Almost $20,000 has been raised in just the first few days of the new fundraising drive to bring the "Steeples" ad to national television.

Since the campaign was launched in mid-July, online and mailed-in donations have poured in. Including some recurring gifts, the total to date is $19,940.

"We're excited with the volume of gifts already in hand," says Gwen Thomas, Stillspeaking assistant coordinator. "We have a long way to go, but we're confident that we'll be able to blanket the airwaves with 'Steeples' in the fall, thanks to the generosity of UCC members."

Originally developed for the Christmas season, "Steeples" saw a four-day limited run on national networks in 2004. But 2008 is the right moment for an extended "Steeples" ad run, says Felix Carrion, Stillspeaking coordinator, because "there is much more to the UCC story than the one portrayed by the media to date."

"The ad shows that the UCC is about all the people, all the time," Carrion says.

As a side event, the Stillspeaking Ministry invites all UCC congregations to submit videos of their members performing the "Steeples" poem -- "Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the doors and see all the people" -- complete with hand motions. "Whether singing, painting, acting, reciting or signing, we'd like to see a mosaic of our UCC family represented online," says Thomas. Upload your video.

The goal of the fundraising campaign is to raise $350,000 for the fall ad buy. However, the extent of the buy will be determined soley by the amount raised. Contribute to the fundraising effort.