Come for Christmas, an advertisement with an edge
Some Episcopal churches in Bucks County, Pa., are pooling their money to buy advertisements in local newspapers during Advent.
The text is edgier than most church advertising, and that may turn out to be what makes it effective. Keep in mind that Episcopalians account for about one percent of the U. S. population. So if you are in a room with 99 other randomly selected people, you are the Episcopalian. To double the size of the church, you need to lead one other person out of that room with you. Is the best strategy to offer a generalized message aimed at appealing, if mildly, to as many people as possible? Or is it better to differentiate yourself as clearly as possible from other churches, in the knowledge that while you may not be for everybody, you will almost certainly be for some?
Remember, you aren't trying to induce people to buy your soap instead of someone else's soap. (People have to bathe. They don't have to go to church.) You aren't trying to win an election with 50.1% of the vote. You are trying to persuade people that coming to your church is such a compelling experience that they should rethink their attitudes, rework their schedule and spend a Sunday morning with people who, initially, will be strangers to them.
It may be that a little edge is essential to this task. Here is the text:
Come for Christmas…and come as you are.• Are you tired of being judged?
• Are you divorced?
• Are you GLBT?
• Have you had an abortion?
• Have you been wounded by religious folks?
• Do you disagree with your church’s conditional love?
• Are you hungry for acceptance?
• Are you a sinner who’s just longing for God?
• So are we.The Episcopal Church Welcomes YOU!
R.S.V.P. The Episcopal Churches of Bucks County
From a Roman Catholic Who Is Thinking of Conversion
This advertisement seems to appeal only to those who are angry at their former or current churches. It offers little positive as to why to choose the Episcopal Church, instead of say, the Unitarianism.
Posted by Eugene Pagano![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 1:49 PM
Correction" "instead of, say, Unitarianism."
Posted by Eugene Pagano![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 2:05 PM
I agree with Eugene. As a relatively new Episcopalian, there are so many positives:
Communion for all
Extraordinary preaching
Transparent decision making and governance with explicit lay participation
Inclusive clergy, including women, married, and gay/lesbian people
A church (even within TEC) that goes beyond one country
A tradition that celebrates liturgy and the liturgical year
A companionship of extraordinary Christians, from Desmond Tutu to the late Madeleine L'Engle
Welcome to all, including GLBT and their families
Scripture, Reason and Tradition
Comprehensiveness
Certainly we want to be a home for the broken, for that is how we often come to the Church. We also want to celebrate as the people of God!
Steve Schewe
Posted by Steve![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 5:04 PM
Leaving out 1,5 and 6 would take care of that, I think, Eugene Pagano.
Posted by Lois Keen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 5:06 PM
Are you a sinner who’s just longing for God?
FWIW I find it highly *unlikely*, Eugene, that (in any official capacity) the UUs would use the above question as part of an evangelism/recruiting/marketing campaign. (If not for the term "God", then for the term "sinner")
JC Fisher
Posted by tgflux![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 5:28 PM
Hi, this is the guy who wrote this ad. Please feel free to change it or to write your own. There are probably a million ways to reach out and this is the one I created. The point is to reach out. How about sharing with us what you've done?
Posted by Peter Pearson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 18, 2009 11:00 PM
Mr. Pearson,
Steve Schewe has some good suggestions above.
Roman Catholics like me might be receptive to ads that stress similarities between TEC and the RCC, such as the sacraments. I remember seeing on the web a Episcopal poster of a silver chalice with the wording "Trillions and trillions served." (It was in a slide show at http://gracecollegehill.blogspot.com/2008/12/some-episcopal-church-advertising.html)
Posted by Eugene Pagano![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 19, 2009 9:20 PM