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June 2007
Dear Friends:
I was recently interviewed by an author who is writing a book on how
church communications work is ministry. At first I wasn't sure that
I really had anything to say. But, as it turned out, we had a rather
lively, and fun, conversation. During that conversation, I realized
that although our work in the church is focused on sharing the Word
of God with others, we don't often pay enough attention to the mechanics
of just how we can do that more effectively. I've seen posters mailed
to newspapers as "press releases," and then people wonder
why their event was not published in the weekly church news section
of the paper. I've seen blurbs in bulletins that lack important information,
such as the date or time of an upcoming event.
Internal and
external church communications work is one of the foundations of our
congregational life, and it is indeed ministry. Once we realize these
facts, we start to pay more attention to the spiritual gifts of those
whom we call upon to do this work and we pay more attention to the work
itself.
This issue is
jam-packed with information for anyone interested in church communications.
Lyall Mercer offers some tips on how congregations can get better media
coverage. The expanded Practical Wisdom section includes an article
on how to start a church writer's group. Writer Carolyn Chase shares
her wisdom and experience with us, along with a list of books that she
used to get her group started. May these articles feed both you and
your church communications ministry.
Blessings upon
your journey of life,
RevWriter Sue
Lang
p.s. Marty, you
win!
sue@revwriter.com
~ editor@revwriter.com
Unless otherwise
indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian
Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
And whatever
you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 [NRSV]
Theme: Church Communications
Who would benefit
from this issue? Pastors, church staff, congregation councils, religious
communicators, and anyone who serves in any capacity as a leader in your
congregation.
Table of Contents
1 - Devotion: Acts 10:34-48 by Susan M. Lang
2 - Article: Is
Your Church Getting Good Media Coverage?
by Lyall Mercer
3 - Resources for
Church Communicators
4 - Practical Wisdom:
Sharing Ministry Ideas that Work
Church Writer's Group, by Carolyn Chase
5 - RevWriter
News: Recent RevWriter Sightings ~ Still Available
6 - Announcements:
Financial Contributions Welcomed
7 - Subscribe/Unsubscribe
Info
1 - Devotion by Susan M. Lang
A- Read: Acts 10:34-48
While Peter was
still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. (v.45)
One of the things
that I am continually amazed at is how God's Word is always living. It's
always fresh. It speaks to us just where we are and, if we listen receptively,
will offer guidance for our daily lives.
I have read and encountered
the gospels and other scriptures many times. As a child, I remember learning
countless Bible stories in Sunday school. In college and seminary, I studied
the Bible in depth. As a pastor I have preached countless sermons. One
would think that the Word might become too comfortable and predictable.
But that's not the case. Many times I find myself reading a familiar passage
and being greeted with that sudden "a-ha!" moment in which I
see something that I've never seen before. I suddenly understand something
in a new light.
God's Word is unpredictable
in that way. We carry our fears, hopes, and dreams with us as we both
read and hear God's Word spoken. Yet it is the work of the Holy Spirit
that opens new doors of understanding and gives us the ability to see
things in a new light. It is the Holy Spirit that awakens and renews the
faith within us.
Peter's sermon to
the Gentiles had surprising results. They heard and were stirred up by
the Spirit to become followers of Jesus. May we remember that God's Word,
spoken and read, can have surprising results in our lives, too. We need
merely to listen with a receptive heart.
O God, stir up your
Holy Spirit within me so that I might discern your Word anew each day.
Amen.
Copyright
© 2007 Susan M. Lang
2- Is Your Church Getting
Good Media Coverage?
by
Lyall Mercer
My senior pastor
insisted that I shouldn't bother turning up early at the newly purchased
church land that was to be dedicated in a couple of hours, because the
television stations that I had invited to cover the event wouldn't be
there. I think his words were something like, "TV stations never
cover church events in this town!"
He was wrong! Of the
three stations in our region, two -- the ABC and CBS affiliates -- not
only turned up but produced a significant news item for the Sunday night
news. Yet I understand my former pastor's attitude because, like many
church leaders, he simply doesn't understand the media.
