Today we're still enjoying warm sunshine, the sounds of children splashing at the beach, picnics and evenings at the ball park.  Fall seems a long way off but has a way of coming upon us quickly after the more relaxed pace of summer vacation from school.

Q. When is the first day of Fall in 2009? (in daylight savings time)

A:  That depends where on Earth you are standing in relation to the equator.

First day of Fall - Northern Hemisphere

For the Northern Hemisphere, fall begins on September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EDT.¹

First day of Fall - Southern Hemisphere

For the Southern Hemisphere, the first day of Fall is March 20, 2009.  In Australia and New Zealand, the official start of Autumn (as it is called) is the first day of March.

In just two months from today is the first day of fall for us in the Northern Hemisphere.  If you are planning a retreat or event for fall you may want to use these next 63+ days to help generate interest in your fall gathering.

Following are some tips you may want to consider in building a full scale promotional plan to encourage internal participation as well as recruiting new potential attendees through external means.

Build Anticipation:

For all people it is important to look forward to what they are going to experience.  If they have an idea of what to expect this will lead to anticipation.  They will be more likely to invite others to join them.  For a fall event they may be drawn to a time of rest and reflection between summer and the holiday season, cool crisp evenings, quiet reflection in the midst of beautiful fall foliage and/or beside the lake, journaling with a cup of hot tea or coffee, bonfires, s'mores, strolling with the sound of leaves crunching under your feet and giving thanks for yet one more year that God has blessed us.

Answer the "Who, What, When and Where" Questions:

Remember to re-state the basics for your event with each communication as well as the way to connect with you as a key leader to answer any additional questions. 

Promotion: Internal:

Use every means available to build interest and anticipation within your congregation or organization.

1. PowerPoint slides to pre-promote the event date/time/place and what help is needed.
2. Bulletin inserts
3. Bookmarks
4. Schedule a variety of speakers to stand up and promote as part of the weekly church service(s).  A good time may be between Worship and the Sermon, just before Announcements, etc.
5. Newsletter article
6. Web page for the event within the church website
7. Man a booth in the lobby of the church with sign up sheets to recruit workers
8. Create invitations for your congregation to pass on to their family and friends in both printed and electronic forms.  Photos can be reduced in size and attached as embedded JPGs for broadcast emails blind-copied to the congregations' email list
9. Be sure to do reminders the week of the event so they don't forget that "now's the time".
10. Need to assign a photographer to capture this event as it unfolds and use for promotion in the future. These photos can be the basis for the PowerPoint featuring a thank you to the volunteers.

Promotion: External:

Think about every possible way you can reach people that might be interested in what you are coordinating.  Plan now to line up leaders for each aspect, design promotional pieces, time lines, etc.  This way you will be ahead of the curve.  When Fall arrives you will have kept your event in the front of their minds AND you will not be scrambling to organize at the last minute as your deadlines for the event draw closer.  Following area a variety of ideas that may be helpful in your planning.

1. Submit news releases with 2 to 3 photos on a schedule to the local media (newspapers, radio, TV, etc.).  Make sure the photos are at least 300 dpi if sent to the newspaper and a photo cut-line is included.
2. Enlist members of your congregation to gain permission to place a stack of flyers or invitations to the event in prominent places like gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, etc.
3. Ask your congregation to promote the event to their family, friends and customers in their own newsletters or as personal invitation letters
4. If possible, produce a CD and/or DVD explaining what the event is about and an invitation message and/or speaker sample to use in contacts with electronic media and/or other churches and organizations.
5. PSAs (Public Service Announcements) may be aired if they are good quality and provided so it is easy for the TV or Radio Stations to use.
6. Invite  your local Ministerial Alliance and ask them for permission to provide a bulletin insert they will stuff to inform their congregation(s).  You may also want to supply 2-3 sample blurbs that can be easily added to church bulletins if they don't want to use the insert but are favorable to the event.  Be sure to help them understand the WIIFM (what's in it for me).
7. Signage: Place a banner outside your church to promote the event.  If it is possible to gain approval for a banner or sandwich board sign near the location the event will be held this could draw in people who live in that area or pass by en route to work.  Also utilize any available bulletin board space, permanent church signage with message space, etc.
8. Newspaper Ad or Regional Magazine Ad: may be a help in generating interest and attendance. Be sure to include all pertinent who, what, when and where information as well as a contact name, phone number, email address and website if possible.

For a more extensive PDF planning checklist for events please click here.

As Fall Arrives:

A road like brown ribbon
A sky that is blue
A forest of green
With that sky peeping through.
Asters, deep purple,
A grasshopper's call,
Today it is summer,
Tomorrow is fall.²

 Psalm 90:12 says "Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." NLT

Dear Lord, please help us all to recognize the times and seasons, to draw near to You and to seek Your will and Your ways.  Help us to enjoy each phase of our time on this earth and to enrich the lives of others along our path.

A fallen leaf is nothing more
than a summers wave good by³

¹http://wiki.answers.com/Q/When_is_the_first_day_of_Fall_in_2009

²Can Teach website, Fall, http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems1.html

³Autumn Days Are Here Again, http://www.spritzels.com/poems/autumn.html