Bumper Sticker Contest for vergers.org

Stickers are great give-aways at General and Diocesan Conventions. We need your help!

By David Deutsch, Volunteer Verger at Washington National Cathedral, [email protected]

Are you a person of few words? Would you like to put that rare personal trait to work for the Vergers Guild? Are you a person of perhaps too many words, as, ahem, is yours truly? Would you like an opportunity to practice thinking as tersely as possible all in the service of the Vergers Guild? Would you like to win free registration to either the 2019 or 2020 Annual Conference?

The VGEC is announcing a bumper sticker contest!!

got vergers? has been around for a while...

When I was assigned this topic I had some questions to answer. What bumper stickers does the VGEC have right now? That question lead me to the got vergers? department of the Vergers Guild Shop where I found the one got vergers? bumper sticker that we have. Then I wondered about how the got vergers? campaign came to be and I stumbled on a video in VergerTV from 2012 explaining how it was developed in 2011 for General Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2012.

Examples of the author's verger-related bumper stickers

Now, in 2018, the guild is looking for new and creative ways to express an aspect or a motif of vergerdom. As an example, over the years I have developed and printed several bumper stickers with messaging relating to the verger ministry. I give them away to many colleagues and unsuspecting Episcopalians far and wide. Several people tell me they miss my big manilla envelopes with the blue gifts inside! I have included some examples of what I created, hoping that this might help stir your creativity.

Indeed, the VGEC is interested in your ideas and I know we are a creative bunch. We have to be in order to do our jobs as vergers! The main guideline for a bumper sticker is that it must be easy to read and digest in a relatively short amount of time. That is the challenge: not to be overly wordy.

The winning bumper sticker will be formatted by some of our fabulous VGEC techno-vergers, but the phrase "vergers.org" must be included in your sticker submissions. (You perhaps have already noted that I did not include that phrase on the bumper stickers I designed as mine were unofficial.)

Submitted bumper stickers may be part of an a new kit of materials for Diocesan Conventions and other events.

If you want to play around and do a mock-up like I did, go to Graphicsland at graphicsland.com where you can select a template and start right in. You can also just jump right in and create it on your computer without using a template. Either way, put on your creative verger persona and get to work. Have fun!

Who will judge the winning entry? Why WE ALL will! A poll will be presented to us with the top entries. Please mail your bumper stickers to [email protected]. Deadline for all entries is July 22, 2018, 10:00 pm PDT.

Here are the picky details:

• Winner will be announced at the Awards Banquet in Denver at the 30th Annual Conference on September 22, 2018.
• You do not have to be present to win.
• Winner agrees to give up all artistic, intellectual, and property rights to the winning bumper sticker selected by vote of the membership of VGEC.
• Contest is open to all members of VGEC as of July 22, 2018.
• Winner will receive free registration to either the VGEC 2019 or 2020 Annual Conference (no lodging or meals, only registration).

So let’s do it. And always remember:

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The 2018 VGEC Annual Conference is in Denver on Thursday, September 20 to Sunday, September 23, 2018! This conference marks the 30th year that we have gathered together to learn about and explore the ministry of the verger in God's church. The deadline to register is Monday, September 10, 2018. We cannot accept on-site registrations! Fees increase after August 15, 2018!

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Abstract: Are you a person of few words? Would you like to put that rare personal trait to work for the Vergers Guild? Enter the Bumper Sticker Contest and show us your best pithy takes on the verger ministry. You can win a free registration to either the VGEC 2019 or 2020 Annual Conference!