How to Format & Design a Church Bulletin
The church bulletin can be a highly effective communication tool or just another piece of paper to ignore, depending on how compelling the design is. An effective format provides the right balance of news and information. Communication that succeeds works together with other tools used to impart key themes to your congregation. In an information-saturated culture, members are bombarded by messages and images every day. The key to a successful church bulletin is to make it easy for readers to capture the most important points.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Design the cover to reinforce a theme. Avoid pictures or illustrations of the building. "That sends the message that the building is most important to the congregation," according to communications professor Frank Speyers of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Instead, consider a full-color graphic that restates a sermon series theme or focus.
-
2
Borrow from newspaper formatting to headline key communication points on the first page. Instead of including an entire calendar of events, include only one or two special events that are the highest priority. Redirect readers to other sources for detailed calendar information, like a website or lobby bulletin board.
-
-
3
Break up long columns of text with graphics and pictures. Pictures can help keep people with short attention spans engaged in the content. Include snapshots of recent activities, pictures of new members and other graphics to punctuate text information.
-
4
Choose a consistent style guide that matches your congregational culture. Avoid dramatic week-to-week changes in the look of the bulletin. Readers need to know the information they want is located in the same place every issue. Choose colors, graphics and type styles that reflect the sensibilities of your members. A youthful congregation may choose bold urban graphics. Older congregations may require a more traditional type styles and graphical elements.
-
5
Include additional content on following pages according to priority. Add a message from the pastor on the second page. Additional pages could include season-specific information. For example, include an article with tips for reducing stress during the holiday season or strategies for getting to know your neighbors during the summer months. Use the back page for information that remains the same every week, like office hours and contact information.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Invest in duplication equipment appropriate for your church size. A small church can publish the bulletin on an office copier, while a larger congregation might consider a color digital duplicator that connects to a computer network.
References
- Photo Credit bulletin image by martin schmid from Fotolia.com
