If You Only Had 6 Seconds…

…what would your message on some billboards be, to move people to consider the role of faith in their lives?

That is the question that several Partners and Oblates involved with “Invitation To Faith” (ITF), a billboard campaign jointly sponsored by the Partnership and the US Province,  have been asking in discussions held over the past few months.

US Province delegates to the campaign are Art Flores, OMI , Greg Gallagher, OMI, and Will Shaw from Oblate Media.  Partners involved include Vince Miller, Ed Murray, HOMI, Artie Pingolt, Tom Singer, OMI and Alicia von Stamwitz.  Cameo appearances have also been made by Jim Brobst, OMI, Allen Maes, OMI , Tom O’Valle, OMI and Bill Undertajlo.

Invitation To Faith will be launched in the first quarter of 2013 , with billboards in the St. Louis and Houston areas.  The campaign has been made possible by Vince Miller, who orchestrated the gift of 7 billboards, for one year, from the Drury Corporation.  Will Shaw has also recruited pro bono creative guidance from the Belleville firm InFocus Marketing.  Private donor funds will be raised to create the large printed vinyl sheets that will be mounted on the boards and a grant application is being submitted for the “back end” portion of ITF.

The “back end” resources of the campaign will include a dedicated internet location for responders, leading to dialogue via email, phone or special events with select Oblates who will comprise the Billboard Pastoral Team (BPT).

“Invitation To Faith is about more than putting a message out there that moves people to reach out,”

says Pingolt.  “It is about thoughtful and welcoming stewardship of those responders, individuals who have the courage to come to us and share their faith questions and struggles.”

What is known now is that millions of people will see the message once the boards are up.  Look for updates on Invitation To Faith in 2013!