How to Create Effective Church Bulletin Boards
Think of a church bulletin board as a predecessor of social media that people use on the internet. The way to make your bulletin board effective is by making it interesting, engaging, attractive and interactive. Recruit a team to manage the bulletin board. You will need volunteers that know layout, writing and design principles. Place bulletin boards where people congregate, like near the entrance to the main sanctuary or in an after-service fellowship room. Consider having several bulletin board locations to target children, young adults and choir members in addition to a "general" bulletin board for everyone.
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Things You'll Need
- Bulletin boards
- Assorted styles and colors of paper
- Markers
- Plexiglass brochure holders
Instructions
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Establish ongoing standard sections on the main membership board. Use big headlines with letters that are at least 3-4 inches in height to draw attention. Use big headlines such as: Welcome New Members, This Week's Events, Volunteers Needed, Register Now for Summer Bible School, etc. Provide information that all members need to be aware of to generate participation in events, programs, special services and get volunteer helpers.
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Work in partnership with those who write and design the church bulletin. Help each other out with communications objectives and goals. Attach a Plexiglas holder to the bulletin board to stock church bulletins for members who missed the last service. Ask the print bulletin team to feature pictures of kid's bulletin boards.
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Drive attention to the bulletin board by making it the "go to" place to sign-up for services and post a need for services such as transportation to church, babysitting or lawn care services, and someone to take an elderly person grocery shopping.
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Showcase accomplishments of church members. Feature members who just landed a new job, promotion or started their own business. Include youth accomplishments such as acceptance to college, good grades on report cards, starring in a high school play and accomplishments in sports.
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Include opportunities for members to post "real life" pictures on the bulletin board of things they do and celebrate. Allow them to post new baby, graduation, anniversary, travel and birthday party pictures, for example.
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Dedicate special bulletin boards just for kids. Give it a special title, like "Kids Corner." Make the bulletin board colorful. Position the board a little lower than for adults, but high enough so that tiny hands won't tamper with the board. Use themes that promote knowledge of scriptures. Take advantage of "teachable moments" by tying in religious themes and scriptures to promote and instill virtues such as kindness, appreciation of diversity, and respect for adults and to instill a positive self-image among young boys and girls.
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Make new members feel welcome. Suggest a practice to have the pastor take a picture with each new member. Post a picture of new members on the bulletin board. Include a caption with their name. Demonstrate the warmth of the church for new members and they will encourage others to visit, who may also decide to join the church.
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Feature new books written by religious and inspirational authors. Blow-up the book jacket and include a "Now Available in the Bookstore" header if your church has a bookstore. Highlight new CDs by inspirational music artists and upcoming events and concerts that might be of interest to members to attend as a group. Showcase group travel opportunities to visit the Holy Land or go on a religious retreat.
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Take advantage of technology and make a multi-media bulletin board. Install a small television monitor to show highlights of sermons, Sunday school programs, highlights from plays put on by youth and songs sung by the choir.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure that the Pastor approves information or the person in charge of communications to honor church protocol and not post anything that might be construed as offensive.
In order to keep the bulletin board current, the church needs a volunteer committee. It will be difficult and unfair for one person to do all of the work.
References
- Photo Credit Nick White/Digital Vision/Getty Images
