who may answer in similar fashion. Thus, actual discussion and information exchanges can happen. Mailing lists of this type are usually topic-oriented (for example, worship, youth, joke contests), and the topic can range from extremely narrow to "whatever you think could interest us".

• In a moderated discussion list, messages are transmitted to all subscribers after approval by one of the list moderators. Moderation is a token of quality for the list. For example, it ensures that subscribers will not receive off-topic messages, unsolicited commercial messages (spams), messages containing large attachments, etc.
• In a non moderated discussion list, messages are transmitted to all subscribers as soon as the mailing list management robot receives them.

Joining a mailing list is called "subscribing" and leaving a list is called "unsubscribing".