Post by Watchman on Nov 9, 2006 13:34:56 GMT -5
Church kicks off 'Santa Christ' campaign
UPDATED: 2006-11-08 01:39:27 MST
TORONTO -- An ad showing Jesus Christ sitting in a Santa Claus chair is part of a United Church campaign launched yesterday to appeal to the 30- to-45 crowd.
The church hopes to get some of them back into the pews.
The ad, among a half dozen to appear in December issues of lifestyle magazines and community newspapers, is one part of a three-year $9 million campaign called Emerging Spirit.
It includes an interactive website and an effort to get the church's 3,500 congregations involved.
The ad, depicting Jesus sitting in a shopping mall with a child on his knee and surrounded by presents, asks: "Would you still take your kids?"
It is aimed at stirring up a debate about whether the "commercial aspect of Christmas can co-exist with the spiritual and moral" side of faith, said project leader Rev. Dr. Keith Howard.
Should Christmas be about Jesus, Santa Claus, or both?
The ads, created in partnership with Toronto-based communications firm Smith Roberts and Co., are also part of an effort to build awareness of the website www.wondercafe.ca, said Howard.
Another ad shows two grooms on a wedding cake and asks "Does anyone object?"
In another, a bobble-headed Jesus sits on a dashboard and readers are offered the choice "Funny" or "Ticket to hell."
There's also an ad featuring a can of whipped cream: "How much fun can sex be before it's a sin?"
WonderCafe.ca, developed by the church's Emerging Spirit team of Internet experts, hopes to connect with 30- to-45-year-old Canadians who don't have a faith community but are interested in things spiritual, said Moderator Right Rev. David Giuliano, the church's top official.
Statistics Canada shows membership in the largest Protestant Canadian de-nomination in the country dropped from three million in 1991 to 2.8 million in 2001.
UPDATED: 2006-11-08 01:39:27 MST
TORONTO -- An ad showing Jesus Christ sitting in a Santa Claus chair is part of a United Church campaign launched yesterday to appeal to the 30- to-45 crowd.
The church hopes to get some of them back into the pews.
The ad, among a half dozen to appear in December issues of lifestyle magazines and community newspapers, is one part of a three-year $9 million campaign called Emerging Spirit.
It includes an interactive website and an effort to get the church's 3,500 congregations involved.
The ad, depicting Jesus sitting in a shopping mall with a child on his knee and surrounded by presents, asks: "Would you still take your kids?"
It is aimed at stirring up a debate about whether the "commercial aspect of Christmas can co-exist with the spiritual and moral" side of faith, said project leader Rev. Dr. Keith Howard.
Should Christmas be about Jesus, Santa Claus, or both?
The ads, created in partnership with Toronto-based communications firm Smith Roberts and Co., are also part of an effort to build awareness of the website www.wondercafe.ca, said Howard.
Another ad shows two grooms on a wedding cake and asks "Does anyone object?"
In another, a bobble-headed Jesus sits on a dashboard and readers are offered the choice "Funny" or "Ticket to hell."
There's also an ad featuring a can of whipped cream: "How much fun can sex be before it's a sin?"
WonderCafe.ca, developed by the church's Emerging Spirit team of Internet experts, hopes to connect with 30- to-45-year-old Canadians who don't have a faith community but are interested in things spiritual, said Moderator Right Rev. David Giuliano, the church's top official.
Statistics Canada shows membership in the largest Protestant Canadian de-nomination in the country dropped from three million in 1991 to 2.8 million in 2001.