Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Thursday, November 3, 2005
First Good Problem
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Trunk or Treat
The secret to our success: Tony Dunnick (Clearview Worship Pastor) in front of my Christmas themed trunk-or-treat van.
Well, our trunk-or-treat went well, I would give it a “D” on attendance and participation but an “A” on set-up and fun.
I had a blast!
Monday, October 31, 2005
Sioux City Journal: Clearview Church moves to OU Center
Sioux City Journal: Clearview Church moves to OU Center
Newspaper Article about our move.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Sundays a comm’n
This Sunday is the BIG day, Clearview will meet in a new place and I couldn’t be more excited and nervous at the same time.
What a fantastic opportunity this is for us.
I want to publicly thank Kim Drew for all her help in orchestrating this – Kim you are tremendous!
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Church Marketing Sucks Feature Follow Up
Church Marketing Sucks Feature Follow Up
Free Gas Church in New York Times
(Filed under: Public Relations)Earlier this month we talked about a church giving away free gas to visitors, and last week that church, Clearview Community Church in Sioux City, Iowa, was mentioned in The New York Times.
The mention comes in the last paragraph of an article talking about businesses offering free gas promotions, so it's nothing to get too excited about.
But imagine if your church were mentioned in The New York Times. Not too shabby. It may not immediately lead to more people checking out your church, but it will encourage other journalists to pay attention to your church and it does raise the profile of your church. All of which could eventually (and hopefully) lead to more visitors coming to your church and finding God. And in the words of the "Hokey Pokey," that's what it's all about. (let's not let anyone get the idea that being in The New York Times is some kind of status symbol that churches should be aiming for.)
How did Clearview Community Church land such a mention? Who knows how it all went down, but the primary elements were an idea worth talking about and a press release to let the media know. (and there's probably a fine line between an idea worth talking about and a gimmick, but that's another entry.)
Update: So was the promotion a success? I asked Clearview's pastor, Shawn Raloff, how it went. He noted that the local media didn't give them as much attention as he hoped, but they did pull in 19 families: 12 came thanks to the press release, 4 came by invitation from others, and 3 more were invited by those who came thanks to the press release.
Here's how Raloff summed it up:
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being "Outstanding"—I would rate it a "7." I think the idea was sound, I think that Sioux City is just a hard town to reach out to. We have not seen incredible results here with any of the promotions we have run. All together, so far, it appears that 4 families will become members of the church as a result of the promotion. Total spent: $200.00 for gas, $6 for materials. There is still "residual effect" to be counted; we will have to see how that goes...
Friday, September 30, 2005
New York Times Article
Here is the article!
Bed, Breakfast, Gas
WHEN Matthew and Jennifer Hase of Beecher, Ill., were planning their first-anniversary getaway this month, they had no idea that apple cider would help fill their gas tank. Not literally, of course. Mr. Hase learned of a promotion offered by the bed-and-breakfast where he booked a reservation: buy a gallon of apple cider at a nearby orchard and the inn would give him a credit for two gallons of gasoline.
So last weekend, the couple stocked up on cider and received $10.80 -- the equivalent of four gallons of gas from the local station -- off their bill at the Kingsley House in Fennville, Mich. It was hardly retirement cash but, Mr. Hase said, ''Hey, a few bucks here, a few bucks there, it makes the trip a little better.''
The Hases had a wonderful weekend. But on their return, they learned that President Bush may have disapproved of their trip. On Monday, he asked people to ''pitch in'' and avoid nonessential travel in order to combat repercussions from the hurricanes.
Businesses don't seem to be listening. With stratospheric gas prices sidelining even short getaways, offbeat promotions like this one are on the rise. Businesses that rely on the motoring customer -- from inns to casinos to amusement parks -- have had to grab their share of the diminished revenue, and they are differentiating themselves by rewarding travelers with a prized commodity: gasoline.
Free-gas promotions, which began a few years ago when gas prices were moving up but the economy wasn't, have spilled over from the lodging industry into everyday life. Banks have used gas cards to lure new customers, apartment complexes have used them to attract new tenants. The American Red Cross even got into the act in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey region, giving away $2,000 of gasoline to one lucky blood donor in the summer.
