"New Members Meet the Past, the Present"
One of the helpful tools churches are using to orient new members is a home-produced tape/slide show.
First Church of God in Defiance, Ohio, for example, put together a 12-minute presentation of its various activities, along with a capsule history of the congregation and the special beliefs of its denomination.
The script was written from an outline provided by the pastors, Dick Latham and Dale Senseman, and other lay workers. Various members took the slides, and the final narration was taped by another member who is a local radio broadcaster. The finished product includes an inaudible beep so the slides advance automatically once the tape begins.
"We made several copies of the program so we can show it to small groups in homes," says Latham. "That way we can be sure everyone gets all the information and the same information. The show also helps new members think of questions that might not come up otherwise."
Old First Church (Presbyterian) in Huntington, New York, took time to dramatize its long and colorful history for the camera. Starting with the church's origin back in 1658, when three missionaries arrived to convert the Long Island Indians, the past is retold in full costume. A local redcoat brigade of Revolutionary War buffs portrays the British soldiers who destroyed the church in 1776. The rebuilding in 1784 is highlighted.
As the show moves along, modem scenes present activities a new member might like to join: the choir, the Sunday school. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, women's circles, youth groups.
"It's not only educational; it's inspiring and challenging," says William W. Rogers, senior pastor of Old First. "And our committee had a great time creating it to help inform the new ones coming in."
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