God is still speaking,
Encyclopedia
"God is still speaking," also known as "The Stillspeaking Initiative", is the name of the identity, branding, and advertising campaign of the United Church of Christ
that was launched in 2002.
The initiative was a denomination-wide effort to raise awareness of "the UCC identity" and "UCC theology" and to unify the visibility and "brand
recognition" of the United Church of Christ. The initiative included training for churches in hospitality and evangelism and advertising in local and national US markets. This was an effort to invite and welcome unchurched
people to the church's congregations.
: “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.” Allen’s sentiment, thought Buford, offered a more-contemporary spin on the UCC’s diverse theological commitment to a “still speaking” God. It resonated, he thought, with a similar-sounding refrain from long ago, a church-cherished historical quote attributed to Pastor John Robinson
who, in 1620, urged the UCC’s Pilgrim forebears to remember that "God still has more truth and light to break forth from God’s Holy Word."
As for the beginning use of the comma as a symbol among the UCC and now other churches within the reformed tradition, according to United Church News, "A few days later . . . Buford woke up in the middle of the night with an epiphany. Why should we never place a period where God has placed a comma? 'Because God is still speaking,'" he says. The next morning he shared the postcard and his revelation with Randy Varcho, the graphic designer in the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry. Varcho then designed a red-and-black poster with the oversized comma that was distributed to every UCC church.
After that, as churches began to promote the comma, it just took off. "The comma is perfect for representing UCC theology," says the Rev. Diana Coberly of First Congregational UCC in Great Bend, Kan. "It lets people know that there is an alternative, that they have a choice."
“Ron leaves a permanent legacy on the UCC for which the church will always be grateful,” said the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president. “The Stillspeaking Initiative will continue to be a transforming movement within the life of our church and Ron’s creativity and devotion have been a driving force behind it.” This impact can been seen even among the UCC's oldest congregations who have since reclaimed John Robinson and the God is still speaking brand giving the UCC a unity that had heretofore escaped it since the union in 1957 of the Evangelical and Reformed Church
with the Congregational Christian Churches
.
A review of media sources shows that the reach and impact of the campaign was much broader than "...multicultural and gay-affirming," stimulating marketing and theological discussion on what it might mean to be a member of a church in the 21st century. The campaign was written about in many newspapers and publications. Among the mainstream press:
The New York Times
, Turning to Mammon to Spread the Gospel
The Christian Science Monitor
, Mainstream churches take a leap of faith into TV advertising
The Chicago Tribune
, Networks reject United Church of Christ ads as `too controversial'December 1, 2004
Sojourners Magazine
,
San Francisco Chronicle
, CBS, NBC refuse to run church ad welcoming all,
San Francisco Chronicle
TV networks reject ad from church
The Revealer
-- A Daily Review of Religion and the Press Blog
The Christian Century
, Invisible UCC tries TV ads,
The Washington Times
, Churches Decry Censorship, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jan/30/20050130-123352-3770r/?feat=article_related_stories&page=2
/progressive perception of the UCC despite its majority in centrist and moderate
viewpoints.
According to John Evans, associate professor of sociology at University of California, San Diego, "The UCC is clearly going after a certain niche in American society who are very liberal and have a particular religious vision that includes inclusiveness...They are becoming the religious brand that is known for this."
In March 2006, in response to the advertisement and associated criticism of the Institute on Religious Democracy, prominent evangelical
Chuck Colson remarked: "...what's going on, why the effort to drive conservatives out of the mainline church??"... and he concludes "...if they want to be taken seriously again, the could start by listening to their own new slogan, 'God doesn't reject people, neither do we' and then start by not rejecting people who happen to be Bible-believing Christians."
, or unknown as a mainstream
denomination; and that lack of name recognition had become an obstacle to promoting growth of membership.
To halt the decline in membership and stimulate growth and new starts, Synod adopted a policy of spending public relations monies to enhance the name and image of the United Church of Christ; "...so that the American people will know who we are and be more receptive to local churches’ attempts to grow and offer their theology and services to the community."
Starting in 2003, a task force commissioned by General Synod 24 studied the diverse worship habits of UCC churches. It reflects statistics on attitudes towards Worship, Baptism, and Communion.
Beginning in January 2002, Ron developed the “God is still speaking” campaign in collaboration with Randy Varcho, designer with the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry and with other members of that team—most notably the team's director, Robert Chase.
The 2003 General Synod was themed "God is Still Speaking".
In 2004, before general release, the campaign was test-marketed in Springfield, Massachusetts; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Tampa Bay, Florida and San Diego. According to denominational statistics, there was a 27-percent increase in people coming to UCC churches for the first time in those cities.