But it's small B&B's that are dreaming up the most eye-catching ways to couch gas discounts, like the offer at the Kingsley House. Those discounts are especially popular now, with lovers of fall color ready to start taking leaf-peeping trips, which generally require driving.
''We needed to save the fall foliage season,'' said Marti Mayne, spokeswoman for BedandBreakfast.com, a worldwide database of small inns. ''And right now gas has a high perceived value. So we asked our members to create fuel promotions.'' Some 250 B&B's responded, she said.
One of the more innovative responses came from the Hummingbird Inn in Goshen, Va., where guests can earn a gallon of gas for every bag of leaves they collect. Raking may be an activity that causes childhood flashbacks, but ''we don't expect people to work that hard,'' said owner Dick Matthews. ''It's like picking strawberries.''
The inn felt the need to guard against overly ambitious guests by imposing a five-bag limit. But whether people want to take up a rake on a quiet weekend getaway has yet to be seen -- so far, no one has.
Other inns make free gas an easier proposition. At the Munro House B&B in Jonesville, Mich., guests get a $20 gas card by mentioning the password ''petroleum'' (when booking within 48 hours of the stay). And at the Homespun Country Inn in Nappanee, Ind., a $30 gas card is the reward for asking for the ''one-tank getaway'' -- an easily remembered phrase, as the inn is just 120 miles from Chicago.
Depending on the price of gasoline on a given day -- and the car you're driving -- these promotions can vary drastically in worth. Some, like the Hases' cider deal, barely break double digits. But the Inn at Cedar Falls in Logan, Ohio, will refund the price of a tank of gas (November to March, Sunday to Thursday) when guests fuel up their cars at a local station -- no matter how big the tank. ''Someone comes to me with a receipt for $75, that's how much I'll give them,'' said the owner, Ellen Grinsfelder. In other words, bring the Hummer.
The president and his entourage, perhaps, would prefer to opt for the deal at the York Street House in Lambertville, N.J.: its discount is tied to a car's fuel-efficiency rating. Bring a car that gets 10 miles a gallon, for example, and take 10 percent off (for the second night of a midweek stay); for 30 m.p.g., get 30 percent off. Ditch the car and ride mass transportation, and there's a full 50 percent off. Prufrock's Garden Inn by the Beach in Santa Barbara, Calif., is also rewarding mass transit riders, refunding the fare (Sunday to Thursday) for those who arrive on Amtrak's Pacific coastal trains, which stop a block from the inn.
Some of the discounts aren't tied to fuel efficiency, but to distance. The Colonial Capital Bed & Breakfast in Williamsburg, Va., gives its greatest reward to long-haul drivers. Guests who come from up to 100 miles away receive $25 in discounts; up to 200 miles, $30; 300 miles, $35; and over 300 miles, $40.
While inns may have some of the most imaginative deals, they are not alone. Even travelers who haven't yet bought their wheels can win free gas. Mitsubishi is offering a debit gas card worth $1,500 to $2,500 (depending on the model) for customers who buy before the end of October.
Take that free gas and go get more. Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga., offered a $5 gas card for every admission ticket bought in September, and the park is considering extending the deal. Or head to Niagara Falls in the next couple weeks, stay at a hotel on the American side of the river and enter the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation's contest to win a year's supply of gas, worth $1,500.
Even unlucky travelers -- and gamblers -- can get free gas. The Isle of Capri Casino in Bettendorf, Iowa, is giving away 7,777 gallons of gas starting tomorrow until Nov. 6. Play the slots at the Golden Phoenix in Reno (after joining the casino's free club) and accumulate points toward free gas. And those who sign up for the free club at Casino Hollywood in San Felipe, N.M., can take a spin on the ''Fuel-Pump'' slot for a chance to win gas vouchers worth up to $3,000.
Marinas, too, are offering deals. The Hontoon Landing Resort & Marina in DeLand, Fla., is offering a free tank of gas with a houseboat rental in October and November.
