Foundation Story: Signs of Discovery
Supported by a $10,000 Promotion Project Fund grant in 2024, Woodcliff United Church in Calgary, AB, set out to strengthen connections with their community by making it easier for people to discover the congregation and its programming.
The congregation invested in new signage, website enhancements, videos, and community partnerships to share what was happening at Woodcliff.
Helping people find their way
As Woodcliff implemented its communications plan, members remained open to learning what worked best, and adjusting as needed. They noticed that targeted social media, stronger relationships with community associations, and highly visible outdoor signage were performing better than other advertising efforts.
Newcomers shared that they first learned about Woodcliff through its outdoor sign or online presence, affirming that the thoughtful, consistent communication was helping people discover the church.
The congregation also refreshed its website with updated information about its ministries, creating an “I’m New” page, and sharing videos to highlight worship and the church’s National Healing Forest. Local media coverage of Woodcliff’s annual outdoor Advent Calendar introduced even more Calgarians to the congregation and its ministry.
Opening doors through invitation
Throughout the year, Woodcliff continued offering a wide variety of events that welcomed people wherever they were on their journey. Concerts, spiritual learning series, Truth and Reconciliation gatherings, nature walks, and seasonal celebrations provided opportunities to explore community and connection.
Many visitors first came for a concert, a workshop, or a community event. Through these, they discovered other opportunities to participate, whether through worship, service projects, or future gatherings. Communications became less about promoting individual events and transformed into helping people discover the many ways they could connect with the life of the congregation.
A welcome before anyone speaks
One of the most meaningful moments came during a Healing Candle Experience led by Indigenous teacher Loretta Tuttuck.
During the sharing circle, a participant named Jackie reflected on her experience arriving at Woodcliff. Raised in another denomination and identifying as gay, she admitted she had felt anxious about attending. As she approached the building, she noticed signs identifying Woodcliff as an affirming congregation.
Seeing those signs immediately changed how she felt.
Jackie shared that she felt relieved, welcomed, and comfortable returning to Woodcliff in the future.
For the congregation, her story became a powerful reminder that a sign does more than announce an event. It communicates that someone is welcome and belongs even before a conversation begins.
Another visitor arrived early for a performance of Patriarchy on Trial after discovering the event on Facebook. Before the performance began, she explored through the labyrinth, Medicine Wheel Garden, National Healing Forest, and serenity pathway behind the church. The experience left such an impression that she planned to return later that week with a friend for a picnic, discovering a place of peace she hadn’t known existed.
Community builds community
Woodcliff’s annual outdoor Advent Calendar has become a beloved tradition, drawing visitors from across the neighbourhood throughout December.
The congregation invited renters, daycare families, Scouts, Beavers, and neighbours to help create the handmade gifts placed inside the calendar’s daily drawers. What began as a seasonal outreach became a shared community project, with people contributing their creativity, time, and care.
Each day, visitors stopped to collect a small gift, chat with volunteers, and learn about upcoming events and activities. For some, the Advent Calendar offered a first introduction to Woodcliff. For others, it became an annual tradition that strengthened their connection to the congregation and to one another.
Looking ahead
As Woodcliff reflects on the project, members see communications as an ongoing part of ministry rather than solely a promotional tool. The congregation has committed to continuing its investment in staff time, outdoor signage, website improvements, social media, and community partnerships so that neighbours can more easily discover opportunities to connect.
The project also contributed to encouraging signs of growth. New members and adherents became part of the congregation, newcomers discovered Woodcliff through its communications efforts, and many visitors found meaningful ways to participate in the life of the church.
Throughout the project, the congregation learned that effective communications are not about having the loudest voice. They are about helping people discover a welcoming community where they are free to explore, participate, and belong.
Sometimes the first invitation is as simple as a sign beside the road, a social media post, or a conversation at a community event. When those invitations reflect genuine hospitality, they can open the door to relationships that continue to grow long after someone first arrives.
Your congregation can discover new ways to share your story, strengthen community connections, and create welcoming spaces where neighbours are invited to explore faith, friendship, and belonging.
Interested in applying for Promotion Project Fund or other grants? We are now accepting applications. Applications are due October 15, 2026. Share your story, strengthen local partnerships, and help more people discover the growing ministry taking place in your community.