These quotes give the phrase's meaning according the church leaders:
National staff statistically improbable phrases
such as "extravagant welcome", "radical hospitality", and "evangelical courage" to convey the kind of hospitality being described.
s allowing a white, well-dressed family comprising a man, a woman and two children into a church building while rejecting a number of other people, including an African American woman, a Latino man, two men holding hands and a person in a wheelchair. The text displayed on the screen says: "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." In the first December 2004 broadcast, the NBC
and CBS
television networks refused to air an advertisement by the UCC, deeming it too controversial. According to Broadcasting & Cable magazine: "The controversy, said NBC, stemmed from the ad's suggestion that 'other religions are not open to all people.'"
The winter 2005 issue of The Witness, a periodical by the Biblical Witness Fellowship, said: "Some controversy continues about the controversy itself. Some reports indicate that NBC and CBS notified the UCC about its decision not to run the “bouncer” ads several months before the campaign launch date, while approving a second “little girl” ad which UCC officials chose not to use until three weeks into the month. All the press releases about this controversy have come from the UCC to coordinate with the release of the Ad. NBC and CBS have not commented, leading some to speculate that the creation of the controversy was an intentional effort to draw attention to the campaign. It is ironic that the one major network to accept the Ad is FOX that is generally considered to be less liberal than the three other networks."
", Buford said. "There will be a buzz everywhere about it". Buford, however, refused to discuss the concept in detail. "Tell people I'm being tightlipped about it", he said with a coy
smile. Throughout the summer and early fall, Buford continued to promote fundraising efforts for the GISS campaign. On Monday, October 3, it was reported that Buford had raised nearly $700,000 toward his goal of 1.5 million. He remained confident he could raise the rest of the money by November so that he could receive a further matching 1.5 million dollars from the UCC national office.
When Hurricane Katrina
hit the Gulf Coast, the UCC challenged its congregations to raise one million dollars for their "Hope Shall Bloom" hurricane relief campaign, which was raised to three million dollars five days later when the enormity of the crisis was realized. Many members also were responded negatively to various fundraising efforts by the denomination. At a meeting on October 14 of the Executive Council, President John Thomas speculated that "Marriage equality, anticipated high heating fuel bills, special giving to tsunami or Katrina relief, anxiety over insurance premiums—all these are part of the picture.". A UCC press release that day indicated that only $400,000 had been raised, and because of a lack of ability to raise funds, the UCC's 80-member Executive Council had approved a Lent
ad buy but not an Advent
one. "While not negating the December ad buy outright, the Council's references to a March 2006 broadcast conceded that the Advent launch of the denomination's new commercial, now in production, was unlikely. As one member put it, 'We'd need a rich uncle to give us $1 million' before the end of October, the window of time necessary to purchase the air time." Despite that desired $1,000,000 contribution from the UCC's Local Church Ministries board a week later, the fundraising efforts fell short, and the church postponed the advertisement until Lent.
During Lent 2006, the UCC launched several websites before the release of the commercial, including i.ucc.org, www.uccvitality.org, rejectionhurts.com,accessibleairwaves.org. At Buford's request, the commercial was previewed by an estimated 800 people between March 17 and 19 at the UCC’s New England Women’s Gathering. In January 2006, Sojourners Magazine
published an interview of Buford describing the commercial. This Sojourners information was subsequently published on several forums and blogs, (namely, ucc forums philisophy over coffee, ucctruths). In reaction, the United Church News stated that "...details of UCC's new TV ad [had] emerge[d] earlier than planned" and therefore issued a complete description of the ad a full week before its planned press conference.
In the new commercial, known as the "Ejector Seat" commercial, church pew
s eject people in a fashion similar to aircraft ejector seat
s; among the persons ejected from the church are an African American woman holding a crying infant, two men holding hands, an Arab-American man and a person with a walker
. The commercial again concluded with the line "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we", and cut to a scene of a diverse church gathering and a voice-over stating "The United Church of Christ: No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."
In June 2007, UCC communications director the Rev. Robert Chase announced that he would be leaving the denomination's national setting to become founding director of Intersections International, a New York-based global initiative promoting justice, reconciliation and peace. During his tenure with the UCC, Chase provided much needed momentum to the Stillspeaking Initiative in the form of organizational structure, support and fund raising. Coming so soon after Buford's departure, the loss of Chase was viewed as a serious blow to the sustained credibility of the campaign.
