wfn.org | Ad campaign increases awareness of United Methodist Church

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 21, 2002 News media contact: Kathy Gilbert7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.	10-71B{539}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church's 2-year-old national
advertising campaign has significantly increased the public's awareness of
the denomination, according to Barna Research Group Inc.

The Rev. Steve Horswill-Johnston, head of the Igniting Ministry campaign at
United Methodist Communications, said new Barna research conducted for the
church shows awareness of the denomination has increased 15 percent among
adults 25 to 54 years old in the two years since the campaign began.

Research by Barna, a respected firm based in Ventura, Calif., shows that 46
percent of people who saw the ads expressed willingness to attend a United
Methodist church, Horswill-Johnston said.

"These people are searching for deeper meaning in life and are finding a word
of hope in the messages we show on television across the country," he said.
"Our messages are resonating with people looking for a place to live their
faith." 

The campaign had set goals of 20 percent viewer recall of the United
Methodist denomination and of a 10 percent increase in willingness to attend
a church. "We've reached three-fourths of the awareness goals in just half
the time and have far surpassed the willingness goal," Horswill-Johnston
said.

The Barna research dovetails with data showing increases in worship
attendance at United Methodist churches across the country in 2001, he said.
Total attendance increased by 7 percent compared with 2000, almost double the
4 percent increase objective set for the entire 2001-04 quadrennium. 

"First-time attendance has also dramatically risen," Horswill-Johnston said.
"We are on track to meet and exceed our goal of a 5 percent increase in
first-time worship attendance."

The percentages are based on attendance figures at 153 United Methodist
churches, representing each U.S. jurisdiction.

Igniting Ministry's new evangelism tools combine modern technology, including
national cable network commercials, to raise public awareness of the
denomination. 

The effort premiered just one week before the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. As
the disaster unfolded, the Igniting Ministry team transformed the United
Methodist Council of Bishops' pastoral message of healing and call for prayer
into a new television spot, completed that same day and transmitted via
satellite to 13 cable networks.

A year later, many United Methodist bishops encouraged congregations to set
aside Sept. 8, the Sunday nearest the anniversary, for "Remembering 9/11"
services. The request for their actions came from Igniting Ministry staff.

The Commission on Communication, UMCom's governing body, recently approved a
proposal paving the way for the agency to ask the 2004 General Conference for
$41 million to sustain and expand Igniting Ministry through the 2005-08
quadrennium.

The plan includes additional airings between the three annual established
flights of commercials; a media presence, including church communications
projects and consultation, in Africa, Asia and Europe; and a grass-roots,
youth-oriented expression.

Related resources, training sessions, matching grants and a Web site,
www.ignitingministry.org, supplement Igniting Ministry's core television
components.

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United Methodist News Service
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