wfn.org | Igniting Ministry awards matching grants, unveils Easter ad

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Jan. 22, 2002 News media contact: Linda Green7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{014}

By Nancye Willis*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Igniting Ministry, the United Methodist Church's
national television advertising campaign, has awarded matching grants to 27
individual congregations, clusters of congregations and annual (regional)
conferences. 

The grants of up to $50,000 each enable recipients to conduct local and
regional Igniting Ministry broadcast television campaigns to support the
national media schedules (flights) during Lent. 

The recipients are spread across the denomination's five jurisdictions and
represent a total population of more than 28 million. They are: 

North Central Jurisdiction - First United Methodist Church, Franklin, Ohio;
Hope United Methodist Church, Flint, Mich.; LaCrosse/LaCrescent (Mich.)
Cluster; and Northern Illinois Annual Conference.

Northeastern Jurisdiction - First United Methodist Church, Schenectady,
N.Y.; Green Street United Methodist Church, Augusta, Maine; Rutland (Vt.)
United Methodist Church; St. John's United Methodist Church, Lutherville,
Md.; Virginia Annual Conference; West Chester (Pa.) Bethune District; and
Western New York Annual Conference.

South Central Jurisdiction - Abilene (Texas) District; Bryan/College Station
(Texas) Cluster; First United Methodist Church, McAllen, Texas; Kansas West
Annual Conference; Mark Twain District, Canton, Mo., and LaMoine River
District, Quincy, Ill.; and Missouri Midstate District, Columbia.

Southeastern Jurisdiction - Buncombe Street United Methodist Church,
Greenville, S.C.; Mississippi Annual Conference; Prestonburg (Ky.) District;
West Palm Beach District, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and Tennessee Annual
Conference.

Western Jurisdiction - Cochise County (Ariz.) United Methodist churches; Los
Gatos United Methodist Church, Boulder Creek, Calif.; Northern Nevada
Consortium, Reno; Sunshine District, Pueblo, Colo.; and Yuba City (Calif.)
Cluster.    

The denomination, through United Methodist Communications (UMCom), is
providing $1 million in matching grants each year and nearly $17 million in
national placement of spots on cable television channels in 2001-04. 

Matching-grant spots will be shown during the 2002 Lenten, back-to-school
and Advent seasons. The three seasons were chosen because they represent the
times people are most receptive to spiritual messages, according to Jackie
Vaughan, director of the matching grants program.

Igniting Ministry recently unveiled a new Easter television spot that will
air nationally during Lent. " 'Dream' is the first seasonal spot produced
for the campaign. It will speak to a special unchurched audience and can be
customized for local use," said the Rev. Steve Horswill-Johnston, executive
director of the four-year initiative launched in late 2000.

Applications for the back-to-school and/or Advent grants will be received
April 1-May 1, according to Vaughan. 

"The matching grant program represents a partnering effort to ignite mission
and ministry," Vaughan added. "It also helps local congregations create
images and messages that speak the language of the people."

Final selection of matching grant recipients was based on optimum media
coverage, for the best reach and frequency throughout the United States,
Vaughan said. "The church's goal is to speak to and invite as many people as
possible, particularly those we have never before contacted."
 
Horswill-Johnston said Igniting Ministry represents "a continuing effort to
engage popular culture in a meaningful way." 

Applications for matching grants and more information about Igniting
Ministry are available from the matching grants office: toll-free (877)
281-6535; e-mail imgrants@umcom.org; or on the Web site at
www.ignitingministry.org/matchinggrants.

# # #

*Willis is a writer/designer for United Methodist Communications in
Nashville, Tenn.

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United Methodist News Service
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