Hello Awesome Assembler,
In October this year we are going on a roadshow called 40 Dates and 40 Nights (we made a video about it here) where we are going to help launch 40 Assemblies in 40 Nights, and we’re going to visit the places that want it the most.
If you’re in an area with lots of people who want an Assembly, chances are we’ve already put you in touch with your local activists. But if no one near you is keen, don’t worry, just do it yourself. We’re sure you can make it happen.
A loose plan of action looks something like this:
1. Meet up with your local team ASAP.
2. Plan your campaign
3. Build your team
4. Start a Google Group for your local team to discuss things on (how to do it here – remember to invite us)
5. Get people to your Eventbrite event (then send it to us)
They don’t necessarily have to be in that order. One of the things you’ll have to do is have a team…
Team
You’ll want a team who has the ability to regularly put on and organise an event with live musicians, speakers and a projector. You might not have this now, but it is worth building up. You’ll need some of these things:
* Marketing / Press
* Producer / Event Manager
* Speaker booker
* Volunteer coordinator
* Band leader
* Project manager
Some people can do different roles, and you might think there are other positions you could use. This is, after all, just a guide. You might also find a team by looking for them in these places….
Marketing / Outreach / Teambuilding
When trying to get support for your local Assembly, whether to find team members, or to find people for the congregation, it could be helpful to look in these areas.
1. Reach out to local secular, humanist and atheist groups – Skeptics in the Pub, BHA in the UK, AHA, CFI, AA in the US, and I don’t know the atheist groups in Oz but there must be some (hi, guys!).
2. Reach out to local community groups, charities, social enterprises, schools: People who think that if there was more community that would be better.
3. Reach out to local musicians and performer networks: this is a great way to find band members, and hosts.
4. Reach out to local student groups
5. Organise a summer event: this is a great way of bringing your team together, and it is easier to invite people to events, rather than meetings.
6. Reach out to a demographic: how can you reach Mums and Dads? Or get in touch with socially engaged 25 year olds?
The first mission is to get as many people to your Eventbrite event as possible, but it will be worth thinking about the logistics…
Logistics
On 15th September we’ll announce the towns we’re visiting, and we’ll then need to sort out the dates of our roadshow. Whatever order we visit towns in when we come you’ll need to find:
* A venue
* A band
* Projector
* PA
The venue will have to be booked and paid for by the local teams , however, the cost will be met with collection we do at the Assembly (the venue is the only fixed cost you’ll probably pay – the band, welcome staff and everyone else should be volunteers). We ask that surplus from the collection goes to the crowdfunding campaign that we are doing.This leads us on to….
The Crowdfunding Campaign
The roadshow will happen at the same time as our crowdfunding campaign to raise start up costs for the Assembly. Right now The Sunday Assembly is running on fumes. We’re covering the cost of the event, but putting in every moment of our time, for no pay :(.The Sunday Assembly was not started to make money, but this campaign will allow us to build:
* An amazing website that will allow you to grow virally (in a good way)
* Online tools for managing the congregation
* Marketing support for local Assemblies
* Back office support for your congregation
* Videos for people to use in their services
It is going to be so exciting to come up with ways to make this really easy for people across the world. We’re having such a good time in London, with amazing things happening already. The thought of it happening all over the world is beyond exciting.
Well, what are you waiting for? Your town needs you!
Love,
Sanderson and Pippa x
