Beneath the Comma?
Thanks to Athanasius at Ecumenical Insanity for discovering an article at UCC News about the UCC's truly remarkable PR campaign. It's about a comma..
"As widely known as the Nike "swoosh"—that's Ron Buford's hope for the UCC "comma." And, given the way the comma is catching on with UCC members' imaginations, maybe Buford isn't just wishing on a star...."
"As the story goes, after comedienne Gracie Allen died, her husband, George Burns, was going through her papers and found a note from her to him saying simply, 'Never place a period where God has placed a comma.' While visiting in southern California in 2001, Buford, the UCC's public relations and marketing manager, saw that message on a postcard, found it intriguing, and bought one.
"A few days later, back home in Cleveland, Buford woke up in the middle of the night with an epiphany. Why should we never place a period where God has placed a comma? 'Because God is still speaking,' he says. The next morning he shared the postcard and his revelation with Randy Varcho, the graphic designer in the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry. Varcho then designed a red-and-black poster with the oversized comma that was distributed to every UCC church.
"After that, as churches began to promote the comma, it just took off. 'The comma is perfect for representing UCC theology,' says the Rev. Diana Coberly of First Congregational UCC in Great Bend, Kan. 'It lets people know that there is an alternative, that they have a choice.' "
I wonder how otherwise intelligent non-believers will take it? Will they ponder the mysteries of the universe and the possibility of God caring about them? Or will they shake their heads and wonder about the mysteries of Public Relations nightmares that sound about as theologically sound as "Edsel" or "New Coke?" Now I think we have to be able to catch people's attention. I know that PR is in some way or another a part of the life of the church.
But I also know that PR does nothing to get people in the church door. I know that PR gives a false sense of "doing evangelism" which is really done person-to-person. Even Billy Graham and Promise Keepers knows that as they recruit and train counselors to work with people making decisions for Jesus and then try to direct them to a local church. What is needed is not an ad campaign. What is needed is a commitment to Jesus' way. To make friends, and introduce friends to Jesus. To live in such a way that God's love in Jesus is contagious.
[Please note that I have behaved myself in this post. I did not say anything about the possibilities of the campaign. You know- hymns like The Old Rugged Comma or Beneath the Comma of Jesus. Maybe they could build on being a Christian Comma-unity. I better stop. :) ]
My Secret Santa Has Already Struck
This is neat! Thanks to Darren at The Living Room who has started this Secret Blog Santa gift exchange. He said that there are 23 involved. No wonder Martin Roth called him a cyber-monk. I already got a comment from my secret Santa. I like this! Now I better get on the ball.
