News from Presbytery of East Tennessee

New Vision Banners Celebrate Vitality

During the August 19th Presbytery meeting, the Equip Mission Team will announce the first recipient of the New Vision Banners. These two colorful banners were created in a workshop, led by Patty Quinn from Maryville's New Providence Church, and were used during the worship services of the 2008 Loaves and Fishes Experience. Reflecting the event's theme of "A New Vision for a New Day" they serve as a reminder of the wonderfully creative and often surprising ways God's Spirit is at work in our churches and in our world. To recognize and celebrate a congregation that is experiencing new vitality or growth from their New Vision in mission and ministry, the Equip Mission Team recently voted to award these banners to a church at a presbytery meeting. That congregation can then display these banners in their church for the 3 months between presbytery meetings. For more information, click here.

Are You Planning Your Fall Schedule?

Would you like to know more about the marketing and advertising program of the New Vision committee? How about learning more about what your church can do in your neighborhoods? Are you interested in learning what other churches are doing with outreach and evangelism?

If the answer is yes to any of these, don't forget that Donna is available to speak to any group, including family night suppers (she loves to EAT!), and her schedule is filling up fast! Please email her at 2008newvision@gmail.com, or call the PET office for more information and to set up a date. Remember, Donna's services are FREE to churches, so call today!

Billboards Are Everywhere!!!

Peace Billboard

Don't forget to look up occasionally when you're driving down the road and check out our billboards! Equip has decided to continue the billboards at least until the fall. Response has been overwhelmingly positive, and many of our churches have expanded on them by using the artwork for their own local materials. If you're interested, please let Donna know and she can send you templates for almost any type of printed material. Television ads are still running, but at a minimal level for now. As the weather cools and people begin to gather inside, we hope to increase our television frequency.

If you have a story to tell about our new outreach program - how it has affected you, your church, maybe someone in your neighborhood or a stranger in a store - please share! For example, a woman who has a job in media and who works peripherally with our campaign, wrote me to thank us for the powerful message. It seems that she is going through a particularly painful divorce, and our boards gave her hope, comfort, and the knowledge that she is not alone. I suppose this can be called "peripheral evangelism". We're touching people's lives and sharing the Good News, so let's share those stories with each other. Please write at 2008newvision@gmail.com.

Did you know...that New Vision is not just about advertising? They also oversee a grant program for churches to use in their neighborhood outreach efforts. They are currently forming task forces to research possibilities for New Church Development and Congregational Transformation here in East Tennessee. The New Vision committee is considering ways to continue our regional and local outreach by offering follow-up meetings with churches who would like to develop a more detailed outreach "vision" for their communities. New Vision is also working to put together a matching funds program to assist congregations with larger mission efforts. What an exciting time to be a part of PET! If you have ideas for future New Vision projects, please let us know!

FREE BANNERS!

The Equip Team has voted to have a personalized banner printed for each church (up to $100.00) that will include one of the billboard designs and a message of your choice. Please come to the New Vision table at the Presbytery meeting to get more information and sign up for your free banner!