Overview of Use
The Uncommon Denomination Resources
October 14, 2004
The Uncommon Denomination program was started in March 2003 to aid congregations
in raising the visibility of Unitarian Universalism in their local and regional
communities. By providing easily accessible resources and support for growing
liberal religion through introducing Unitarian Universalism in a more direct,
proactive manner, we hope to provide a clear view of what UUs offer and thus,
increase our numbers. Outlined below are two aspects of the program:
Three issue ads are available as full-color or black and white ads and bumper
stickers.
- Don’t Extinguish Our Democracy
- Civil Marriage is a Civil Right
- Homophobia is Against Our Religion
We heard from 31 geographically diverse congregations throughout the U.S.
with plans to implement specific use of the issue ad materials:
- 35% – printed media ad copy
- 6% – wayside pulpit signs
- 13% - printed display ads for outreach at local events
- 22% – kick-off internal discussion about promotion & outreach
The democracy and civil marriage topics were slightly more popular than the
homophobia topic. Five congregations used the issue ads specifically for BGLT
outreach.
For Uncommon Denomination general messages, including use of the service mark,
taglines, copy and images, we had 74 requests from 60 different congregations.
There usage is distributed as follows:
- 20% - general PR; handouts, directory covers, door hangers, etc.
- 18% – printed media ad copy
- 18% - t-shirts, bumper stickers, book markers, and other items
- 14% - other media copy; radio, TV, etc.
- 12% - signs; billboard, wayside pulpit
- 11% - banners
- 4% - websites
- 3% – direct mail
One web radio station – UUplink- is using the radio ads on a regular
basis.
The above uses do not necessitate signing a covenant agreement. However 10
of the 60 congregations that contacted us for discreet use of the service mark
later signed a covenant.
Twenty-nine congregations (listed on the following page) have signed a covenant
to move forward in the Uncommon Denomination process.
Discreet use of Uncommon Denomination materials continues. This now includes
some 30 congregations who purchased banners at or following the Long Beach General
Assembly.
In addition, five regions are using or exploring the use of The Uncommon Denomination
resources. Some few of the congregations in these regions have also signed a
covenant for use. (With a few exceptions, they are not included on the attached
list.) All of them will have the opportunity to use the second generation materials
created for use in our upcoming Houston area campaign scheduled to start in
January. IN addition to Houston, other regions we are working with include:
DFW/For Worth (GA 05), Orange County (following up on GA 04), Philadelphia/Wilmington
and Baltimore/Washington (JPD regional growth strategies), Southeast Florida
cluster. Three more regions or clusters have inquired about possibilities. (Together,
these areas include more than 60 of our congregations in addition to those on
the list of covenanted congregations). We are also sharing information and media
resources with the San Diego Cluster Inreach/Outreach Project.
Over the next 4-6 weeks we will be contacting each of the covenanted congregations
to follow up with them on their use of the materials and invite them to share
information and learnings with us.
Our best estimate is that another 75 -100 or so congregations are using some
of these resources and either tell us after the fact or are “discovered”
(for example - inquiries through our public information office, banners on congregational
web sites, purchases of bumper stickers – from a few to many at a time,
uses of messages and The Uncommon Denomination in church ads or other materials)
Inquiries from individual congregations continue to come in – with more
than a dozen received so far this fall including six inquiries this week (with
one of those exploring covenanting for use.)
Report prepared by Diane Martin and Tracey Robinson-Harris
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