http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5994
[VirtueOnline] 15 May 2007--The National Episcopal Church (TEC) paid a cool $51,897 for a one-time quarter page block advertisement in the Op-Ed page section (A15) of the New York Times on Saturday, extolling the virtues of becoming an Episcopalian.
Headlined: "The Episcopal Church, Marking a Milestone, Moving Forward" the ad began, "Somewhere near you, there's a blue-and-white sign bearing the familiar slogan: The Episcopal Church Welcomes You. It represents some 7,400 congregations that trace their beginnings in North America to a small but hopeful group of English Christians who arrived May 14, 1607 at a place they called Jamestown - the first permanent English settlement in the New World."
The ad was a result of collaboration between Mr. Bob Williams, Director of the Office of Communications for The Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Jan Nunley, Deputy for Communication for the Episcopal Church.
The ad went on to explain: "You may know us as Washington's monumental National Cathedral, site of historic services and ceremonies, or the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, still unfinished, but already the largest cathedral in the world."
The real intent of the ad becomes clear near the end when it states:
"Episcopalians struggle with the same issues that trouble all people of faith: how to interpret an ancient faith for today ... how to maintain the integrity of tradition while reaching out to a hurting world ... how to disagree and yet love and respect one another.
"Occasionally those struggles make the news. People find they can no longer walk with us on their journey, and may be called to a different spiritual home. Some later make their way back, and find they are welcomed with open arms."
Clearly upset at frothing headlines exposing the splits in local parishes in dioceses around the country, The Episcopal Church hopes, with this ad, to regain lost momentum and prestige by playing up its strengths....
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