Use the Power of the Press for Your Church
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
-Jesus, Matthew 5:15-16
A positive article about your church in the local newspaper will do more good for the congregation than any advertisement in the paper. Getting in the paper from time to time is easier than you may think if you use a bit of creativity.
An Example from Christ Church, Frederica
A perfect example of this is a recent article in The Brunswick News about a new liturgy offered on Wednesdays at Christ Church, Frederica. The article, Slowing Down told of a new weekly service called “X Church” that the historic congregation just launched on Wednesday evenings. One could not buy better advertising than the lengthy introduction to the liturgy given in the article.
Christ Church Rector, the Rev. Tom Purdy told the paper, “I think it might be particularly helpful for younger generations because of the intention behind the worship, the teaching we build into X Church about why we do things, and the inclusion of practices that are transcendent. My experience tells me that younger generations, not far behind my own, want their worship to transport them away from today to something that is holy and mysterious”.
He went on to add, “I have seen this for myself, and read about it in other communities. Sometimes there is not much difference between a Sunday morning and a secular gathering. X Church will leave no doubt that we are setting ourselves apart to be in the presence of God.”
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How to get noticed
My wife, Victoria, and I worked for two different newspapers in the years right out of college and she later worked as a section editor at The Brunswick News and as Editor of Georgia’s Coastal Illustrated. Through this work I saw how the newspaper has a seemingly insatiable need for stories about the community. I also saw how press releases get filtered based on 1) what else the newspaper already has on hand, 2) how newsworthy the information is, 3) how recently similar news ran.
Some examples for your congregation
Knowing this, you have a chance to get in your local paper a few times a year at most, so unless you haven’t been featured in some time, you will want to pick noteworthy events to highlight or give an interesting slant on a common event. For example, the blessings of the animals just held could have gotten press coverage as St. Paul’s, Albany, did in The Albany Herald with this article: Bogart Receives a Blessing for blessing a “two-hump” or Bactrian camel. Looking forward, are you doing something innovative for a fall festival or Halloween event?
Similarly, a press release on a congregation member with an interesting ministry can get attention. Who do you have in your church that is doing good in the community? How might you share that with the newspaper. One example would be a press release on an upcoming free health clinic or a mission trip that emphasizes not the clinic or the trip, but a community members longtime commitment to a project. The news angle would be the local dentist who has faithfully volunteered time overseas or the school nurse who cares for the poor for free for many years.
The bottom line
Remember that the newspaper needs news. Create a press release that gives a human interest or news angle to something going on in your church. Send these in a from time to time, making sure not to flood the paper with releases and so making any given release easier to ignore. Be sure to mention the appropriate phone numbers and email addresses to contact for further information and provide photos or let them know when photos could be taken. The easier you make all of this on a newspaper editor, the more likely the release will succeed.
-The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary
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