JourneyOnline
Gifts of time and love are the best Christmas presents is the theme of a bold new mission strategy for Christmas 2005.
The Communication Services Unit will be partnering with congregations to produce high-quality, low-cost resources for Christmas outreach in their local community.
Synod Mission Consultant Rev Dr Graham Beattie says Christmas is an ideal opportunity to invite people to re-connect with church because it’s a time when they naturally begin to think about spirituality and faith.
“It’s particularly a time when people give and receive gifts, a time when they may be more open to acknowledge the special gifts of God’s love and grace; the kind of gift we find in the Christ child,” he said.
Congregations will be provided with thousands of postcards each printed with the times of their Christmas services and an invitation to attend, together with posters to display on community noticeboards and shop windows in local shopping centres.
Communications and Public Relations Manager Shannon Short reported a similar campaign by the South Australian Synod last year saw almost 200,000 post cards distributed to households.
“Ninety-one percent of congregations completing an evaluation form though the campaign had raised the profile of the church in their local community,” she said.
As part of the campaign every Uniting Church congregation in Queensland will also be invited to have their Christmas services listed on a special Christmas webpage.
This campaign will be backed up by community radio announcements and media releases and will present an image of the local Uniting Church as a great place for families and individuals to worship over Christmas.
For more information and to register for the Christmas Campaign contact the Communications Services Unit on 07 3377 9910 or email journey@uccentre.ucaqld.com.au
