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TALKING POINTS: UCC'S NEW 'EJECTOR SEAT' COMMERCIAL
For Conference Ministers, communicators, and other church leaders

(Information contained here should be embargoed until March 27, when 'ejector' ad will be released publicly at a press conference in Cleveland. Questions? Contact Ben Guess, news director, at 866-822-8224, x2177.)

If a reporter calls, emphasize the following key points again and again:

· The UCC's newest ad continues to underscore the heart of our church's message: 'No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here.' The 'ejector seat' ad, just like last year's 'bouncer ad,' emphasizes that the welcome of Jesus Christ's church should be wide, warm and inclusive. God doesn't turn people away and neither should we.

· Rejection hurts. Our focus group testing overwhelmingly indicates that unchurched people say they have felt rejected by the church, whether we want to believe so or not. This should be troubling for all of us, because those outside the church are the ones we are trying to reach with Jesus' welcoming invitation, not just those who are already church members.

· The 'ejector seat' is clearly meant to be allegorical. No church pew, to my knowledge, is actually equipped with an ejector system, but many people -- nonetheless -- have felt rejected after entering a church and sitting in its pews, either from the lack of welcome they may have experienced or the disapproving looks they may have received. This commercial uses a touch of humor to draw attention to the serious topics of alienation and rejection that so many people say they associate with institutionalized religion.

· The point of the ad is NOT to say that churches reject people. The point is: far too many people feel rejected and alienated from institutional religion. All churches, including those in the United Church of Christ, should recognize that people feel excluded for a number of reasons -- their economic status, their race, their marital status, what they wear or who they love. The ad's message, therefore, is an urgent one for anyone looking for a church: 'God doesn't reject people and neither do we.'

· We're not a perfect church, but we are a church that takes its commitment to 'extravagant welcome' seriously. We invite people to give the UCC a try, and hopefully, they'll find a church that works especially hard to make them feel welcomed.

When and where will the ad run?
"Ejector seat" begins airing Monday, April 3, and will run for three weeks on most major cable networks. The church is still raising funds from its members and supporters to possibly extend the length of the ad run through Mother's Day.

Was the ad rejected by any networks this time around?
Yes, like last year's 'bouncer ad', the UCC attempted to purchase ad time on the major networks. CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX have refused to run the ad, claiming it's too controversial to meet networks' ad criteria. The ad, however, is running extensively on dozens of cable networks and is expected to be seen by at least 65 percent of the U.S. population.

Describe the 'ejector seat' ad?
'Ejector seat' purposefully uses humor to draw attention to a serious topic the feelings of rejection that many people say they have experienced through institutionalized religion.
The 30-second commercial begins with a shot of an African-American mother trying to calm a crying baby. Sitting in a church pew, the mother fidgets anxiously, as she endures sour, disappointing looks from fellow worshipers. Eventually, someone in the wings pushes as "ejector" button to rid the church of her and her noisy baby. Into the air, they go flying.

In a similar fashion, a gay male couple, an Arab-American, a person using a walker, among others, get "ejected." Finally, when a homeless person wanders in and takes a seat, nervous parishioners expecting she'll get the boot for sure scoot away from her.

The commercial then ends with a contrasting image shots of diverse, welcoming UCC members. The announcer's invitation emphasizes: "The United Church of Christ no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."