As the UCC's overall financial picture worsened, deep cuts to the United Church of Christ's national staff resulted in the August 2009 departure of art director Randy Varcho. From its inception, it was Varcho who provided the iconic look for the Stillspeaking campaign. His focus on the comma, found in the campaign tagline "God is still speaking," proved to be the single most universally identifiable component of the then-emerging UCC brand. Arguably a first for a faith organization, the use of a brand to convey its identity was both the inspiration and poetic conceit of the Stillspeaking effort.
Bellwethers in the UCC's Stillpeaking branding effort, the inestimable loss of Buford, Chase and Varcho in leadership roles continues to negatively impact the fundamental purpose and direction of the campaign.
advocates, and the Spanish-speaking community." Additionally, they announced the same day (via United Church News) that they would offer $32,400 in "grants" to augment the ad buys of churches in 26 cities who had submitted creative plans to use $2000.
.
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
that was launched in 2002.
The initiative was a denomination-wide effort to raise awareness of "the UCC identity" and "UCC theology" and to unify the visibility and "brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
recognition" of the United Church of Christ. The initiative included training for churches in hospitality and evangelism and advertising in local and national US markets. This was an effort to invite and welcome unchurched
Unchurched
"Unchurched" means, in the broad sense, people who are not connected with a church. In research on religious participation, it refers more specifically to people who do not attend worship services...
people to the church's congregations.
Branding history
According to United Church News, "The “God is still speaking,” idea was born in 2001 while Ron Buford was traveling in southern California. There, he glimpsed a postcard quote attributed to comedienne Gracie AllenGracie Allen
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
: “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.” Allen’s sentiment, thought Buford, offered a more-contemporary spin on the UCC’s diverse theological commitment to a “still speaking” God. It resonated, he thought, with a similar-sounding refrain from long ago, a church-cherished historical quote attributed to Pastor John Robinson
John Robinson (pastor)
John Robinson was the pastor of the "Pilgrim Fathers" before they left on the Mayflower. He became one of the early leaders of the English Separatists, minister of the Pilgrims, and is regarded as one of the founders of the Congregational Church.-Early life:Robinson was born in Sturton le Steeple...
who, in 1620, urged the UCC’s Pilgrim forebears to remember that "God still has more truth and light to break forth from God’s Holy Word."
As for the beginning use of the comma as a symbol among the UCC and now other churches within the reformed tradition, according to United Church News, "A few days later . . . Buford woke up in the middle of the night with an epiphany. Why should we never place a period where God has placed a comma? 'Because God is still speaking,'" he says. The next morning he shared the postcard and his revelation with Randy Varcho, the graphic designer in the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry. Varcho then designed a red-and-black poster with the oversized comma that was distributed to every UCC church.
After that, as churches began to promote the comma, it just took off. "The comma is perfect for representing UCC theology," says the Rev. Diana Coberly of First Congregational UCC in Great Bend, Kan. "It lets people know that there is an alternative, that they have a choice."
“Ron leaves a permanent legacy on the UCC for which the church will always be grateful,” said the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president. “The Stillspeaking Initiative will continue to be a transforming movement within the life of our church and Ron’s creativity and devotion have been a driving force behind it.” This impact can been seen even among the UCC's oldest congregations who have since reclaimed John Robinson and the God is still speaking brand giving the UCC a unity that had heretofore escaped it since the union in 1957 of the Evangelical and Reformed Church
Evangelical and Reformed Church
The Evangelical and Reformed Church was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. It was formed in 1934 by the merger of the Reformed Church in the United States with the Evangelical Synod of North America . After the 1934 merger, a minority within the RCUS seceded in order to...
with the Congregational Christian Churches
Congregational Christian Churches
The Congregational Christian Churches were a Protestant Christian denomination that operated in the U.S. from 1931 through 1957. On the latter date, most of its churches joined the Evangelical and Reformed Church in a merger to become the United Church of Christ. Others created the National...
.
Media response
According to an unnamed administrator at United Church News, "The campaign's "Bouncer" and "Ejector" ads became known nationally for their edgy, youthful appeal and won several prestigious advertising awards for their multicultural and gay-affirming messages. But when several broadcast networks rejected the church's inclusive 30-second ads as "advocacy" spots, the refusal triggered national news coverage for the campaign."A review of media sources shows that the reach and impact of the campaign was much broader than "...multicultural and gay-affirming," stimulating marketing and theological discussion on what it might mean to be a member of a church in the 21st century. The campaign was written about in many newspapers and publications. Among the mainstream press:
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Turning to Mammon to Spread the Gospel
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, Mainstream churches take a leap of faith into TV advertising
The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Networks reject United Church of Christ ads as `too controversial'December 1, 2004
Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners magazine, a progressive monthly publication of the Christian social justice organization Sojourners, was first published in 1971 under the original title of The Post-American. The magazine publishes editorials and articles on Christian life, the church and the world, Christianity and...
