God Needs Your Help!
Posted February 7th, 2009 by Emerging Spirit
As you may have heard, the United Church / Emerging Spirit placed an ad in last Saturday's Globe & Mail. The ad was a playful counter to the so-called atheist bus ad "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
Our ad countered "There's probably a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." and invited people to the discussion WonderCafe.ca.
Part of that discussion included a poll where people could cast their votes. Currently the 'no God' vote outranks 'God' more than two to one!!!
So where are the United Church voters? Come on.
Could you please:
1) Make an announcement on Sunday urging people to vote at WonderCafe.ca; and
2) Send out a similar message about this on your email lists.
P.S. Congregational leaders - this is a very easy, painless, and fun way to introduce more of the congregation to WonderCafe. While there, encourage them to check out your congregation's microsite.
Thanks for doing this!
Go directly to WonderCafe and vote: www.wondercafe.ca
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Comments
For those who may have concerns about this message...
For those who may have concerns about this message...
Does God need our help? Of course not. That was just a playful headline to invite others to the engaging discussion happening on WonderCafe.ca around the United Church's response to the atheist ad campaign.
The invitation was sent out after the atheist campaign organized on-line to get other atheists to vote on the WonderCafe poll. It's only fair that the United Church would do some on-line organizing of its own to encourage Christians to share their beliefs in this public forum. It's not desperate, it's just how social media works. It's obviously not a scientifically valid poll, nor do we believe it is important to "win." It is, however, a really great opportunity to connect with others, let them know about WonderCafe, and share more about the faith of people in The United Church of Canada.
At this moment, more than 19,000 people have come to WonderCafe.ca and viewed the discussion about the poll. Many more have heard about it through the radio interviews, print stories, and television appearances United Church representatives have done (often along members of the Freethought Association) in the time since the ad was launched. We were simply using the poll data as a way of encouraging others to visit WonderCafe and join the conversation as well.
We invite you to WonderCafe to join the conversation and let others know what you think.
www.wondercafe.ca
Peace,
Aaron McCarroll Gallegos
Producer, Emerging Spirit | WonderCafe
Best Use of Time and Money?
I must preface my remarks by saying that I have a music ministry and we travel from church to church, spreading the good news through song, and we donate the proceeds from c.d. sales to our local food bank and downtown mission. I believe that this is no time to be "playful" with the atheist campaign. You've allowed yourself to be lured out onto a playground where you don't belong. Our country is going through an economic tidal wave right now with thousands of good people losing their jobs and having to seek out assistance from government and local missions etc... So in the midst of this turmoil, a decision was made to playfully campaign against the slogan of the atheists? A friend of mine has a saying that goes like this, "I hate religion, but I love God" I really didn't know where he was coming from until now. Any campaign costs money. How is this counter campaign being funded? All of this while people in our neighbourhoods are going hungry. I am a currently a member of the United Church of Canada, but man is it ever getting difficult to remain as one. This is not our best day. We are not serving God by being playful. Statements of Faith must be strong always. Jesus never said "God is probably my Father". I'm keeping my eyes open now for a good bible based church that lives strongly by the word and wears the shield of Faith proudly. The United Church of Canada is lost.....
Budgets, choices,
Agreed, our economy is going through a rough ride, a very rough ride. I am concerned about where it is going.
For the United Church to have voice that people listen to, they need to be relevant. Press needs to know who to contact, and when the UC contacts them....they need to know who the UCC is.
These ads, for the amount they cost, have received huge play. We have had a number of hits....
Now, it is for us in the congregations to take advantage of that press, and get out there as well. Do the good work. Focus on projects.
People who have come to our church have said "wow, I had no idea there was a church like this here". Sadly that is true. We have kept a bushel over our churches good works.
We need to let our light shine....and that means press.
It means facebook pages with events published, and people participating, and showing that they are involved.
It means letters to the editors on social jsutice issues.
It means invitations to come work with us on a walk-a-thon, or to a Sunday service.
These ads were paid for using money that was to be used for this project. It was money well spent.
Now it is for us to take advantage of the wave it has created.
Means and Ends, No Kidding...?
Two ads met in the marketplace. There is no God said one. There is a God said the other. Persons passing by stopped to listen in. Some leaned one way. Some leaned the other. Many simply pressed on by, coaxed ceaselessly forward by other ads for the multiplicity of goods and goodies offered for sale.
There is money to be made by the God conversation. On either side spin-doctors weave sights and sounds to capture market share. Statistics will be marshaled, profiles will be established, campaigns will be initiated, statistics will be collected... and round... and round. An energetic parade of persuasive rhetoric giving the illusion of conversation; the semblance of community.
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