Since then, I went
on to pastor a church, and my media experience and knowledge brought our
church amazing results. In the two years that I was at the helm (before
I stepped out into evangelistic ministry), we were featured on all television
stations in our town on a number of different occasions and given two
full page features and many smaller articles in the local newspaper. This
didn't include the regular articles I wrote for the paper in our town
of 120,000.
With almost 200 churches
in town, we had a disproportionately high profile in the media. Most people
probably thought we were larger than what we really were and a high percentage
of locals would recognize our church name.
I must make an important
and humbling point, however. I wish I could say that this enormous coverage
resulted in people streaming through our doors to receive Christ and join
the church, yet alas, that didn't happen.
Publicity doesn't
automatically equal immediate growth and there are a myriad of reasons
for this. In our case, we were in a very conservative and religious region
that was very cynical of anything different (and granted...I was a little
different!).
The relationship between
publicity and response is complex; however it is important to note that
all (positive) publicity is good, that publicity does help build your
church, and that most churches don't take advantage of the amazing free
opportunities for publicity.
Many church leaders
will spend money on a small ad in the "churches" section of
their local paper that is immersed in a sea of church ads, yet are not
aware that for zero financial outlay they could be the lead story on the
local news and a front page article in their local paper.
Over the past 17 years,
I have written hundreds of press releases, advertisements, and publicity
pieces and have seen amazing result(though not all advertising and publicity
is successful; I've had my share of duds!).
I have been successful
because I understand what the media is looking for and I make it easy
for them to run the story. Remember that local journalists, editors, and
reporters are seeing multitudes of press releases daily, and you have
to give them a reason to pick yours.
So think of what is
coming up on your calendar--special services, community events, children
or youth events, guest speakers, bands, etc. It's amazing what will interest
the media. Remember--they are always looking for stories and rely on you
to keep them informed.
Here are a few
tips that will help you to gain valuable free media coverage:
• Pick what
you promote. The event or news item must be newsworthy to the community
at large. One hundred people converted to Christ will cause you to celebrate
but is of no interest to the media. However, your men's ministry helping
a family rebuild a home destroyed by fire is of enormous media interest.
You need to think of the story in terms of how it might interest someone
with no knowledge of your church or even Christianity.
• Write a good
quality "media release." Make your headline and opening paragraph
stand out. As good as your story may be, it comes down to one person
noticing it and making the decision to include it in his or her station
or newspaper's coverage. It has to hit readers the first time they read
it. Make sure the headline demands attention. For example, if you are
starting a food bank ministry, your headline might be "Local Church
to Feed Hundreds of Families in Need." This is not necessarily
the headline the newspaper will use but it is community minded enough
to grab the attention of the editor -- or, in the case of TV, the assignment
or news editor.
• If possible
send the release to a specific person. While you can address a media
release to "The News Department" it is more successful when
addressed to "John Smith, News Editor."
• Submit notices
on a timely basis. This is crucial to gaining appropriate media coverage.
Give enough notice but not too much. If you send your news release too
early, it will be forgotten; if you submit it too late, the media won't
have enough time to plan their coverage. If the event is on a Sunday,
a television station should have the press release by the preceding
Monday or Tuesday. Press releases should be mailed to newspapers at
least ten days prior to the event.
• Sell yourself.
You are competing against the local softball fixtures and the Red Cross
clothing sale for air time. Don't just give the details. Tell the media
outlets how interested their viewers/readers will be in your event and
how important it is for them to publicize it.
• Don't ramble.
The ideal word limit is 200-300 words. Make sure you include contact
details (phone, e-mail, website, etc.). Be sure to include the contact
information of the individual who would be readily available to answer
any questions the media may have regarding your event.
• Keep the
news medium in mind. If you are approaching television, remember that
it is a visual form of communication. Newspapers will give you pre-publicity
but the nightly news usually won't unless there is something to film.
Television will cover an event but if there are no good visual opportunities
or interviews to do, they can't get a story. Some television stations
have interview-style talk shows that may interview you before the event.
This is a valuable avenue for publicity in addition to the nightly news.
• Look after
the media at the event. Be there to welcome the crew, reporters, and
photographers. Make it easy for them and build a relationship. It will
make it easier for you next time.
• Thank the
media after they have covered your event. Make sure you send them a
thank you e-mail or a letter in which you assure them you'll remain
in contact. The more they like you, the more they'll help you.