,
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, CBS, NBC refuse to run church ad welcoming all,
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
TV networks reject ad from church
The Revealer
The Revealer
The Revealer is "a daily online review of religion in the news". The website is published by the Center for Religion and Media at New York University with funding from the Center and the university's journalism department. "The Revealer" was conceived by Jay Rosen. Jeff Sharlet and Kathryn Joyce...
-- A Daily Review of Religion and the Press Blog
The Christian Century
The Christian Century
The Christian Century is a Christian magazine based in Chicago, Illinois. Considered the flagship magazine of U.S. mainline Protestantism, the biweekly reports on religious news; comments on theological, moral, and cultural issues; and reviews books, movies, and music...
, Invisible UCC tries TV ads,
The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
, Churches Decry Censorship, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jan/30/20050130-123352-3770r/?feat=article_related_stories&page=2
Controversy
Several conservative groups within the denomination criticized the advertisement campaign for its efforts to create an ONAOpen and affirming
Open and Affirming is an official designation of congregations and other settings within the United Church of Christ denomination affirming the full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons in that setting's life and ministry.The Open and Affirming program is administered...
/progressive perception of the UCC despite its majority in centrist and moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
viewpoints.
According to John Evans, associate professor of sociology at University of California, San Diego, "The UCC is clearly going after a certain niche in American society who are very liberal and have a particular religious vision that includes inclusiveness...They are becoming the religious brand that is known for this."
In March 2006, in response to the advertisement and associated criticism of the Institute on Religious Democracy, prominent evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Chuck Colson remarked: "...what's going on, why the effort to drive conservatives out of the mainline church??"... and he concludes "...if they want to be taken seriously again, the could start by listening to their own new slogan, 'God doesn't reject people, neither do we' and then start by not rejecting people who happen to be Bible-believing Christians."
Identification of need for an identity campaign (1999)
In 1999, the General Synod passed a resolution, "ON NAME RECOGNITION", that urged the expenditure of national United Church of Christ public relations funds to enhance the name recognition of the United Church of Christ to atttract new members at local churches. The resolution complained that local UCC churches were frequently misidentified as the Church of God, Church of ChristChurch of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
, or unknown as a mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
denomination; and that lack of name recognition had become an obstacle to promoting growth of membership.
To halt the decline in membership and stimulate growth and new starts, Synod adopted a policy of spending public relations monies to enhance the name and image of the United Church of Christ; "...so that the American people will know who we are and be more receptive to local churches’ attempts to grow and offer their theology and services to the community."
Studies of local church beliefs and worship habits (2001–)
In 2001, Hartford Institute for Religion Research conducted a "Faith Communities Today (FACT)" study that included a survey of United Church of Christ beliefs. It concluded that the UCC is 45% self-identifying as moderate with equal numbers of conservatives and liberals, and that "...among Protestant denominations as a whole, "uplifting worship" was a key element of the identity of growing congregations."Starting in 2003, a task force commissioned by General Synod 24 studied the diverse worship habits of UCC churches. It reflects statistics on attitudes towards Worship, Baptism, and Communion.
Early campaign planning 2002–2004
Ron Buford lead the Stillspeaking campaign. When it was launched in 2004, congregations opting in received a DVD media kit called "Ron in a Box". According to a recent blog interview with Ron Buford: "Buford had been a member of the United Church of Christ for more than a decade when he came to Cleveland, Ohio, to work at the church’s national offices. Laboring “under the radar,” he saw that the denomination had an identity problem: the church's rich progressive history — its defense of the Amistad slave-ship rebels in the 1830s, its leadership in the abolitionist and civil rights movements, its groundbreaking decisions to ordain blacks, women and gays — was largely lost to the people in the pews and beyond. “As a church that often speaks to the head,” says Buford, “we needed something that also speaks to the heart. People needed to fall in love with their church again.”Beginning in January 2002, Ron developed the “God is still speaking” campaign in collaboration with Randy Varcho, designer with the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry and with other members of that team—most notably the team's director, Robert Chase.
The 2003 General Synod was themed "God is Still Speaking".
In 2004, before general release, the campaign was test-marketed in Springfield, Massachusetts; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Tampa Bay, Florida and San Diego. According to denominational statistics, there was a 27-percent increase in people coming to UCC churches for the first time in those cities.
