United Methodist churches receive grants for television ads
6/26/2003 News media contact: Linda Green · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn A state-by-state list of grant recipients is attached By Nancye Willis* NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church has awarded matching grants
totaling more than $500,000 to 68 regional church bodies to help
purchase television commercials during the back-to-school and Christmas
seasons.
The awards are part of the denomination's national
advertising campaign developed and coordinated by United Methodist
Communications' Igniting Ministry office. The theme is "Open Hearts.
Open Minds. Open Doors."
This round includes awards to 37
individual congregations, 12 clusters of congregations and 19 annual
(regional) conferences across the United States, in media markets that
reach 60 million people.
The grants, matched dollar-for-dollar by
the recipients, make available more than $1 million to help purchase
local television advertising to supplement the national campaign.
"Our
matching grants enable local congregations to share messages of hope,
comfort and inspiration in their communities," said the Rev. Larry
Hollon, top executive at UMCom.
"Since 2001, when we began airing
United Methodist messages on television, we have heard many amazing
stories of how the ads touch hearts and cause people to connect with our
churches," Hollon said.
The denomination, through UMCom, has to
date distributed approximately $3 million in matching grants for local
TV advertising, and has used $10 million to place ads on 17 cable
television channels. Agency officials state that more than 92 million
people have seen the denomination's messages.
Igniting Ministry
ads air during the weeks before Easter, back-to-school in August and
September, and the time immediately before and after Christmas. The
three seasons were chosen because they represent the times people are
most receptive to spiritual messages, according to UMCom officials.
The
campaign's success in raising awareness and helping to increase worship
attendance in the United States has compelled UMCom officials to
propose significantly expanding the program beginning in 2005.
The
plan, aimed at reaching more unchurched people more often, includes
additional U.S. airings, along with youth and global components. Nearly
1.5 million United Methodists live outside the United States.
The
Rev. Steve Horswill-Johnston, a staff executive at UMCom, leads the
Igniting Ministry effort. Jackie Vaughan is director of the Igniting
Ministry matching grants program.
Matching grant application
dates for Lent 2004 are Nov. 1-Dec. 2. More information about Igniting
Ministry grants is available from the matching grants office, by calling
toll-free (877) 281-6535; sending an e-mail to imgrants@umcom.org or
visiting the Web site at www.ignitingministry.org/matchinggrants. # # # *Willis is editor of the Public Information Team at United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tenn.
2003 Igniting Ministry Matching Grant Recipients (Unless otherwise indicated, church bodies listed here received grants for both the back-to school and Christmas airings.)
Alabama Dothan District
Alaska Alaska Missionary Conference, Anchorage St. John United Methodist Church, Anchorage
Arkansas First United Methodist Church, Harrison (Christmas)
California Davis United Methodist Church, Davis (back-to-school) First United Methodist Church, Watsonville
Connecticut Griswold-Sprague United Methodist Church, Baltic (Christmas) Windham County United Methodist churches, North Grosvenordale
Florida Tampa Bay United Methodist churches, Brandon (back-to-school) First United Methodist Church, Nokomis
Georgia Cascade United Methodist Church, Atlanta Thomasville District, Bainbridge
Iowa Collegiate United Methodist Wesley Foundation, Ames (Christmas) St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids (Christmas) Iowa Annual Conference, Des Moines (back-to-school)
Illinois Northern Illinois Annual Conference, Chicago (back-to-school) First United Methodist Church, O'Fallon (Christmas) Melrose Chapel United Methodist Church, Quincy Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference, Springfield (back-to-school)
Indiana North Indiana Annual Conference, Avon (back-to-school) South Indiana Annual Conference, Indianapolis (back-to-school)
Kansas Kansas West Annual Conference, Wichita
Kentucky Kentucky Annual Conference, Crestwood (back-to-school)
Louisiana Asbury United Methodist Church, LaFayette (back-to-school)
Maryland Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, Columbia
Michigan West Side United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor (back-to-school)
Mississippi Mississippi Annual Conference, Jackson (back-to-school)
North Carolina Providence United Methodist Church, Charlotte (Christmas)
New Jersey Trinity United Methodist Church, Spotswood
New York Western New York Annual Conference, West Amherst (Christmas)
Ohio Lima District, Cridersville (Christmas) Westwood United Methodist Church, Cincinnati Dayton South District (back-to-school) First United Methodist Church cluster, Franklin First United Methodist Church, Mansfield (back-to-school)
Oklahoma Oklahoma Annual Conference, Oklahoma City Paul's Valley United Methodist Church, Paul's Valley
Pennsylvania First United Methodist Church, Murrysville First United Methodist Church, New Castle Green Lane United Methodist Church, Philadelphia
South Carolina South Carolina Annual Conference, Columbia
Tennessee Memphis Annual Conference, Jackson (back-to-school)
Texas St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Lubbock First United Methodist Church cluster, Pampa
Virginia Northern Virginia Districts, Annandale (back-to-school)
West Virginia West Virginia Annual Conference, Charleston (back-to-school)
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