United Methodists to Offer Hot Cocoa and Hospitality in Busy Shopping Areas Dec. 15-18

United Methodists will offer a warm smile and hot cocoa on the streets of Atlanta and Decatur Dec. 15-18, along with the message, “When we find the true meaning of Christmas church can happen anywhere.” 

It’s all part of a national Rethink Church Advent “creative outreach campaign” planned by UM Communications for nine major cities this month, focused on high-pedestrian traffic areas.

An “experiential marketing” firm hired by UMCom will provide the cocoa, poured by professionals wearing heavy, red containers that look like jetpacks on their backs. They'll be joined by local United Methodists who can chat and offer a smile to passers-by as they get their cups of cocoa.

Messaging on the cocoa dispensers and the cups will invite people to visit a United Methodist church this Christmas, and to visit www.rethinkchurch.org/find-a-church so they can find a church in their community. 

Each day the hot cocoa dispensers and accompanying volunteers will spend six hours at a high-traffic location:

Thursday, December 15
8 am to 2 pm
Peachtree Center, World of Coke, Centennial Park

Friday, December 16 
8 am to 2 pm
Christkindl Market, Atlantic Station (German Christmas Festival) 

Saturday, December 17 
10 am to 4 pm
Buckhead, Lenox, Pink Pig

Sunday, December 18 
11 am to 5 pm
Decatur Square

As commuters, holiday shoppers and eventgoers crowd these busy venues, United Methodists will be amongst them, hoping to warm their stomachs and warm their hearts. In addition, mobile billboards will rove around on trucks like with heart-warming images from Rethink Church ads and the message: “When we find the true meaning of Christmas church can happen anywhere." 

North Georgia United Methodists should be sure their church's Find-a-Church listing is correct on UMC.org. To update, visit http://www.umcom.org/tools/update-your-find-a-church. 

To share some of the United Methodist Church and ReThink Church messaging with your congregation and your community, visit http://outreach.com/united-methodist.