Communications consultants providing services and training for Christian faith organizations requiring:
NOTE: due to the sensitive nature of some of the work we do with our clients, we have withheld names/organizations of testimonials provided. Portfolio testimonials with references are available upon request.
Do you seek to drive participation in a new initiative or vision? Do you aim to become more strategic in your ongoing communications? We provide the following services:
Through multiple interviews and a detailed material review, we assess the effectiveness of your current communication practices and provide a report of recommendations to address your organizational issues, needs and goals.
We work with you to establish measurable objectives, and from there we develop a plan with actionable strategies and tactics, compelling key messages, a toolkit and implementation plan.
We can provide training workshops to empower your communications team or broader staff to carry out any number of communications functions from developing a storytelling culture, to doing media outreach and story pitching.
We can support the roll-out of your communication plan through writing, graphic design, script development, video production and more.
TESTIMONIAL
"Laurie conducted a communications audit to measure the effectiveness of communication across our denomination – to our churches, missionaries and staff. She provided a report of recommendations that helped us to identify our strengths and weaknesses and specific areas that we needed to improve. Laurie's recommendations and follow-up consultations are invaluable as we continue to shape the communications roadmap and strategic plan for the coming years
- Director of Communications of a denomination supporting 120+ churches across Canada.
If a sudden crisis happened in your church or organization, would you be prepared to communicate effectively to the public, the media, your congregation, your staff and other audiences? Our crisis communications plans are tailored to your organization and will help you prayerfully identify the appropriate response strategy in the heat of the moment.
With a crisis communications plan, your team, roles and responsibilities, official spokespeople, key messages, channels and audiences are all defined according to the type and level of crisis at hand. We can conduct table-top scenarios to practice putting the plan to action.
Issues management plans help organizations prepare to respond to a known or expected controversy. Unlike crises communication plans, which help organizations respond during a sudden or unexpected emergency, an issues management plan provides steps to prepare for a potentially controversial decision (e.g. a human resources decision or policy, a leadership transition, etc.), or an ongoing reality that holds the potential to impact your reputation among audiences that matter to your mission if perceptions are not carefully managed.
An issues management plan can equip you through pre-anticipated communication strategies, tools and key messages for engaging key audiences in alignment with your ideal outcomes.
“Laurie has been invaluable from public relations to crisis management to our building campaign. We wouldn’t have been able to do what we have done or be where we are without her.”
- Communications Director for Canada's largest church (6000+ weekly attendance)
Names and references available upon request.
Train your leaders and spokespeople to respond publicly and effectively in the face of media scrutiny. Our willingness and readiness to speak publicly can be a powerful opportunity to bring an appropriate faith-based perspective to the secular arena. In some cases, being asked to communicate publicly is not something to avoid, but rather an opportunity to amplify our Christ-like character and the key messages of the Church.
An effective media response can bring witness to the fact that we are true servants of God, whether you’re:
This media training session (and optional interview coaching) will help your leaders identify important techniques to:
“The media training was exceptional. I had no idea what went into working with the media and you were able to
help me understand it so much. Many of us in the Christian non-profit world have no access to training
like this, I am sure grateful that you came our way. I found it very helpful how you taught the concepts, then
had us practice using them, and then you gave feedback. What a great learning loop. I think that so many
Christian organizations, and churches need what you offer. These are changing times and the need for
professional, committed people to help us navigate all areas of communication better is a necessity.”
- Executive Pastor, church with weekly attendance of 6000+
This is an important season in the life of your ministry. Raising funds to physically accommodate current or anticipated growth requires careful, prayerful engagement, planning and execution. We can help you develop a campaign strategy by engaging/consulting with your staff and leaders, pre-anticipating potential questions and objections and ultimately developing a campaign with a vision your congregation can stand behind financially, emotionally and spiritually.
We developed strategic communication plans for two of Canada’s largest churches.
In each of these projects, our role included a combination of:
• Campaign communication plan development
• Working with leaders in campaign brand conceptualization and development
(logo, slogan, etc.)
• Weekly strategy meetings with church leaders
• Writing campaign materials – online, video and print.
