CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), a fraternal benefits organization based in Appleton, Wis., provided an additional $250,000 grant to support the Identity Project. The project is a multimedia advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness for the Lutheran Church and specifically the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The additional funds will be used to provide matching grants to most of the ELCA synods and congregations which made requests before the April 1, 2000, deadline, said Kristi Bangert, Identity Project manager and director for internal church communication and marketing, ELCA Department for Communication. Already, 55 of the ELCA's 65 synods are involved, and some 720 matching grants have been provided to synods and congregations, she said. More than 4,000 of the ELCA's 11,000 congregations are involved in the Identity Project.
The additional funds from AAL will enable more congregations and synods, which made requests prior to the deadline, to use the materials, Bangert said.
AAL was pleased to provide the ELCA with the additional $250,000 grant for the Identity Project, said James S. Yagow, director for church grants, AAL.
"The leadership for this project is outstanding, and the grassroots ownership among ELCA congregations and synods is=20 high," he said. "Together, these two qualifiers made our decision=20 to award this extra grant fairly straightforward."
The ELCA Identity Project "appreciably bolsters" evangelism efforts of congregations that reach out to people who have no church home, Yagow said.
"Church growth is a critical issue for the Lutheran community, including AAL," he added. "We're happy that we can help the ELCA with this visionary project."
"AAL's generosity and excellent multimedia materials have helped the ELCA Identity project become a much sought-after, highly successful and often-emulated campaign," Bangert said.
The Identity Project uses broadcast and print advertisements to reach new audiences with information about the ELCA. The project also includes a Web site, in English, at www.sharingfaith.org. Messages are designed for different audiences depending on age, Bangert said.
Recently the Department for Communication completed Spanish- language radio and television Identity Project spots. A "seekers" Web site in Spanish, www.compartiendolafe.org is expected to be online soon.
In 1998 AAL committed $1.5 million to be used for matching grants for the Identity Project, Bangert said. In addition, the ELCA Church Council provided nearly $3.5 million to fund the project, including a commitment of $2 million in 1999 from ELCA reserve funds. Some of the $2 million was designated for the Spanish-language materials, Bangert said.
The Identity Project has created opportunities for congregations to work together and possibilities for other cooperative projects in the future, Bangert said.
"Congregations and synods now know it's critical that they budget for communication evangelism on an ongoing basis," she added.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