If all this free gas seems heaven sent, it may just be. Earlier this month, the Clearview Community Church in Sioux City, Iowa, began handing out $10 fuel vouchers to first-time visitors. It's inspired at least two other churches to offer free gas as well. In explaining his brainstorm, Clearview's pastor, the Reverend Shawn Raloff, seemed to speak not just for shepherds looking to expand their flocks, but for the immense number of businesses offering gas promotions these days: ''We're confident in our program,'' he said. ''We just need to get people here.''
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Doing What I Love
There is nothing better than working with kids.
Don’t get me wrong, I like being a Senior Pastor, but I LOVE working with kids! During the summer when we don’t have Kids Rock (our Wednesday after school program) I have a hard time making it to Sunday without feeling the pressures of ministry.
Kids Rock is my ministry drug. It reminds me of why I got into ministry to begin with! And best of all this drug gets better with each fix!
We had 71 kids at our first meeting of the year!
It was so good to see all the old faces and meet a bunch of new ones too.
What a great life!
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
New York Times
Just got a call from Rich Beattie of the New York Times asking about our Free Gas promotion.
I hope it is a positive article, I was so excited just to talk with a national paper that I didn’t even ask.
Saturday, September 3, 2005
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Church Marketing Sucks Feature
Church Marketing Sucks Feature
Free Gas for First Time Church Visitors
(Filed under: Promotion)With gas approaching $3 per gallon (I just paid $2.99 in St. Paul, Minn.) Clearview Community Church in Sioux City, Iowa is offering free gas to get visitors in the door. They sent us a press release yesterday detailing the event: First time visitors get vouchers good for three gallons of gas along with a free Bible and a CD during the month of September.
"We are so confident that our worship service will be the best hour of your week," says Pastor Shawn Raloff, "that we are willing to pay for your gas to get here and back. ..."During hard times church is the first place we need to be," Pastor Shawn explains, "we want people to know that the economy may rise and fall, but God's love remains the same."
Raloff tells me it's a work in progress, but it's an interesting idea. The press release was a good thought (hey, we talked about it)—hopefully the local media will pick up on it and give the church some free publicity. They're also spreading the word about free gas with signs around town, fliers at gas stations and handing out business cards to anyone who talks about gas prices.
Saving on Gas
For the rest of us who don't live near a church doling out free gas, I'd recommend taking a look at Steve Knight's Top 25 Ways to Save at the Pump.
Freedom
On an unrelated note, I thought the best part of the press release, hands-down, was this line:
The 10:30 a.m. service at Clearview is casual (no ties allowed) and is a blend between an Eagles concert and the freedom speech in Braveheart.
I just envision William Wallace swinging that massive sword at anyone who dare come in wearing a necktie. With "Hotel California" playing in the background.
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
FM People Article
If You Invite Them ...
Clearview Community reaches out and draws people in. Inset: Pastor Shawn Raloff.
A promotional background (this young bivocational pastor owns an Internet advertising consulting firm) and a passion to succeed (to see the church reach the masses for Christ) have equipped and empowered Shawn Raloff to plant and grow Clearview Community (Sioux City, IA).
“We should put $10,000 worth of advertising into every plant.” Used effectively and creatively, he says, these dollars can inform and invite a community to church.
Raloff purchases radio stations’ excess inventory (“leftover” on-air advertising time) — a cheaper buy, he says, with play time typically on country/western and conservative news/talk stations. Raloff runs a 30-second inspirational message that asks a question and points listeners to Christ and Clearview.
Mailers, according to Raloff, are another powerful tool to bring in the lost. “A church that spends $3,000 every holiday — to print and mail 10,000 fliers — can expect 100 responses,” he says, “calling or attending services, or maybe just thinking a positive thought about church.”
One key to successful promotion is having the right “hook,” Raloff adds. For example, last Easter, the church held a well-publicized egg hunt that included a special egg containing a ticket for a free bicycle. Service attendance increased, and parents worshiped while children hunted eggs.
Ads in a local shoppers guide have pulled in some 60 visitors at a time (though Raloff says a mass mailing might attract as many as 200).
But the buck doesn’t stop with promotion: follow-up is key. Raloff, members and leaders at Clearview telephone, write notes and visit so everyone will feel connected. Hopefully, people who hear or read about Clearview — on the radio, in a shoppers guide, in a mailed flier — will remember this FM church as the place to go when God comes to mind.
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