• Finally,
if the media doesn't turn up on the day of the event or doesn't run
the story after showing up, don't be disappointed. If a big political
or current affairs story breaks on the same day, you're out of luck!
News is all about priorities. A slow news day is your best opportunity
for publicity.
Copyright
© 2006 Lyall Mercer
As part of his ministry,
Lyall Mercer is available to churches on a freelance basis to write
media releases and newsletters (including e-mail newsletters,) and provide
consultations in the area of publicity and the media. Contact Lyall
at 309-287-7080 or go to http://www.fanintoflame.com.
3
- Resources for Church Communicators
Cyber Sources
The Center for
Church Communications offers a unique perspective on church communications
and marketing.
See: http://www.cfcclabs.org/services.html
The Center for
Congregations has a Media Ministry download available at their website
resource database.
See: http://centerforcongregations.org/files/default.aspx
The Congregational
Resource Guide (CRG) also lists a number of resources for church communicators.
See: http://www.congregationalresources.org/ShowCat.asp?CN=1&SCN=2
The Religion Communicators
Council has a section of practical articles and ideas on issues realted
to church communications.
See: http://www.religioncommunicators.org/resources.html
Print Sources
Getting the Word
Out: The Alban Guide to Church Communications by Frederick H. Gonnerman,
Alban Institute, 2003.
See: http://www.alban.org/BookDetails.asp?ID=1772
Speaking Faith:
The Essential Handbook for Religion Communicators, 7th edition, J. Richard
Peck, editor, New York: Religion Communicators Council, 2004.
See: http://www.religioncommunicators.org/handbook_7thed.html
Copyright
© 2007 Susan M. Lang
4 - Practical Wisdom: Sharing Ministry Ideas That Work
Church
Writer's Group,
by Carolyn Chase
I belong to the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania. Five years ago our minister,
Kate Walker, put out a call to persons interested in leading small group
ministries. I responded that I would like to get a writers' group going,
although I didn't know quite how to go about it. I had rediscovered, through
several religious courses that I had taken, that I really like to write.
I thought that a few others might also be interested.
I asked Kate if she
had any books that might be used to get us started. She did. We used Finding
the Voice Inside: Writing as a Spiritual Quest for Women by Gail Collins-Ranadive,
and named our group "Inner Voices." We advertised in our church
newspaper and Sunday bulletin. We put up flyers at the bookstore and library.
About halfway through that first book, I contacted a professor at Allegheny
College for other books that he could suggest for us. I ordered several
over the Internet, buying them used. Some provided short lessons followed
by a prompt and were excellent to use as exercises for our group. After
I acquired the first three books, I joined the Writer's Magazine Book
Club to build my stash.
Participation numbers
from three to ten at a meeting. More often we number about four. Small
is fine with me. It is intimate and participants have more time to read
their offerings.
A typical meeting
goes like this:
Check-in
How are you? What's
going on in your life? We light the chalice, the symbol of our church.
An Inspirational
Reading
For us that can
be a reading from the back of our hymnal or any source that the reader
has found worthy. One woman likes The Farmer's Almanac; I often read
from An American Year by Hal Borland; others choose readings from a
prophet, essayist, or poet that they like.
Reading Our
"Writes"
Members bring original
prose or poetry if they wish. Copies for following along are encouraged.
Comments are offered, mainly positive. If the writer wants a suggestion
on a particular aspect of his piece, he asks.
Exercise I
I take these from
the books and magazines I have on writing. At first we read the instructions
aloud. Then one member of our group started writing the prompt at the
top of an 8 x 11 piece of paper. It was then copied for distribution
to the attendees. This has the advantage of aiding the writer in remembering
what originally prompted the piece. Several of us keep these in three-ring
binders. We read our finished, or partial exercises aloud. If someone
prefers not to read his, we respect that.
Business
An example might
be: Would someone like to do the opening next time? What is going to
be our project this year? (We do something in the community, related
to writing.)
Exercise II
Proceed with the
same format as Exercise I, using a different exercise. As time goes
on, we find different sources to draw exercises from.
