F W Boreham Reaches His Community
F W Boreham Reaches His Community
Marketing Material Created by F W Boreham
Armadale Baptist Church (F W Boreham was Pastor between 1916-1928)
F W Boreham moved to the Armadale Baptist Church in Melbourne from the Hobart Baptist Tabernacle in Hobart, Tasmania. In his new church in Melbourne he followed his tried and true method of printing and distributing to residents via their letter boxes around Armadale (unsure what radius from the church) a ‘syllabus’ which was more than a list of preaching topics.
The syllabus is a long and narrow brochure on stiff paper that was folded. It consists of four pages. It is easy to hand to people with a personal invitation or put in a letter box. Let’s look at it in detail.
+ The size of this syllabus is just right for slipping in a handbag or the inside pocket of a coat.
+ The note, “Please keep this Syllabus until the Course is completed” is a request to keep rather than being regarded as an unimportant brochure to throw in the rubbish.
+ The marketing material is invitational but respectful of the fact that people may be attending other churches: “If you are not attending any other Church, you are cordially Invited to a course…” The message is that the Armadale Baptist Church is not ‘sheep stealing’ from people of other churches.
+ F W Boreham bills two Winter series as a ‘Course’ indicating the educational intent and sense of progression and continuity.
+ Both series are on well known topics and there is the hope that these ancient Biblical commandments and stories will appeal to modern men and women-“The Ancient Mandate and the Modern Man” and “The Ten Commandments Up-to-date.”
+ The interesting titles and sub-titles for this series on ‘The Prodigal Son’ are listed. This shows that the preacher means business. The preacher is well-organised and has worked out the preaching titles and themes for the next five months.
+ Note that this 11-part series is given on alternate Sunday evenings and, as we shall see, the series is interspersed with a second series. F W Boreham found this to be a good plan when he launched in Hobart, ‘Texts that Made History’. ‘Home, Sweet Home’ is very much story-telling while ‘The Ancient Mandate and the Modern Man’ addresses the commandments.
+ F W Boreham no doubt preached these sermons in Hobart so he has plenty of material to work from and revise. He believed it was alright to preach a sermon a second time (or more) so long as the sermon was born again! Interestingly, these sermons became the chapters of his book entitled The Prodigal, published in 1941.
+ There is every attempt to help people to see that this 10-part preaching series will be relevant to the modern age with catchy sermon titles and a fascinating Kipling quote.
+ The governing theme of Sanctity is addressed as it relates to all spheres of life viz. Deity, Worship, Language, Sunday, Family, Person, Marriage, Property, Truth and Contentment.
+ This last page provides a wealth of information about the activities of the Armadale Baptist Church. There are activities for all ages and those with special interests such as sewing, tennis and singing.
+ It is helpful for F W Boreham’s services as baptismal and marriage celebrant to be listed.
+ ‘All Seats Always Free’ is a helpful reminder for people used to going to shows or people who think the church is always after people’s money.
+ The tone of this page is again very welcoming- “You may always be sure of a Welcome.” The location of the church is given and a reminder that the church is near the train station if people are living at a distance from the church on Kooyong Road.
+ F W Boreham is shown to be available with this note: “Mr Boreham may always be found in his Vestry on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 till 8, or at the close of any service.”
+ Dr Boreham’s ministry as a home-visiting pastor is also commended and encouraged with this note: “If a visit from him is desired, just write your address on a slip of paper, and leave it with him, or with the officers at the door after any Service. he will be delighted to call.”
So much to glean about publicity and marketing from F W Boreham through this simple but effective syllabus which would be created and distributed every season.
Geoff Pound