Burma Shave Signs Inspire Unusual Evangelism Tool

HARCOURT, IA (January 14, 2003) - "Down The Road/A Mile Or Two/We Have A Pew/Reserved For You."

The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) of Lanyon has tried many ways to make its region aware of what's going on in the congregation and its ministries. The latest evangelism twist is an adaptation of the longtime favorite Burma Shave advertisements that once adorned many of our nation's highways.

Pastor Eric Marx began considering the idea of highway signs after viewing a set of Burma Shave signs on a rural road last year. The first church sign segment/quip appeared last summer on signs adorning local county road P46 that runs from Lanyon to nearby Harcourt. A second set of signs was erected during the Christmas season. The church received county permission to post the signs on farmland near the road. Marx considers the $100 invested in five signs to be money well spent.

Marx attributes the newfangled advertisements in part to an idea that came from a class Marx attended sponsored by the Department of Communication of the Evangelical Covenant Church. "The speaker (Executive Minister Don Meyer) said that if your church is not in a visible avenue where people would readily see it, you need to put more of your effort into making your church known," said Marx. It (the sign idea) has been well received by the church and they've heard positive responses from others. We're hoping to put enough changes in the various signs to keep them (locals) looking. And we even found a lady from town who submitted a Christmas quip and now she's attending the church." (Editor's note: for the record, the new parishioner's Christmas quip goes like this: "Away In A Manger/On A Cold, Silent Night/Jesus Was Born/What A Heavenly Sight.")

Founded in 1876, the Lanyon church of 80 people is located in central Iowa, about one hour northwest of Des Moines in a small town boasting a population of 45 individuals. The town used to be a thriving community and was noted for helping raise noted U.S. Attorney George E. Q. Johnson who put the notorious criminal Al Capone in jail. In recent years, however, many people moved out of the area and the town's buildings fell into disrepair. The Lanyon church is trying to help the community restore the area and has become involved in county measures to help clean up Lanyon. The congregation has found ways to serve the community - and the goodwill has been noticed. Add to that a well-attended 125th anniversary service last September and the congregation has had much to be excited about -signs or no.

"God has been at work and it's been exciting to see the ways He's been working," Marx said. "We've worked hard to build relationships to those we've lost contact with in recent years. We've tried to break down barriers and the Lord's doing it."

Those interested in sending spiritual, Burma Shave-type quips can direct them newsdesk@covchurch.org and they will be forwarded to the Lanyon church.

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