Drawing of the
Prompt
Every other meeting,
we draw a prompt that can be used as the topic for a "write"
that can be brought and shared at the next meeting. Using the prompt
is entirely up to each individual. Someone might be working on a self-generated
piece; in that case the person would continue with his work and opt
not to do the prompt. To get our first supply of prompts, we brainstormed.
We wrote ideas on small pieces of paper, then deposited them in a wide-mouth
jar. Since then, we've added to our jar whenever we've come across a
good idea in one place or another--often the Internet. It is always
interesting to see how different members approach the same prompt.
Closing
An inspirational
reading: it can be religious, life inspiring, or writer inspiring.
We meet twice a month,
same time, at the church. Our meetings last`for ninety minutes. I send
e-mails to the members, reminding them of meetings and recapping the past
one. At one point, I was very busy and feeling bogged down. Another member
took over, leading for awhile. After my hectic time passed, I resumed
facilitating, sharing the responsibility with the other person. This is
working well.
Belonging to and facilitating
Inner Voices has done several things for me.
First, it has helped me keep my mind active. Writing keeps me thinking
and learning. I am continually learning the craft of writing from books
on the subject, from members of our group, and from writing.
Second, writing has
helped me learn more about myself and others in the group. Meeting twice
a month has enabled me to develop closer relationships with my fellow
writers.
Last, the spiritual
aspect of the group is something I value. The ritual of lighting the chalice,
listening to an inspirational reading, talking and working together, mid-week,
is a spiritual boost.
So, if you like to
write, interact with a few other writers to grow your abilities and get
to know a few others better, I encourage you to form a group. It may be
the vehicle you need. Don't be afraid to get started; others will help
and it will all fall into place—just like the alphabet!
Some books I have
used:
The Poet's Companion,
by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux, W.W. Norton & Company, New York,
1997.
The Practice of
Poetry, by Robin Behn and Chase Twichell, Quill Harper Resource Book,
Harper-Collins, New York.
What If? by Anne
Bernays and Pamela Painter, Quill HarperResource Book, Harper-Collins,
New York, 1990.
Write Faster, Write
Better, by David A. Fryxell, Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2004.
Writing Together,
by Dawn Denham Haines, Susan Newcomer, and Jacqueline Raphael, Berkley
Publishing Group, New York, 1997.
The Writer's Idea
Workshop by Jack Heffron, Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2003.
Writing the Mind
Alive, by Linda Metcalf and Tobin Simon, Ballantine Books, New York,
2002.
Finding the Voice
Inside, by Gail Ranadive, Skinner House Books, Boston, 2002.
Walking on Alligators,
by Susan Shaughnessy, HarperSanFrancisco, New York, 1993.
If you have a question
about starting or facilitating a church writing group, e-mail me at
chasrupe@alltel.net.
Copyright
© 2006 Carolyn Chase
Carolyn is a retired
teacher, residing in north-west Pennsylvania. Besides writing, Carolyn
enjoys golf, tennis, biking, down-hill and cross-country skiing, quilting,
gardening and church projects. She is currently compiling poetry for
a chapbook.
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- RevWriter News
A
- Recent RevWriter Sightings:
• If you need
a leadership retreat facilitator, contact Pastor Sue Lang at sue@revwriter.com
or call 215-453-5066. For a list of possible topics, e-mail Sue at sue@revwriter.com
or visit: http://www.faithandwisdom.org
and search under RevWriter Resources.
Additional information
on Sue's consulting work is also located at:
http://www.revwriter.com/congregational/churchconsultant/index.shtml
B - Still
Available:
• Welcome Forward: A Field Guide for Global Travelers by Susan
M. Lang and Rochelle Y. Melander (Division for Congregational Ministries
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 2005, ISBN 6-0002-0186-9)
A CD of original music by ELCA composer, Tim Hansen, accompanies the
book.
• The Lutheran
Handbook: A Field Guide to Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff and the Bible
(Augsburg Fortress, 2005, ISBN 0-8066-5179-2) Sue was a contributor
to this project.
• The Christian
Handbook: An Indispensable Guide to All Things Christian (Augsburg Fortress,
2005, ISBN 0-8066-5259-4) Sue is a contributor to this project.
