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Archives For April 2012

Do We Talk, When We Should Shout?

ThatAndy —  April 30, 2012 — Leave a comment

Here’s the challenge.

You have a new TV channel which you need to advertise.

Lets face it, you’re going to be putting together TV adverts to shout about your new channel. But how do you do it? TV adverts are generally fairly standard and expected, could you make an event out of the expected standard events?

Check this out on:

They haven’t just made a standard TV advert, they also made a local event, and a youtube clip which feels like its gone around the internet. Twice.

How much effort is put into events within the church, just for the advertising to be a comment on the notice sheet, or a 20 – 30 second comment during the notices?  What can be done to raise awareness and excitement within a church?

Here are a few ways to get people talking to each other and talking about your event:

  1. Make sure your event information is detailed online somewhere, therefore people can get further information, or indeed double check the start time when they forget what was said during the notices.
  2. Are there cakes involved with your event? If you have an oven at church, try baking a cake or two during the service to be shared afterwards. You’ll find the smell and taste of fresh cake can get peoples attention, and will stick in their minds… just ensure you give out leaflets about your event whilst you’re giving the cake out!
  3. Does your event involve any drama / plays? If so try having your stars walk through the congregation mid service, dressed as, and acting in character.
  4. Do the above, but have your stars giving out leaflets which contain a web link to a Facebook page for your event.
  5. Have posters up containing just a QR code pointing people to the website. If people don’t know what they are, then the posters may end up being a good conversation starter.
  6. Invite people on Facebook to a Facebook Event.
  7. Could you create a trailer for your event, and show it during the service? It may stick in the mind more then a standard verbal notice, and if people complain that they missed it, then it could always be uploaded to Youtube for later watching.

What else can we do to encourage people to talk both online and offline?

In #digidisciple , ,
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Church Sofa Half Serious Guide to Church: Now?

ThatAndy —  April 29, 2012 — 1 Comment

Thoughts?

(h/t @changingworship)

In The Church Sofa Half Serious Guide To Church , ,
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Posted by ThatAndy on April 28, 2012 In Weird Web
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Weekly Round Up: To Be Continued

ThatAndy —  April 28, 2012 — 1 Comment

Welcome to this weeks round up:

In This Weeks RoundUp , , ,
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Death of Youth

…of youth…

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Posted by ThatAndy on April 27, 2012 In Youth work
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Church-Sign-I-Have-The-Letters

Dont annoy the “Board Guy”

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Posted by ThatAndy on April 25, 2012 In Church Life
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Debate Tuesday: The Chair or The Pew?

ThatAndy —  April 24, 2012 — 3 Comments

Its an argument that has been going on since its invention.

Yes its comfy, yes they are warmer to the touch then a pew.

But why should we uproot tradition in some churches, and replace the humble pew, with the young chair?

Here are a few reasons why I really do believe the Mighty Church Pew should be protected in our churches:

  1. People expect to see a pew in a church. Lets not make people feel any more uncomfortable then they are.
  2. Solid climbing frame. You can let the kids go nuts over them, and have no fear of chair style tippage.
  3. Mini race tracks.
  4. Easier to keep track of ‘your pew’ – Less chance of a pew moving…
  5. You can talk for ages after the service and not have anyone try and stack your pew away from under you.
  6. You can save your chewing gum for next time.
  7. A handy shelf for supplies like bibles, song books, notice sheets, coke, chocolate… etc…
  8. Put a few cushions down, get a blanket, and you’ve got yourself somewhere to kip.
  9. Need a bigger youth budget? Got a pew with a door on the end? Charge people to enter the back couple of rows.
  10. “Best burning material since we burned the cat.”

Any other reasons why pews work better then chairs?

The “chair people” will get their say next week!

In Debate Tuesday ,
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Church Sofa Half Serious Guide To Church: Annual Church Meeting

ThatAndy —  April 23, 2012 — 2 Comments

Its the time of year again.

The financial year has begun again, and this leads onto the Annual Church Meeting. That time when Churches meet, discuss the year, look at reports, and look at the year ahead.

Now I’m  a believer in the church family having a look at the business end of the church, if nothing else it gives the entire church a chance to catch and hear from areas of life which they may not be involved in… but I believe some precautions are needed.

So we present:

The Church Sofa Guide to Surviving a Church Annual Meeting

  1. Don’t stitch up your mate cos he’ll do it to you
  2. Make sure you go so you’re not volunteered for everything
  3. Plan your escape routes
  4. Bring a book/video game for when they talk about the flower arranging committee and sub committee
  5. Begin every sentence with ‘No’
  6. Vote against everything
  7. Link to the post about swapping shifts along way into the future
  8. When people are giving reports on the year, set them a time limit… with water guns at the ready…
  9. Dont forget the emergency supplies of chocolate
  10. iPhone – need we say anything else?

Any more?

In The Church Sofa Half Serious Guide To Church ,
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Weekly Round Up: The UnCool Church Edition

ThatAndy —  April 21, 2012 — 2 Comments

Heres the best of what we’ve read this week:

In This Weeks RoundUp
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Church Sofa Half Serious Guide to Church: Church Weekend Away

ThatAndy —  April 20, 2012 — 2 Comments

Its that time of year again for one of the Church Sofa lads.

Yes, it is the Church weekend away.

Normally located miles away from the nearest sensible pub, this combined with lack of mobile reception helps the feeling of isolation to set in you concentrate on being a more excited Christian.

If you are also planning on going along to church for 48 hours, you may want to bear our Church Weekend Away Survival Kit in mind:

10 Items To Bring On A Church Weekend Away

  1. A Bible. Decent reading material (which doesn’t require a battery charger), and helpful if bored during the second sermon of the day.
  2. A Pen. To write on leaves. (With thanks to Dave Walker)
  3. Whiskey / Gin.
  4. A friend within the venue staff, useful for extra additions like more food, a comfy bed, access to shortcuts, and wireless keys.
  5. Chocolate. Useful for both a sugar rush, and bartering for above mentioned wireless key.
  6. Books. You never know. You might get a chance to catch up on your reading list.
  7. Map. To help you find your way back to the nearest pub.
  8. Food expected to be rubbish? Local take out telephone numbers, could be helpful…
  9. Dont forget your phone charger… in case you spend a little too much time playing computer games on it…
  10. Somewhere to hide your whiskey / gin.

Anything I’ve forgotten?

In The Church Sofa Half Serious Guide To Church ,
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