Church Bulletin Guide – Ideas, Covers and Templates

What is a church bulletin?

A well-crafted church bulletin can serve as a powerful tool for connecting with your community and keeping them informed about major events, important announcements, and opportunities for spiritual growth.

A church bulletin is a printed or digital document that serves as a source of information for the community during a church service or other church-related event. It typically includes details such as the order of worship service, the names of the people leading the service, church news, new events, prayer requests, and any other important information that the church leaders want to communicate to the congregation.

It can be published in two ways: as a digital PDF using, for example, Publuu’s booklet maker , or as a traditional physical booklet.

In addition to providing practical information, church bulletins can also serve as a tool for spiritual growth and inspiration. Many church bulletins include scripture readings, hymn lyrics, and other devotional content that can help members of your church or other religious community connect with God and deepen their faith. A well-crafted church bulletin can be an essential part of church communication and community-building.

In this article, we will provide you with a wealth of ideas, covers, and templates to help you create effective church bulletins that will capture the attention of your religious community and communicate your message with clarity and impact. Below you’ll find a gallery of stock bulletins and church bulletin templates you can use as inspiration to create your own bulletins.

Should every church have bulletins?

Some churches may find church bulletins to be a helpful tool for keeping members informed and engaged, while others may not see the need for them. Everything depends on the needs of your religious group.

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether or not to have church bulletins, including the size of the community, the frequency and nature of church events, and the resources available for producing and distributing church bulletins.

Bulletins can be particularly useful for churches with large congregations or multiple services, as they can help ensure that everyone has access to important information and announcements. However, smaller communities, where everyone knows everyone, might not need church bulletins, since news can get around by word of mouth.

On the other hand, since small groups of believers are usually in the countryside, and might live far away from each other, it might be easy to put up a nice, aesthetic bulletin online to reach all the members. Even people living in the more remote regions have Internet access, and religious groups must adapt!

What should be on a church bulletin?

In general, a well-designed church bulletin should provide useful information while allowing for contact and interaction among the church community. You can use the stock bulletins and church bulletin templates below as an inspiration for planning the content of your church bulletins. Shop for the content if you need ready-made designs!

The content of a church bulletin may vary depending on the church, the exact denomination, and the needs and preferences of its congregation, but there are some basic elements that are usually included:

• The order of service: This is a description of the events or activities during the service, including songs, prayers, scripture readings, and sermons. You can mention special worship services, for days like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day… or religious festivals like Christmas or Easter.

• Announcements: In this section, you will find information about forthcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and other important news or updates.

• Prayer Requests: This is an opportunity for church members to share their prayer requests whether for the dead or for spiritual help. You may ask the faithful to pray for their loved ones or encourage pastor appreciation when you feel the group needs to be integrated.

• Scripture readings: Many bulletins contain the texts of the scripture readings for the day or week.

• Hymn text: Including the words to the hymns sung during the service can help church members to participate more fully in prayer. With Publuu, you can integrate the text of the song with music or a YouTube video.

• Articles, meditations, and other religious content: these are included in some church bulletins to help members deepen their spiritual practice. Longer bulletins can serve as a magazine for a community. You can use the bulletin as an extra message, for instance publishing articles during Black History Month.

• Contact information: Including contact information for church staff and leadership can help members stay in touch and get in touch with any questions or concerns. Today, this can even include links to social media.

7 ideas for creating church bulletins

1. Keep It Simple

When creating a church bulletin, it’s important to keep the design simple and uncluttered. Avoid cramming too much information onto one page, as this can make it difficult for readers to navigate and absorb the content. Often a single photo can have a powerful effect on the readers of church bulletins.

Instead, focus on presenting the most important information in a simple manner, using headings and bullet points to break up the text. This will help ensure that the bulletin is easy to read and engaging for members of the congregation. If you want to see examples of clean, efficient design, you can check out our simple online booklet templates for inspiration!

2. Choose fonts carefully

When selecting fonts for your church bulletins, it’s important to choose ones that are easy to read and visually appealing. Stick to a maximum of two or three fonts to keep the design cohesive, and avoid using overly decorative or ornate fonts that can be difficult to read. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica are often a good choice for body text, while serif fonts like Times New Roman can work well for headings and titles. Don’t overdo it with ornate fonts – pick one outstanding font for your bulletin design that stands out and use it for scripture quotes, for example.

3. Pick graphics and images sparingly

While artwork and images can add visual interest to your church bulletins, it’s important to use them sparingly and thoughtfully. Choose high-quality images that are relevant to the content of the bulletin, and avoid using too many graphics or images that are overly busy or distracting. When in doubt, it’s often better to err on the side of simplicity and focus on presenting the information in a simple, easy-to-read way. You can read more on our guide to professional booklet design in our knowledge base.

4. Include the order of service

One of the most important elements of church bulletins is the order of service. This should include the schedule of events or activities during the service, such as hymns, prayers, scripture readings, and sermons. Make sure to include any special instructions or notes that may be relevant to the service, such as details about communion or special music performances. Be sure to pay special attention to any special needs of your parishioners, such as those unable to see and hear — they can use any extra information greatly!

5. Highlight upcoming events

Another important element of a church bulletin is the announcement section, where you can highlight events and activities in the church community. This can include everything from advent prayers, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising events to special services and workshops. Make sure to include the date, time, and location of each event, as well as any registration or instructions for arriving at the church service.

6. Make Your Message

Your church bulletins can also be a great opportunity to share a message or reflection with members of the congregation. This could be a devotional or inspirational piece that relates to the theme of the service or the church community as a whole. Keep your message brief and to the point, and use a conversational tone to engage readers.

7. Go digital

Your church bulletin can also be a great opportunity to share a message or reflection with members of the congregation. This could be a devotional or inspirational piece that relates to the theme of the service or the church community as a whole. Keep your message brief and to the point, and use a conversational tone to engage readers.

Digital flipbooks are a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to producing physical copies of the bulletin. Not only you are fighting a Good Fight for the environment, but your church can save money on print copies and their distribution. Publuu’s flipbook maker lets you also embed digital flipbooks in an email newsletter or your church’s website, making them available to all congregation members regardless of their location or ability to attend in person.
With features like clickable links, integrated films, and the ability to zoom in on text and photos, your church bulletin will become interactive like the one below:

Publuu’s online bulletin example



View more online bulletin examples

CREATE YOUR OWN CHURCH BULLETIN HERE

This will make your churchgoers more involved and those not present, also will be able participate in the ceremonies thanks to Publuu’s interactive features like leaving notes!

Eye-catching church bulletin covers

This bright cover draws attention using a single graphical element which is light going through stained glass, and a legible bible quote.

The cover of this church bulletin also draws attention due to the large cross, but it’s more universal. You can match the Bible quote to the images.

This universal image of the Last Supper will work for information church bulletin during Easter, but also other events and holidays.

Best church bulletin templates

This impressive template can be used to create church bulletins to remind the churchgoers about the history of their temple and denomination.




This church bulletin template combines an ornate design and a simple, easy-to-read font.




This simple design serves as an example of what you can achieve with a minimum quantity of images – just a showcase of important details.

Summary

Church bulletins serve as a vital source of information for the community during church services or related events. It can be a powerful tool for connecting with the community, providing essential information, and inspiring spiritual growth.

To create an effective church bulletin, keep the design simple, choose fonts carefully, pick graphics and images sparingly, vary the content, look for various stock bulletins as inspiration, and consider using Publuu booklet maker for a more interactive and engaging experience.

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