• Who Is My
Neighbor? The Stories of Ruth and Jonah by Susan M. Lang (Augsburg Fortress
Intersections Small Group Series, 2003, ISBN 0-8066-4564-4)
• Our Community: Dealing with Conflict in Our Congregation by Susan
M. Lang (Augsburg Fortress Congregational LEADER Series, 2002, ISBN
0-8066-4411-7).
• Pastor and People: Making Mutual Ministry Work (Augsburg Fortress
Congregational LEADER Series, 2003, ISBN 0-8066-4651-9) Sue wrote the
chapter on Pastoral Ministry Support.
• The Christian Handbook for Pastors (Augsburg Fortress, 2006,
ISBN 0-8066-5297-7) Sue was a contributor to this project.
• Christian
Handbook on Marriage (Augsburg Fortress, 2006, ISBN 0-8066-5295-0) Sue
was a contributor to this project.
• The Lutheran
Handbook for Pastors (Augsburg Fortress, 2006, ISBN 0-8066-5296-9) Sue
was a contributor to this project.
• Lutheran
Handbook on Marriage (Augsburg Fortress, 2006, ISBN 0-8066-5294-2) Sue
was a contributor to this project.
• Akaloo Guidebook
(Augsburg Fortress, 2006, ISBN 10-0-8066-537-5) Sue was a contributor
to this project.
• The Lutheran
Marriage Course (Augsburg Fortress, 2006) http://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/searchresults.asp?searchType=all&searchstring=Lutheran+Marriage+Course&classificationID=-1&x=17&y=11
Sue was a contributor
to this project and both she and her husband, Tom, appear on the DVD
presenting "Maintaining Your Marriage as You and Your Spouse
Change."
See the links
at http://www.revwriter.com
to order or go to http://www.augsburgfortress.org
• The Abingdon
Children's Sermon Library, Volume 2 (Abingdon Press, 2007, ISBN 10-0687333970)
Sue was a contributor to this project.
http://www.abingdonpress.com//search.aspx?scope=all&query=Abingdon%20Children's%20Sermon%20Library
• The Lutheran
Handbook II (Augsburg Fortress, 2007, ISBN 9780806670379)Sue was a contributor
to this project.
• Sue has also
contributed to the online Here We Stand confirmation resources (http://www.herewestandconfirmation.org/)
and the Akaloo lifelong faith formation materials (http://www.akaloo.org/)
both published by Augsburg Fortress.
6 - Announcements
Financial Contributions
Welcomed
Due to the addition
of new charges at my e-zine delivery system, this year it will cost me
over $400 to produce and manage The RevWriter Resource. Writers of devotions
and main articles have always been, and will continue to be, paid. In
the past, this has come out of my personal writing income, but as this
ministry continues to grow, the cost to me will also continue to increase.
In the effort to maintain
the ministry provided through the publication of The RevWriter Resource
without requiring a subscriber's fee, I am now welcoming contributions
from subscribers.
Contributions
may be sent to:
RevWriter Resources,
LLC
P.O. Box 81
Perkasie, PA 18944
Or through Paypal
(http://www.paypal.com)
to sue@revwriter.com
Most importantly,
I appreciate your prayers as this ministry continues to grow during its
fifth year in publication.
Sue
7 -
Subscribe/Unsubscribe info
I maintain a strict
privacy policy and will not sell or share my subscription list.
The RevWriter Resource
is sent to you free of charge. If you know of someone who might be interested
in receiving The RevWriter Resource, you are welcome to forward it.
Please do so only in its entirety, including my copyright information.
If someone has
forwarded you The RevWriter Resource, I invite you to subscribe. To
do so, visit my website at: http://www.revwriter.com/congregational/resource.shtml#signup
ISSN 1545-939X
Copyright 2002-2007 Revwriter Susan M. Lang. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to reprint, please contact me for written consent at
sue@revwriter.com.
About the author:
RevWriter, Rev. Susan
M. Lang, is an interim pastor and writer, residing in Pennsylvania. She
is also the author of the Augsburg Fortress Congregational LEADER Series
book entitled, "OUR COMMUNITY: Dealing with Conflict in Our Congregation."
Revwriter Susan M.
Lang
P.O. Box 81
Perkasie, PA 18944
http://www.revwriter.com
& http://www.suelang.com
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