Allegheny Synod Home Page | Return to "The Bishop Speaks" Page
Being a Steward of
The Lutheran Letter Opportunity
Alleluia!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This May edition of The Lutheran Letter marks the completion of one year of publication of this journalistic venture. It has been an excellent year. We have heard from you that the letter is a helpful communication tool. You have told us that it celebrates Allegheny Synod life in congregations and partner ministries; and keeps you informed about and inspired by our life together as Lutherans here in the Allegheny region. Readership has grown as individuals have requested that The Lutheran Letter be sent to their homes. Plus congregations have consented to share their mailing lists with us so that it can be sent to each of their members. We have even heard from other synods applauding our initiative and requesting information on the details for publishing The Lutheran Letter.
It has been exciting to see this idea of the Marketing Task Force take shape and ultimately become a reality. This group of individuals has been tireless in encouraging the birth of this communication tool. Though there have been and continue to be several challenges involved in this project, the most critical at present is achieving the Task Force’s original vision of advertising, in The Lutheran Letter, paying for the development and distribution of each monthly edition of the publication.
At present, we find ourselves in a ‘catch 22’ scenario – to get more advertisers we need more people receiving the newsletter. However, adding new subscribers makes it more costly to produce The Lutheran Letter … and, as I just informed you, we do not have enough advertisers. Thus, the reason for this article; we need advertising!
I confess when the Marketing Task Force proposed The Lutheran Letter utilizing advertising to fund the venture I had mixed feelings. This is the church, we do ministry through our offerings. But it was clear we did not have money from our synodical mission support offerings from congregations to fund the endeavor; so … I consented to giving the project a try.
Well I have become convinced that this communication tool can make a difference in our life together. Because I am a steward of The Lutheran Letter, I feel compelled to speak to you about finding and encouraging advertisers to underwrite the cost. If we do not, I feel certain we will lose this tool for informing and encouraging our Lutheran community. Presently we are paying for publication and production of The Lutheran Letter through our regular budget, which is creating a major deficit. A member of the Executive Committee questioned the other day, “How long can we continue publishing The Lutheran Letter, because we cannot keep paying for it out of our operating budget in a time of decreasing mission support.”
The statement is true; the synod cannot afford deficit spending year after year. To do so would be irresponsible fiscal management, no matter how wonderful the idea! So we need businesses, professions, companies, stores, and individuals who would be willing to advertise in The Lutheran Letter. Costs and policies for advertising can be secured from Michelle in the Synod office.
The Lutheran Letter is a communication link that belongs to all of us; we are all stewards of it. I have sought with this article to be a faithful steward in calling the present dilemma to your attention. We need advertising to make this venture successful. The solution rests with our resolve. I believe together we can make this work! Thank you in advance for your response.
P.S. Advertising has been the Team’s focus, but could you be a patron of The Letter? I would hope so, but the Team would need to determine how we would acknowledge patrons. If you desire to be a patron, contact Michelle in the Synod Office. If there is enough interest in the patron idea, I will encourage the Marketing Task Force to explore how we might best do that.
Allegheny Synod Home Page | Return to "The Bishop Speaks" Page