Meaning of the campaign
No precise official definition of the phrase "God is still speaking" was given. David Roozen, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research who has studied the United Church of Christ, said surveys show the national church's pronouncements are often more liberal than the views in the pews but that its governing structure is set up to allow such disagreements. But, "The gay issue on the national level is such a divisive … issue" the churches' "old tolerance … just doesn't seem to be working as well."These quotes give the phrase's meaning according the church leaders:
- The UCC's brochure, A Message from Our General Minister and President Rev. John H. Thomas says: "We are a "united and uniting" church seeking renewal through the vision of Christ's prayer "that they may all be one that the world might believe." We are a "just peace" church committed to overcoming violence and oppression. We are a "multi-racial, multi-cultural church" yearning for the day when our congregations more fully reflect the vision of Pentecost. We are an "open and affirming" church where no one's baptismal identity can be denied because of his or her sexual identity. We are an "accessible" church cherishing the gifts of all regardless of physical or mental abilities. More recently we have been thinking about what it means to call ourselves "the church of the still speaking God," a church that believes God has yet more light and truth to break forth from the Word."
- The "Welcome to the United Church of Christ" section of the same brochure says: "One of the UCC’s distinguishing characteristics is its penchant to believe that ... God is still speaking, ... even when it puts us out there alone."
- The UCC's April 2004 Stillspeaking missive says: "God is still speaking. We are continually challenged to be open to God’s call—even when it challenges our institutional structures and ideals."
- A discussion guide produced by the UCC Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry, Revised June 2004. "Why the theme, “God is Still Speaking”? The theological context of the identity theme may have been best addressed by Dr. Wilson Yates, president of UCC-related United Theological Seminary of the Twin CitiesUnited Theological Seminary of the Twin CitiesUnited Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is an ecumenical graduate school of the United Church of Christ located in New Brighton, MN. The school was formed in 1960 with the merger of Mission House Seminary of Plymouth, Wisconsin, and Yankton School of Theology in Yankton, South Dakota.Like...
(New Brighton, MinnesotaNew Brighton, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile...
.), in the most recent issue of New ConversationsNew ConversationsNew Conversations is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1978.New Conversations is Evans' third and final release in which he overdubs different piano tracks with his previously played track. The first release recorded in this manner was Conversations with Myself followed by...
:
-
- “The formulation (God is still speaking), brief and succinct, is foremost a creative forging of images that gives shape to an aspect of our understanding of God … Four words: “God” and a verb, “is,” the location of action; “still,” and the action itself, “speaking,” followed by a comma. The words imply a past –– if God is still speaking, we can assume God has spoken in the past, speaks in the present, and, by implications that fl ow from both the verb and the comma, will speak in the future, for the future is indicated by the comma and is being created by the actions of the present. And the word “speaking” points to the active presence of God and to the possibility of dialogue between God and the human community … “But the statement is not simply a linguistic structure of an idea. It is a theological statement that is related to a context, the United Church of Christ (...) And through its particular formation, it engages us in asking such questions as, “Who is the God who is still speaking?” Where will God speak?” “How do we prepare ourselves to hear God?”
- Rev. Arlene Nehring, pastor of Eden UCC, as quoted extensively in a December 2004 United Church News article during the third week of the campaign, 2004.
"People are dying in our communities for a church that offers an extravagant welcome," Nehring said, "and people can't believe there really is a church like they've been hoping for."... "We had been dreaming and scheming about Eden's evangelism ministry, and we knew that - immediately - we had to be in step with the national church's campaign," Nehring said, "and we knew we needed 'big money' to be a significant part of this national effort." In addition to raising much-needed dollars, Nehring said the whole process invested members' hearts and souls in the campaign. At each house party, guests watched and discussed the commercials, and they received various "God is still speaking," trinkets, such as pens and coffee mugs. "Eighty percent of the congregation attended [one of the house parties], and that's extremely high saturation," Nehring said. "The goal was to get as many people involved. ... Nehring is convinced the campaign is evidence of "how God really is still speaking." ... "This is really a campaign that is changing the whole culture of our denomination," she said. "It's saying that we don't have to apologize for being progressive and Christian."
- Ron Buford, in 2006, wrote:
"We introduced the phrase “God is still speaking,” as 21st century shorthand for John Robinson
John Robinson (pastor)John Robinson was the pastor of the "Pilgrim Fathers" before they left on the Mayflower. He became one of the early leaders of the English Separatists, minister of the Pilgrims, and is regarded as one of the founders of the Congregational Church.-Early life:Robinson was born in Sturton le Steeple...
