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Burma Shave Signs Inspire Unusual Evangelism Tool
By Craig Pinley
HARCOURT, IA (January 14, 2003) - "Down The Road/A Mile Or Two/We Have A
Pew/Reserved For You."
The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) of Lanyon has tried many ways to make
its region aware of what's going on in the congregation and its ministries.
The latest evangelism twist is an adaptation of the longtime favorite Burma
Shave advertisements that once adorned many of our nation's highways.
Pastor Eric Marx began considering the idea of highway signs after viewing
a set of Burma Shave signs on a rural road last year. The first church sign
segment/quip appeared last summer on signs adorning local county road P46
that runs from Lanyon to nearby Harcourt. A second set of signs was erected
during the Christmas season. The church received county permission to post
the signs on farmland near the road. Marx considers the $100 invested in
five signs to be money well spent.
Marx attributes the newfangled advertisements in part to an idea that came
from a class Marx attended sponsored by the Department of Communication of
the Evangelical Covenant Church. "The speaker (Executive Minister Don
Meyer) said that if your church is not in a visible avenue where people
would readily see it, you need to put more of your effort into making your
church known," said Marx. It (the sign idea) has been well received by the
church and they've heard positive responses from others. We're hoping to
put enough changes in the various signs to keep them (locals) looking. And
we even found a lady from town who submitted a Christmas quip and now she's
attending the church." (Editor's note: for the record, the new
parishioner's Christmas quip goes like this: "Away In A Manger/On A Cold,
Silent Night/Jesus Was Born/What A Heavenly Sight.")
Founded in 1876, the Lanyon church of 80 people is located in central Iowa,
about one hour northwest of Des Moines in a small town boasting a
population of 45 individuals. The town used to be a thriving community and
was noted for helping raise noted U.S. Attorney George E. Q. Johnson who
put the notorious criminal Al Capone in jail. In recent years, however,
many people moved out of the area and the town's buildings fell into
disrepair. The Lanyon church is trying to help the community restore the
area and has become involved in county measures to help clean up Lanyon.
The congregation has found ways to serve the community - and the goodwill
has been noticed. Add to that a well-attended 125th anniversary service
last September and the congregation has had much to be excited about -signs
or no.
"God has been at work and it's been exciting to see the ways He's been
working," Marx said. "We've worked hard to build relationships to those
we've lost contact with in recent years. We've tried to break down barriers
and the Lord's doing it."
Those interested in sending spiritual, Burma Shave-type quips can direct
them newsdesk@covchurch.org and they will be forwarded to the Lanyon
church.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
