Frequently Asked Questions...
FAQs about
Subscriptions
Advertising
Magazine Content
Submitting an Article
Q. What is the circulation of the Church Herald?
A. Around 20,000.
Q. How do I subscribe?
A. Click here, or contact Sue Stevens at sstevens@rca.org with your name, address, and home congregation.
Q. How much does a subscription cost?
A. For 2008, rates are $24.95 U.S., $27.95 Canadian, for eleven issues (July and August are combined).
Q. How do I change my address or other information on my label?
A. To change your address or other information, include the old label information with full name and address, and the new information. Please include the customer number (above the name on your label). It is helpful to include a phone number or e-mail address where you can be contacted if there are questions.
Q. Who pays for my subscription? How much does this cost my congregation?
A. Some congregations provide subscriptions for members at a reduced rate (click here for a list of these churches). Individual subscriptions are billed at $24.95 annually.
Q. We've always gotten the Church Herald free before. Why do we have to pay for it now?
A. The assessment dollars collected by your classis have funded distribution of the magazine since 1993. Synod 2007 voted to discontinue sending the Church Herald to every household as a benefit of membership. That means if you want to stay on our mailing list beyond the December 2007 issue, you'll need to take action.
If your entire congregation (or at least 80 percent of households) would like to subscribe, the cost for a year's subscription is $15. (Click here for a list of churches participating in this program.) A church can sign up for this program at any time.
Individual subscriptions are $24.95.
Q. Our church can't afford to send it to everyone. Can we ask people to pay for their own subscriptions?
A. Your church can fund the subscriptions anyway it likes, but to receive the reduced rate, the church's entire list must be billed to one address.
Q. Can we get the magazine bulk shipped for a reduced rate?
A. We can send a bulk shipment, but the price per subscription is the same. Shipping in bulk doesn't save significantly, and it decreases readership, so we encourage home delivery.
Q. What about e-subscriptions?
A. Digital subscriptions are available for the same price as print subscriptions.
Q. If I receive the print version, can I also access the digital version?
A. Yes. Subscribers to the print version can contact the Church Herald to request a link to the monthly digital version. This offer applies to individual subscribers in our data base; bulk copy recipients do not qualify. Simply e-mail your request to herald@rca.org.
Q. Why should I continue to receive the Church Herald?
A. Your subscription benefits you and your congregation through
News and information
Thought-provoking and spiritually enriching articles
Practical helps for daily living
Q. What if we want to add to or subtract from our church's list during the year?
A. Changes can be made at any time, subscriptions will be prorated as needed.
Q. How do I discontinue my subscription?
A. You can contact us by mail (4500 60th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512), by fax (616-698-6606), or by e-mail (herald@rca.org).
Q. How can my church receive a list of members who receive the Church Herald?
A. Contact our office with your request for an updated subscription list. Please allow up to four weeks to process your request.
Q. How do I submit a classified ad?
A. Classifieds must be submitted in writing and may be sent via e-mail (herald@rca.org), fax (616-698-6606), or postal mail (4500 60th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512). Be sure to include a billing address and the number of issues in which you would like the ad to appear. More information.
Q. What is the rate for a classified ad?
A. $15.00 per line. A line contains approximately 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Advance/prepayment is not necessary; we'll bill you after your ad appears in print.
Q. Can I place an online classified ad? How?
A. We don't accept online-only ads, but we do post our classifieds online when they are printed in the magazine. More information. To view classified ads from our current issue, click here.
Q. When is your next deadline for placing an ad?
A. Our deadlines are posted online.
Q. Where does the magazine get distributed?
A. Although we have subscribers in virtually every state and province, distribution is strongest in Michigan, Iowa, California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.
Q. Can any business, institution, or organization advertise in the Church Herald?
A. Yes, provided the criteria in our advertising policy are met. More information.
Q. Do you accept credit card payment for ads and subscriptions?
A. Yes, we are now accepting online payments for advertising and for subscriptions. Please note that a $1.00 processing fee will be included to help off set the cost of providing this service.
Q. Why do I have to pay through PayPal?
A. PayPal provides a safe, secure way to pay online, including 100% protection against unauthorized payments sent from your account. For the Church Herald, that means we can accept online payments without incurring the cost of providing and maintaining a secure website for receiving and storing your personal financial information. For you, this method provides a safe and convenient way of paying with a credit card.
Q. Do you post an editorial calendar?
A. The Church Herald rarely publishes theme issues, but in general we follow the themes of the liturgical calendar, with emphases on Advent/Christmas, Lent, and Easter.
Q. How can I submit a question for the Question of Faith column?
A. Send it to the Church Herald at herald@rca.org, or mail it to 4500 60th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512. Please indicate Question of Faith in your correspondence.
Q. How can I get a copy of a past article/column?
A. Contact Shelly Davis at herald@rca.org or call 616-698-7071, extension 222. The more detail you can provide about the article (topic, author, title, date, etc.), the better our chances are of locating it.
Q. Do you have copies of back issues available? What is the cost?
A. Most back issues (to 1990) are available for $4 plus postage.
Q. What percentage of letters to the editor are published?
A. We try to publish at least a portion of all letters that meet our publication standards. In addition, our digital version contains an expanded Flak and Flatter section.
Q. Who decides what articles get published in the magazine?
A. As editor, Christina Van Eyl selects the material published in the Church Herald, using the magazine's publication policy as a guide. As editorial staff, Terry DeYoung and Terry DeBoer also influence the magazine's content, supplementing feature articles with boxes and sidebars that enhance and expand article content.
Q. How do you submit an article for publication?
A. RCA members are welcome to submit articles for consideration. We appreciate articles that are practical, readable, and appropriate for our audience. Send articles via e-mail (herald@rca.org) or postal mail (4500 60th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512). Please allow six weeks for a response.
Q. Do you take suggestions for articles?
A. Absolutely. E-mail your ideas to herald@rca.org.
Q. What resources does the Church Herald offer?
A. In addition to the magazine itself, the Church Herald provides an overview of the denomination in The Church We Are. The version created in the year 2000 (A Portrait of the RCA) is available in English, Spanish, and Korean. The most current version, published for 2008, is currently available in English only.
Q. Does the Church Herald offer internships?
A. College students connected to the RCA are welcome to contact us regarding the possibility of an internship.
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