Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

A lifetime of happiness
Couple married 70 years to renew vows at festival (A captioned photo of an elegant looking older couple accompanies this headline and subhead.)

The headline, photo, and subhead drew me in. I was familiar with the Danvers Family Festival, a week plus event in a neighboring town that includes all kinds of family oriented activities.

Imagine my surprise when I read that the vow renewal ceremony was sponsored by Calvary Episcopal Church:

"I think it's really lovely to celebrate the moment that really is the beginning of a family," said the Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas, Calvary Episcopal Church's rector, who will preside over the renewal ceremony.

(Read the full article here.)

Calvary is one of those congregations that seem to ‘always’ be getting a feature story in our local daily newspaper. Their ongoing pet ministry has been covered several times by the local daily – and the Boston Globe – always with a photo. 

So, what’s the secret to getting press coverage?

Here are five tips for getting coverage in your local (i.e. community weekly or small daily) news publications:

1. Become familiar with your local community publications (print and online). What types of stories do they run? Do they have an events page? What about pages devoted to local organizations? (My weekly community newspaper devotes one to two pages each week to events related to the YMCA and the Jewish Community Center – these events seem to be a mix of ongoing and special events, most of which attract current members yet are open to the public – might there be an opportunity here for churches?) 
2. Get to know the editor of your community newspaper. Invite him/her to join you for a cup of coffee, and then stay in touch. Learn the steps and challenges involved in publishing a local paper/website and ask about not only the preferred way for organizations to submit news for publication but also about other ways that you, as a community leader, might be a resource to the editor. (And, find out if there are reporters from other media outlets living in your community. If the answer is yes, is there someone in your congregation who knows them? Just as in a job search, a key ingredient for getting media coverage is networking.)
3. Look for ways to connect your ministry and mission with events and issues that are important to you community. Are there events, such as the Danvers Family Festival, where there may be opportunities for your congregation to take part? What issues are important to your community and how is your congregation involved? Being part of the larger story is often a better way to get both coverage – and readership – than a press release highlighting a church event. (See example here.)
4. Look for human interest stories in your ministry and share them. What are the stories in your ministry that tug at your heartstrings or bring a tear to your eye? These are the stories we should be sharing with the wider world.
5. Train yourself – or someone else in your congregation - to take photos of your ministry that tell a story. Again, ask the editor what kind of photos he/she prefers. Pay attention to the photos that draw you in and reflect on what it is that catches your eye. Learn to write captions that tell a story and invite readers to learn more.

Have you been successful in getting good, local coverage for your congregation? What tips can you offer to others?