’s famous words in his farewell sermon to the Pilgrims as they set sail from Holland: “God hath yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s Holy Word.”Connecting with John Robinson’s hopeful phrase reminds us to take the Bible seriously, even though we may not take it literally. (...) Like the calls to freedom heard by our Pilgrim, African, German and other European forebears, a mysterious God still calls to open and listening souls whispering, “Explore.” And yes, new worlds will always appear, not only in science and technology, but in justice, and peace, and relationships with God and all creation. Our prayer for you as you work with these theological reflections is that more light and truth will break forth for you and me from God’s Holy Word in the world around us. May the illumination of the Holy Spirit advance our understanding of both the profane and the holy. Amen.
- According to Faithful and Welcoming, one of two main UCC renewal groupsRenewal MovementThe Renewal Movement was a political party in El Salvador. The Renovadores started as an organized internal tendency within the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front around 1999, then split from the FMLN around 2002 when their principal leader, Facundo Guardado, was expelled from the FMLN...
,
- “God is Still Speaking” is built on a theological foundation that reverses the Wesleyan quadrilateral of authority for Christians. Christians have historically recognized the authority of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, in that order. All Christians recognize that God still speaks, but the concept of “Still Speaking” prioritizes the subjective (experience and reason) over the objective (tradition and Scripture). The controversial media campaign, including commercials rejected by the major networks for their advocacy, use powerful visual and dramatic symbols to equate sexual identity and practice with gender and race. This perspective on human sexuality has been affirmed by General SynodGeneral Synod-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
s in “non-binding” resolutions summarized by the “Open and AffirmingOpen and affirmingOpen and Affirming is an official designation of congregations and other settings within the United Church of Christ denomination affirming the full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons in that setting's life and ministry.The Open and Affirming program is administered...
” movement. Only ten percent of UCC churches have officially adopted the ONA perspective, but the entire denomination is being marketed as ONA through the Still Speaking campaign.
- According to a 2005 Biblical Witness FellowshipBiblical Witness FellowshipBiblical Witness Fellowship is an evangelical renewal movement composed of members of the United Church of Christ. Founded in 1978 as the United Church People for Biblical Witness, the movement reorganized as the Biblical Witness Fellowship at a national convocation in Byfield, Massachusetts in...
(the other main renewal group) statement:
"The following statement was released to the press as the UCC ad saw more air time on the evening news shows than on its paid time slots. The United Church of Christ has just released a controversial commercial featuring two muscle-bound bouncers turning people away at the entrance of a traditional church. It is the centerpiece of its “God is Still Speaking” identity campaign. According to CNN the commercial has been rejected by ABC, CBS, and NBC.”
- In reaction, Biblical Witness Fellowship Executive Director, Rev. David Runnion- Bareford has released the following statement: “The rejection of the UCC Ad would indicate that God is certainly still speaking and the message is clear. The commercial has been rejected because it sends an arrogant and negative message that the UCC stands apart from the rest of the Christian church who are portrayed as rejecting people based on how they look.
- “The ad directly conflicts with the UCC's founding identity statement ‘That They All May Be One
That they all may be oneThat they all may be one is a phrase derived from a verse in the Bible at John 17:21, which says:The phrase forms the basis of several ecumenical movements and united and uniting denominational traditions. It is also a common sermon topic on church unity....
' by which the denomination sought unity with all other Christians in the common cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Obviously this campaign exposes nothing other than the fact that the UCC is in the midst of an identity crisis. “In reality most transformational churches are far more welcoming of all regardless of race, sexual experience, or social status than the affirmational churches who pride themselves on being ‘inclusive.’ The invitation to be transformed by the saving power of the atonement of Jesus Christ is far more compelling than a superficial affirmation of one’s lost condition. “Meanwhile the campaign is misleading. The UCC is currently defending itself from formal charges of racism by associations of its African American congregations who the UCC has disregarded in forcing its radical sexual agenda. The denomination is also under strong accusation by mainstream evangelical members who are routinely rejected for ordination, licensure, and leadership if they fail the litmus test of endorsing sexual license as normative. In fact the UCC, far from striving for inclusion, is moving toward an ever narrowing separatism from the Christian mainstream. “The identity of the United Church of Christ is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in Him that we are united in life and mission. No campaign, only repentance and renewal will restore the United Church of Christ."
- A 2010 press release by Elmhurst CollegeElmhurst CollegeElmhurst College is a comprehensive private liberal arts college in Elmhurst, Illinois with a tradition of service-oriented learning. It has a rich affiliation with the United Church of Christ.- History :...
