September 3, 2004

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Department for Communication of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has introduced a series of print ads for congregations to use in their evangelism and outreach ministries, said Kristi S. Bangert, director of internal church communication and marketing, ELCA Department for Communication. The ads are available as downloadable files at http://www.elca.org/elcaads on the ELCA Web site.

The ads - developed by a work group in the ELCA churchwide organization in response to requests from congregations - are aimed at young adults and families, Bangert said. Final copy was designed by Mindpower Inc., Atlanta, she said. The ads include headlines such as "Find Out How Amazing Grace Really Is" and "Think of Sunday as Your 'Grace Period'."

"We liked the crisp, contemporary look of the ads as well as the clever headlines and thought-provoking text," Bangert said. "The work group guided the writing process, serving as critics and editors of Mindpower's work."

Congregations may use the ads in newspapers and in other types of print advertising such as posters, community and school program ad books, bulletin inserts, door hangers, flyers and direct mail, Bangert said.

A field at the bottom of the ads allows congregations to customize them by providing the congregations' contact information. "The ads are designed for use with external audiences - those people a congregation is seeking to invite into its midst," she said. More advertising materials will be available later, Bangert said. Three general radio spots are planned, as well as print ads designed specifically for Christmas and Easter she said. These materials will be available through the ELCA Web site, Bangert said. Development and production of the print ads was funded in part by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a Minneapolis-based fraternal benefit organization.

ELCA News Service