December 2007 - Seventh Day Baptist | General Conference of the ...

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Department Index for 2007(Feature and Local news Index on page 11)ColumnsPearls from the PastA family’s religious heritage discovered ...................... Jan.A living legacy from an extinct church ........................Feb.Unburied mountain treasure .................................. MarchCockerill for the African .............................................AprilSDBs weigh more than they count ..............................MayA legacy from an old brick church .............................. JuneSeventh Day Baptists andBrown University ............................................ July-Aug.The Associations and General Conference .................Sept.A high point in SDB recognition ................................. Oct.Living successfully or living significantly ................... Nov.What’s in a name? .......................................................Dec.Christian EducationHow are you on the ‘sharing scale’? ............................ Jan.Use that talent .............................................................Feb.Nominate a teacher ................................................. MarchHelping Hand needs a boost ......................................AprilPre-Con forms..............................................................MayYouth and Young Adult events at Conference ........... JunePre-Con memories .............................................. July-Aug.Scripture Memory Verses for 2008............................Sept.2007 Scripture Memorization participants ................ Oct.2007 Sabbath School Teacher of the Year ................. Nov.A plan for new lessons .................................................Dec.Focus (Missions)Nigeria—Challenge to compete ................................... Jan.Positive impact in Tanzania ........................................Feb.Uganda teaching for the future ............................... MarchMore from Uganda .....................................................AprilSchools in Sierra Leone ...............................................MayMore needs in Sierra Leone........................................ JuneFrom Sudan to Nebraska .................................... July-Aug.Areas of concern .........................................................Sept.Bibles for Africa ........................................................... Oct.Northwest Days 2007 ................................................. Nov.Big meeting planned in Kenya ....................................Dec.Women’s PageGive of yourself to the Master ..................................... Jan.The heart of missions ..................................................Feb.Hold your peace ....................................................... MarchThe elephant ...............................................................AprilOkay, so DON’T hold your peace ................................MayThe big splash ............................................................. JuneFull circle ............................................................ July-Aug.First responder ...........................................................Sept.Becoming a woman ..................................................... Oct.More beautiful than diamonds ................................... Nov.Destination: Kosovo ....................................................Dec.ReflectionsA strange(r) love .......................................................... Jan.Outlawing marriage? ..............................................Feb.Rich blessings from poor folks ................................ MarchOne bite at a time........................................................AprilSliding out of March ....................................................MayPlease pass the food—to someone else ....................... JuneProud to be an American .................................... July-Aug.The more the merrier .................................................Sept.Women can be heroes, too .......................................... Oct.A perfect fall day ......................................................... Nov.Give until you feel better .............................................Dec.A special year ............................................................... Jan.Water and fertilize .......................................................Feb.Blooming beyondwhere you’re planted ............................................ MarchCommunication conundrum ......................................AprilNibbling around the edges ..........................................May26 The SRKevin’s Korner(Nearly) empty nest .................................................... JuneHome away from home ...................................... July-Aug.Are you smarter than… ? ............................................Sept.Better is one day .......................................................... Oct.The Last Frontier, the last state ................................. Nov.Making impressions ....................................................Dec.
SR KornerK E V I N ’ SORNERMaking impressionsAfter coming home from a recentclothes-shopping excursion, my wifediscovered that one of the sweatershad a “pull” in the back. The local storedid not have a replacement in her size,so the manager suggested that she callother stores in the area.During the nine phone calls, Janetdiscovered that there was a wide rangeof “phone etiquette” among those stores.(None of them had the same item, soshe wound up keeping the sweater.)But if another big sale would cometo that clothing chain, she would likelyremember which store was the most professionaland helpful over the phone.First impressionsFor me, an important follow-up to “What doesyour church mean to you?” is, “How does your churchcome across to others?”First impressions are vital. Dr. Leonard Zunin oncewrote that when two people meet, the first four minutesare the most important. “What is communicated duringthose minutes is so crucial,” Zunin said, “that it willdetermine whether strangers will remain strangers, orbecome acquaintances, friends, or lifetime mates!”What’s the first impression when someone “meets”your church?It can be a real challenge for churches to create impressions,and even harder to correct impressions thathave been years in the making.The question isn’t whether or not you’ve made animpression. The question is, “What is that impression,and is it positive or negative?”First-time visitImagine that you are a first-time visitor coming toyour church facility. Is the name of the church clearlyvisible?What’s your impression of the building and grounds?If you didn’t know anything about the group that meetsthere, would you want to come in?How’s the lawn and shrubbery? If it’s needed whereyou live, timely snow and ice removal not only wardsoff lawsuits; it also says that your congregationcares about its neighbors.Public relationsAre you sharing your building with othercommunity groups? This can be an outreach tool.Try some friendly (but unobtrusive) ways to letthese folks know that they are welcome to attendyour services.Get the phone! Everyone who picks up the churchphone should be trained on how to answer, andhow to respond in a helpful manner to give outbasic information.What’s the message on your answer machinesound like? It should be brief and “natural” sounding.Try to change the message occasionally to includespecial services and seasons.The old Yellow Pages have given way to apresence on the Web. Is your website updatedregularly?Do you have a good relationship with the localmedia? Don’t forget about the shoppers and “giveaways”out there that can provide some free publicity.Make your news releases timely, and aboutreal news happenings.Try to be consistent in reflecting the spiritof your congregation. Do you have a slogan,or a special logo or theme? Use thaton your handouts, letterhead, andadvertising.Serious “business”Commercial marketing is concernedwith Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.Should a church (gasp!)be involved with “marketing”?Our Product is the messageof eternal life. The Price isone of belongingand offeringourselves inservice. The Place?“…into all the world.”Isn’t this worth ourPromotion?December 2007 27
Page 4: What the church means to meA place
Page 7 and 8: My church… my family!by Voni Matt
Page 9: Getting an early startby Cormeth G.
Page 12: SR FinancesF inancialFAITHWhite Chr
Page 15: However, when in 1902 the ownerof t
Page 18 and 19: the BEACONDecember 2007Procrastinat
Page 20 and 21: 2008 SDB General Conference August
Page 22 and 23: Living in a covenant relationshipby
Page 24 and 25: Seventh Day BaptistWorld Federation
Page 28: Periodicals postage paidat Janesvil

December 2007 - Seventh Day Baptist | General Conference of the ...

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