ELCA Identity Project Training, Grants Significant in 1999

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Identity Project, a multimedia effort aimed at raising awareness for the Lutheran Church, and specifically, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), grew significantly in 1999. By year's end, 52 of the church's 65 synods had hosted training events, and nearly $1.2 million in matching grants to synods and groups of congregations had been distributed.
"We've never had such a wide-ranging training opportunity in this church," said the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, director for the ELCA Department for Communication.
Information on the project was presented to the ELCA Department for Communication Advisory Committee, which met here Jan. 28-29.
The matching grants were provided by Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), a fraternal benefits society based in Appleton, Wis. AAL committed $1.5 million for the Identity Project in 1998. In addition, the ELCA Church Council has provided nearly $3.5 million for the project, including a commitment of $2 million in 1999 from ELCA reserve funds.
The Identity Project is intended to reach people without a church home, said Kristi Bangert, Identity Project manager and director for internal church communication and marketing, ELCA Department for Communication. Messages are designed for different audiences depending on age.
"The Identity Project is going strong," Bangert said. "Through the use of television, radio, outdoor advertising, print ads and the Web, congregations are strengthening their evangelism outreach programs and beginning to see some exciting results."
The Identity Project has created opportunities for congregations to work together, and they say there are more possibilities for cooperative projects in the future, Bangert said.
The Web site for the project is www.sharingfaith.org.
Television spots are also being made in Spanish and are expected to be distributed this month, she said. Spanish radio spots are expected to be completed this spring. Bangert also said the Identity Project Web site will be translated into Spanish, and Spanish-language materials will be distributed first in areas where ELCA congregations conduct worship in Spanish.
In addition, Bangert said some grant recipients have reported Identity Project results in their areas:
+ Christ Lutheran Church, Belvidere, Ill., a mission congregation, moved to a new building in January. The sanctuary is located on the edge of a new housing development. Not far away is a grocery store. Every Thursday, the store offers to stuff grocery bags with fliers provided by non-profit organizations. Last March, the church printed 10,000 fliers using one of the Identity Project print ads for only $304, thanks to AAL grant monies. The store placed the fliers in their bags and the next Sunday, nine new families came to worship. Six families came because of the flier. Five of the six families later joined the congregation, and on Oct. 24, 1999, Christ Lutheran Church took in 59 new members.
+ In September 1999, the ELCA Southern California West and ELCA Pacifica (Calif.) Synods sponsored the Identity Project television spots on the "Jumbotron" TV monitor (23 feet wide by 13 feet tall) at the Los Angeles County Fair. With a matching grant from AAL, the two synods were able to purchase one spot per hour throughout a 12-hour day of general interest programming. The cost for running the spots was $12,500. Estimated attendance at the fair was 1.6 million. The synods mailed postcards in advance, announcing the Identity Project's "starring role" at the fair.
+ St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Glendale, Ill., said one month after two Identity Project mailings were distributed in the community, attendance at one of their Sunday services was up from 25 to 42, and overall attendance had risen from 90 to 115. "These numbers may not seem large to many, but to a small church, they are dramatic!" said the Rev. Richard H. Bliese, who teaches at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and helps at the church. Many who responded to the ads are African American, something the congregation said it hoped would happen. St. Andrew's plans another mailing and a newspaper advertisement.
+ The Rev. Michael D. Peck, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kan., said he considered the congregation's involvement in the Identity Project a success. "We have been spurred on to budget $10,000 for advertising and direct mail efforts in 2000," he said. "Had we not participated in the project, we probably would not have made such a commitment."
+ Several Lutheran congregations in Syracuse, N.Y., combined their efforts to bring the campaign to their area. The congregations report greater attendance and new members. The project coordinator, the Rev. Nelson W. Gaetz, Atonement Lutheran Church, said one of the project's most valuable outcomes has been the congregations' partnership in this project.
+ Congregations and synods have been very creative in using the Identity Project materials, especially print materials. By cutting, pasting and, in some cases, enlarging the photo ads or the smaller newspaper ads, people have created place mats, cardboard sunscreens for car windshields, invitations, magnets, coffee mugs, tee shirts, slides for movie theater screens, billboards for sides of buses, bench signs, door hangers and posters. Some have also used the ads in local Chamber of Commerce guides, sporting and cultural event programs, and in school athletic and concert programs.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html