Faces
A flock of 15,000 Lutherans & beyond in California I
t’s a good thing for the Lutheran church that Carl Terzian chose not to become a pastor, because instead of ministering to a few hun- dred congregants he has an index file of 15,000 people he has helped. He has used his skills as founder
of Carl Terzian Associates, a pub- lic relations firm that specializes in assisting nonprofits, to help his congregation, Hope Lutheran, Hol- lywood, Calif., remain vibrant and growing through branding and mar- keting techniques. But Hope isn’t the only church to
benefit from Terzian’s knowledge. “We have offered as a voluntary service to any Lutheran church to sit with them and go through what we do,” he said. “You need to make your church relevant to your community from a marketing standpoint.” Terzian’s assistance spans well beyond the ELCA, thanks to an idea he had about a simple breakfast meeting. About 15 to 25 executives and professionals in a community’s nonprofit and business sectors are invited for a meal, which is hosted by one of Terzian’s clients. At the meeting everyone talks, not only about their work but about what Terzian calls “the back of the card,” meaning personal information. These meetings translate into busi- ness for his clients and have inspired hundreds to join various nonprofit boards.
100 plus What began as a single
Listening and responding are keys to remain- ing relevant, says PR specialist Carl Terzian.
meeting turned into a few a month, and now it has grown to 800 a year. To date, thou- sands of people have attended meetings, and Terzian’s list of participants is a gold mine of contacts for the PR veteran to connect those in need with those who can help. The meetings also have changed people’s lives, Terzian said, recalling a man who opted not to head to his appoint- ment with a divorce lawyer and instead went home to keep working on his marriage.
Terzian shares personal information at the meetings as well, discussing his fight against cancer eight years ago that required surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. He kept working during his illness and has since recovered. As a co-founder of California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Ter-
zian also actively works to raise awareness of, and donors for, the school. But he’s most pleased with his work with Hope. “This is a small church and we don’t have anyone else who can do what I do,” he said, adding that he continues to be impressed with how well the congregation meets the needs of its community. Listening and responding, he said, are keys to remaining relevant. For
example, Terzian and Hope’s pastor, Mark Rasbach, send personal letters to any non-members who send a donation of any size to the congregation. They also schedule a variety of annual gatherings that address concerns in the area, including an event to help the fight against AIDS. Now in his 70s, Terzian is weighing options about the future of his firm. “I’ve been praying about it, with no immediate answer,” he said. “I could turn out the lights and close the doors. But I’m keeping an eye out for some more people who we might groom and train while I still am active.” If someone is able to take over, Terzian has a lifetime of knowledge and
a file of 15,000 names to keep making a difference for Lutherans—and for people of all faiths.
Jeff Favre Favre is a contributing editor of The Lutheran.
107: Adelaide Moen, Grace, La Grange, Ill. 103: George Danson, Salem, Catonsville, Md.; Ferne Zody, Augsburg, Orrville, Ohio. 102: Carol Blackwell, Holy Trinity, Lafayette, Ind.; Stella Lee Carlson, Bethesda, Moorhead, Minn. 101: Esther John- son, Emanuel, Modesto, Calif.; Gladies Johnson & Augusta Thorson, Trinity, Thief River Falls, Minn.; Isabel Lineau, St. Luke, Middleton, Wis. 100: Paula Parrish Antrainer, Living Christ, Florissant, Mo.; Ruth Larson, First, St. Peter, Minn.; Ingmar Molde, Our Savior, Montevideo, Minn.; Lillian Olson, Vangen, Mission Hill, S.D.; Marie Sersland, Washington Prairie, Decorah, Iowa; Mavis Thompson, Holy Trinity, Falls Church, Va.; Helen Williams, Christ, Whiting, N.J.; Natalie Heyd, Zion, Aberdeen, S.D.
April 2013 43
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