(a UCC-affiliated undergraduate institution) to Worldwide Faith News said the following in regards to its "Still Speaking: Conversations on Faith" lecture series: "The series takes its name from the UCC's "God Is Still Speaking" initiative, an ongoing campaign to reaffirm the church's role as a welcoming, justice-minded community. http://www.wfn.org/2010/11/msg00151.html
Hospitality and evangelism training
Welcoming materials were available at several UCC websites. Additionally, congregations opting in received a DVD media kit called "Ron in a Box" (after Ron Buford, the campaign coordinator). Congregations opting in received a monthly "stillspeaking newsletter" from Ron to keep them updated on the latest developments. They were offered various merchandise such as stationary, pens, shirts, and buttons, as well as training matierials at the "stillspeaking store" to augment their branding and welcoming. A National Evangelsim Event (NEE) was held in August 2004 with workshops incorporating instruction on GISS themes.National staff statistically improbable phrases
Statistically Improbable Phrases
Statistically Improbable Phrases, Statimprophrases or SIPs constitute a system developed by Amazon.com to compare all of the books they index in the Search Inside! program and find phrases in each that are the most unlikely to be found in any other book indexed...
such as "extravagant welcome", "radical hospitality", and "evangelical courage" to convey the kind of hospitality being described.
Advertising
Print and broadcast advertising and merchandise featured the quote and a large comma with a visual theme in red and black. United Church of Christ congregations were asked to "opt in" to the campaign, signifying their support as well as their willingness to receive training on hospitality and evangelism.Bouncer advertisement – December 2004
The first television advertisement in the campaign, "Bouncers" advertisement, showed bouncerBouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
s allowing a white, well-dressed family comprising a man, a woman and two children into a church building while rejecting a number of other people, including an African American woman, a Latino man, two men holding hands and a person in a wheelchair. The text displayed on the screen says: "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we." In the first December 2004 broadcast, the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television networks refused to air an advertisement by the UCC, deeming it too controversial. According to Broadcasting & Cable magazine: "The controversy, said NBC, stemmed from the ad's suggestion that 'other religions are not open to all people.'"
The winter 2005 issue of The Witness, a periodical by the Biblical Witness Fellowship, said: "Some controversy continues about the controversy itself. Some reports indicate that NBC and CBS notified the UCC about its decision not to run the “bouncer” ads several months before the campaign launch date, while approving a second “little girl” ad which UCC officials chose not to use until three weeks into the month. All the press releases about this controversy have come from the UCC to coordinate with the release of the Ad. NBC and CBS have not commented, leading some to speculate that the creation of the controversy was an intentional effort to draw attention to the campaign. It is ironic that the one major network to accept the Ad is FOX that is generally considered to be less liberal than the three other networks."
Second ad – December 2004 – Steeple
The second commercial, known as "Steeple", was broadcast during the week before Christmas 2004. People from differing ethnic backgrounds are shown performing the children's rhyme, "Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people" using hand motions. Each new camera shot features a repeat of the refrain "all the people". The commercial ends with the line, "The United Church of Christ: No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."Fundraising for third (December 2005) ad (Katrina relief and fundraising concerns hamper ad buy)
Soon after the controversial July 2005 General Synod resolutions were passed, Ron Buford, coordinator of the UCC's Stillspeaking Initiative, requested donations to raise three million dollars and promised the new advertisement would be just as provocative as "Bouncer". "It is going to be edgy again and it will create a buzzBuzz
-People:*Buzz Aldrin , American pilot and astronaut, second person to set foot on the Moon*George Beurling , Canadian World War II fighter pilot*Buzz Hargrove , National President of the Canadian Auto Workers trade union...
", Buford said. "There will be a buzz everywhere about it". Buford, however, refused to discuss the concept in detail. "Tell people I'm being tightlipped about it", he said with a coy
Coy
The term Coy may refer to:Places:* Coy, Spain, a town in the municipality of Lorca, Spain* Coy, Arkansas, a small town in Lonoke County, Arkansas* Coy, Alabama, an unincorporated community* Coy Burn, a stream in Scotland...
smile. Throughout the summer and early fall, Buford continued to promote fundraising efforts for the GISS campaign. On Monday, October 3, it was reported that Buford had raised nearly $700,000 toward his goal of 1.5 million. He remained confident he could raise the rest of the money by November so that he could receive a further matching 1.5 million dollars from the UCC national office.
When Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
hit the Gulf Coast, the UCC challenged its congregations to raise one million dollars for their "Hope Shall Bloom" hurricane relief campaign, which was raised to three million dollars five days later when the enormity of the crisis was realized. Many members also were responded negatively to various fundraising efforts by the denomination. At a meeting on October 14 of the Executive Council, President John Thomas speculated that "Marriage equality, anticipated high heating fuel bills, special giving to tsunami or Katrina relief, anxiety over insurance premiums—all these are part of the picture.". A UCC press release that day indicated that only $400,000 had been raised, and because of a lack of ability to raise funds, the UCC's 80-member Executive Council had approved a Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
ad buy but not an Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
one. "While not negating the December ad buy outright, the Council's references to a March 2006 broadcast conceded that the Advent launch of the denomination's new commercial, now in production, was unlikely. As one member put it, 'We'd need a rich uncle to give us $1 million' before the end of October, the window of time necessary to purchase the air time." Despite that desired $1,000,000 contribution from the UCC's Local Church Ministries board a week later, the fundraising efforts fell short, and the church postponed the advertisement until Lent.
Third ad – March and April 2005 – Ejector
Although the United Church of Christ intended to run its new television commercial during the December 2005 period, funding problems prevented this. The UCC's 80-member Executive Council met on November 2 to approve a Lent (March–April 2006) ad buy rather than an Advent one.During Lent 2006, the UCC launched several websites before the release of the commercial, including i.ucc.org, www.uccvitality.org, rejectionhurts.com,accessibleairwaves.org. At Buford's request, the commercial was previewed by an estimated 800 people between March 17 and 19 at the UCC’s New England Women’s Gathering. In January 2006, Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners Magazine
Sojourners magazine, a progressive monthly publication of the Christian social justice organization Sojourners, was first published in 1971 under the original title of The Post-American. The magazine publishes editorials and articles on Christian life, the church and the world, Christianity and...
published an interview of Buford describing the commercial. This Sojourners information was subsequently published on several forums and blogs, (namely, ucc forums philisophy over coffee, ucctruths). In reaction, the United Church News stated that "...details of UCC's new TV ad [had] emerge[d] earlier than planned" and therefore issued a complete description of the ad a full week before its planned press conference.
In the new commercial, known as the "Ejector Seat" commercial, church pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s eject people in a fashion similar to aircraft ejector seat
Ejector seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rocket motor, carrying the pilot with it. The concept of an eject-able escape capsule has also...
s; among the persons ejected from the church are an African American woman holding a crying infant, two men holding hands, an Arab-American man and a person with a walker
Walker (tool)
A walker or walking frame is a tool for disabled or elderly people who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while walking...
. The commercial again concluded with the line "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we", and cut to a scene of a diverse church gathering and a voice-over stating "The United Church of Christ: No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."
Funding cuts and staff losses
Examining the denomination's long-term financial needs, the United Church of Christ Executive Council announced at its April 2006 meeting that the Stillspeaking Initiative could no longer be sustained as a separate program at its current funding levels, and that instead the denomination would integrate the campaign into the overall program of the national setting. On June 7, 2006, the United Church News announced that Ron Buford would be stepping down from his position as coordinator and team leader of the Stillspeaking Initiative effective June 30 and would work as a consultant for six months.In June 2007, UCC communications director the Rev. Robert Chase announced that he would be leaving the denomination's national setting to become founding director of Intersections International, a New York-based global initiative promoting justice, reconciliation and peace. During his tenure with the UCC, Chase provided much needed momentum to the Stillspeaking Initiative in the form of organizational structure, support and fund raising. Coming so soon after Buford's departure, the loss of Chase was viewed as a serious blow to the sustained credibility of the campaign.
As the UCC's overall financial picture worsened, deep cuts to the United Church of Christ's national staff resulted in the August 2009 departure of art director Randy Varcho. From its inception, it was Varcho who provided the iconic look for the Stillspeaking campaign. His focus on the comma, found in the campaign tagline "God is still speaking," proved to be the single most universally identifiable component of the then-emerging UCC brand. Arguably a first for a faith organization, the use of a brand to convey its identity was both the inspiration and poetic conceit of the Stillspeaking effort.
Bellwethers in the UCC's Stillpeaking branding effort, the inestimable loss of Buford, Chase and Varcho in leadership roles continues to negatively impact the fundamental purpose and direction of the campaign.
Blog-based ad buy December 2006
On November 17, 2006, The UCC announced that they would be investing $50,000 in a blog-based ad buy According to United Church News, "UCC ads will be placed on various internet sites and blogs, with the hope of reaching general audiences in addition to targeted groups, such as youth, young families with children, gays and lesbians, social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
advocates, and the Spanish-speaking community." Additionally, they announced the same day (via United Church News) that they would offer $32,400 in "grants" to augment the ad buys of churches in 26 cities who had submitted creative plans to use $2000.
Social networking campaign, April 2010
On April 16, 2010, the UCC launched an online advertising campaign reiterating the message of inclusion and diversity from previous ads. UCC members were encouraged to share the ad through social networking sitesSocial network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
.