2009 Christmas season materials available
 enlarge>> Updated manual available for download at website www.ntcumc.org. |
Written: 11/6/2009
The venerable Home for Christmas/Watch Night manual has a new format for 2009.
It is now a downloadable resource available on the www.ntcumc.org website and is now available along with other resources. “We have updated in both content and format,” Communications Director Dr. Joan G. La Barr explained.
“Incarnation through Transformation” is the theme for this year, emphasizing the importance of moving from the high moments of celebration to a time of intentional discipling. The season of Epiphany, when the church marks the ways that God is encountered in Jesus Christ, provides opportunities to make sure that those who visited special services will have the opportunity to learn and grow in the Christian faith.
NTC churches preparing to invite and welcome guests for Christmas Eve, Watch Night and other special worship services and events are eligible to receive complimentary postcards in a variety of designs. This year churches may also select either printed or electronic postcards. In the case of the printed cards, churches receive cards equal to one and one half times their average worship attendance, and in the case of electronic cards, three times the average worship attendance.
Churches selecting electronic cards will receive consultation on the design and distribution plan from The Crouch Group. The e-cards are eight cents for each address, and churches which choose this option are urged to plan for a minimum of 4,000.
“The additional expense to the church is quite reasonable. As an example, a church with an average worship attendance of 500 would receive 1,500 e-cards at no cost, and at eight cents each, would only have to pay $200 for the additional 2,500. When you factor in the cost of processing and mailing the printed cards, the e-cards may well be the better buy,” Dr. LaBarr said.
For more than a decade the NTC has provided marketing support for local church Christmas season programming in all areas of the conference. The 2009 plan includes newspaper advertising outside of the Metroplex and in the suburban areas and internet newspaper advertising, radio and cable television advertising in the urban areas.
The Pegasus internet newspaper campaign will reach 480,000 households, and the radio and cable advertising will reach an estimated 882,800. NTC communications will produce the cable spots. In addition to placing the conference spots on Viacom Media and Sudden Link, NTC Communications will make them available to churches that wish to customize the spots for placement on cable or broadcast television in their markets.
Radio stations that will be airing ads in the two weeks prior to Christmas and New Year include: KTCK (The Ticket, appealing to a male, sports loving audience), KVIL (appealing to adults 25-54, includes website tile ads and streamed ads), WRR (classical), Radio Disney (parents and children), and KSoul and The Beat (Radio One, appealing to urban and African American listeners).
Newspaper ads will be placed in: The Denton Record Chronicle; Wichita Falls Times Record News; Sherman Democrat; Sulphur Springs News Telegram; Paris News; Wise County Messenger and All Around Wise; The Terrell Tribune; The Cooke County Weekly; The Greenville Herald and Commerce Journal; The Mabank Group: Mabank Monitor, Kernes Tribune, Malakof News and Lake Area Leader; The Bowie News; The Winnsboro News; The Jacksboro News; and The Star Group: Plano Courier, Plano Insider, Allen American, Carrollton Leader, Celina Record, Colony Courier, Coppell Gazette, Frisco Enterprise, Lewisville Leader, Flower Mound Leader, Little Elm Journal, McKinney Courier, McKinney Penny Saver, Mesquite News, Rowlett Times and Southlake Times.
Based on circulation figures and other data, the total campaign is expected to reach a minimum of 2,229,903 individuals.
The alternative “Wondering about Christmas” campaign directed to persons who may be lonely, questioning , alienated or upset during the holiday season, will be featured in Pegasus News and The Dallas Observer. Thanks to Drs. Terry Parsons and Sheron Patterson for writing special messages for this audience. Access the “Wondering about Christmas” blog at www.wonderingaboutchristmas.com.