• Storytelling
Church 1: Laurie helped one of Canada's largest churches plan, launch and execute a campaign, with an initial fundraising goal of $15 million to be raised over three years (2018-2021) to fund a new church building and an expansion. Although the goal was later increased, by 2021 and during some of the most economically challenging years, we were able to raise $14.6 million
Church 2: Laurie helped a large church of over 4000 people plan and launch a building campaign with a fundraising goal of $8 million over three years and two construction phases. To date the organization raised 100% of the phase 1 goal.
“An exceptional author, storyteller, and communicator, Laurie was an integral member of our capital campaign communications
team. We garnered pledges worth 98% of the initial three-year campaign goal of $15 million in the first month of the campaign.
We also raised over $6 million in the first year - nearly half way to our three-year goal. By the third year we raised $14.6 million. Laurie played a key role in this success.
She has been an amazing part of our team!”
- Executive Pastor, Church 1
“It was a pleasure to work directly with Laurie as she provided some needed high level communication strategies and core
messages to present to the church family for a large capital campaign. Through interviews and conversations with leadership
she was able to quickly see our uniqueness and tailored her approach and what she delivered for us. She was thorough in all
aspects of what was required, capturing stories and coaching us along the way so that we were able to continue with success past
her time with us.”
- Executive Pastor, church with 4000+ attendees in Red Deer
“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:39)
God uses our stories, spiritual insights and personal testimonies to advance His purposes in this world. Just as individuals have a calling to disciple each other (Hebrews 10:24-25) and to "tell of all his wonderful acts" (1 Chronicles 16:9) so too do churches and faith organizations have a responsibility to share how God has been moving through our ministries and how we have been or will be stewarding what He has provided.
We offer writing services, including:
Effective storytelling can be a powerful form of discipleship and ministry in your church. As we share the things God is doing in our lives, and the insights God gives us in our challenges, we strengthen the church body. Are you looking to cultivate a deeper storytelling culture? Are you trying to demonstrate living examples of people carrying out the way of Jesus? Are you seeking to build a storytelling team and process using volunteers, ministry staff or dedicated communication staff? Depending on your objectives, our storytelling workshop can help your team gather and share compelling stories and testimonies that advance God’s kingdom. Workshop participants will also learn how to:
• Identify storytelling objectives that advance your organization’s unique mission, vision and priorities.
• Solicit and reach out to potential sources for stories.
• Conduct effective interviews to get the information you need for print stories or video.
• Write compelling stories that capture the heart, struggle and triumphs of the authentic life pursuing mission and meaning in Christ.
“We are profoundly grateful for your outstanding professional work as a writer in support of our congregation's 60th anniversary history project...We needed someone with professional expertise to guide this project from conception to completion. You were that person. Your commendable service as project researcher and writer was pivotal to the successful completion of this lasting anniversary tribute. You used a warm narrative style to bring to life the inspirational history of God at work in and through our congregation. Your expertise shines through on every page...Generations to come will be inspired by this anniversary book.”
- Senior Pastor of a large church celebrating 60 years of ministry (via excerpts from a letter to Laurie).
During the the 60th anniversary year of Laurie's home church, she captured the organization's history in a series of books. The project began with humble intentions - to interview a few people and share their stories about how God had been working through congregation over the years.
In the end, Laurie conducted over 100 interviews, resulting in two (soon to be three) books which serve to encourage deeper discipleship and to glorify God and His works through the church over the decades.
“I am from Ottawa… I visited your church when visiting my husband’s family at Christmas and picked up your church history book and would like to keep reading! The overview of what the leaders have done to thrive (especially prayer and reading the word to become self-sustaining …and taking so much initiative without a pastor for a while was wonderful to read). I am 26 and always love hearing the journeys people go through to learn. I really hope other younger people in the congregation have read it, because they could gain a lot.”
“I finished reading both of the books last
night. WOW! That was such a blessing. Thank you
for documenting that history in such an excellent and
mission-focused way.”
“I read and reread various portions. A few times tears
came to my eyes. I couldn’t stop reading till I reached the
last pages. What a grand summary of the denominational
history and the various building programs.”
“I love that it was real and honest and personal… and that
it is about honouring God – what he has done, is doing,
and continuing to do, in the life of our church family.”
“There is a humility about the entire project, and a thankfulness to God that permeates every page.”
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