As more churches move to online services, digital church bulletins have become increasingly important. So how do you create a good one?

Here's a guide to putting together a well-organized digital church bulletin that clearly communicates church news, service details, and other important information. Learn more about crafting engaging church bulletins here.

Why Use a Digital Church Bulletin?

A church bulletin is a key communication tool for your congregation, regardless of size or demographic. A well-organized digital bulletin serves as the main source of information for your church members, covering details about the church, upcoming events, ministry opportunities, and more. It's especially helpful for virtual attendees who need access to service information, announcements, prayers, and other communications during online worship.

This Bible Notes App can help those looking to add interactive features to their digital bulletin.

Getting Started

Before you start writing, use a template for your weekly bulletin format. Look at other church websites and resources for design inspiration. This can help you figure out what information matters most to your local community.

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man helps another." If you need help, involve a few people in the design process. Multiple perspectives can provide useful feedback and constructive criticism. You don't need a team editing your bulletin every week, but their input can help shape the initial design.

You can create your bulletin easily using Canva. This drag-and-drop editor has plenty of templates to choose from. Pick a template, add your content, and download the final product. Canva is free, with only a small cost for certain images if needed.

Alternatively, you can hire a graphic designer or find a church volunteer to create a sample bulletin. Then just update the text and images each week.

The Goal of Your Digital Church Bulletin

Your digital bulletin is the first impression of your church's Sunday service. The goal is to present an honest, concise snapshot of your church and its values.

A typical bulletin includes:

• A greeting
• A welcome message
• A note from the pastor
• Announcements
• Financial updates
• Prayer requests
• Sermon notes
• A "connect with us" section

A digital bulletin can be as simple as a PDF version of your printed bulletin. The digital version can include links to resources and social media accounts. You might even replace traditional church paperwork with a smartphone-friendly format that people can scroll through easily.

Key Information Up Front

This section should have the most important information. Update the bulletin with the current date so it can be archived later. Make sure your church name and logo are prominently displayed at the top.

Below the church name, include a graphic representing the current sermon series. This graphic should be large enough to cover about one-third of the front page and catch people's attention. A well-produced image matters since most of your bulletin will be text.

If you're not a graphic designer, don't worry. There are plenty of free resources for sermon slides, worship lyric backgrounds, and bulletin design that can help you create something visually appealing.

The bottom third of the greeting section can hold other important information: the church's mission statement, a message from the pastor, or a list of pastors with their contact information.

Whatever you include, remember this bulletin is a first impression for visitors. Prioritize the information you most want new attendees to know about your church.

Read More

• Exploring Your Faith with Journaling: How to Start a Faith Journal
• Enhancing Your Spiritual Journey: How Bible Apps and Notes Can Transform Your Faith
• How to Improve My Bible Reading Routine
• How Does Technology Influence Religion and Spirituality

Contents

There are many options for what to include on the next page, slide, or section of your bulletin. Choose what your church feels most comfortable communicating.

A Welcome Note From the Pastor

If you didn't include this in the greeting, take this chance to welcome visitors and briefly introduce the pastor. Make first-time visitors feel at home.

Announcements

Church announcements are important. Keep event information up to date to maintain credibility. Nothing undermines trust faster than outdated event details.

Not every event needs to be in the bulletin. Events more than three months away only need a "save the date." Use this section to highlight your church's top priorities so visitors see a well-rounded calendar of events and ministries.

Keep event details clear and specific. For example:

"Church Picnic: June 4th at 12:30 p.m. at 123 Church Street."

is much clearer than:

"Join us two Sundays from now for our All Church Picnic; everyone is invited! It will be at the same location as our Easter Egg Hunt."

Give specific information so people can note details in their phone or planner without needing to ask follow-up questions.

This section can also highlight milestones in your members' lives, like engagements, weddings, pregnancies, or births. You can also include sympathetic announcements for members who have recently lost a loved one.

Prayer Requests

Including prayer requests from your congregation adds a personal touch. Keep these updated in a way that works for your process, since people are good at sharing new needs but less so when those needs are resolved. Consider adding a link to your church's prayer request email, the "Contact Us" page, or a dedicated submission section. Sharing these concerns is a meaningful way to support your community.

Financial Updates

How much financial detail you share is up to your church. You might include projected tithing, last week's tithe, total expenses, or total tithes received. If you're fundraising for a specific need, include those details too. This keeps members informed and engaged.

How to Communicate

Most printed bulletins have a perforated section that people can tear off and submit with prayer requests, interest in serving, or new visitor information.

A digital bulletin can't offer a physical tear-off tab, but it can still make communication easy. Provide an email address or a link to your website's "Contact Us" section for quick access.

Sermon Notes

Sermon notes are simple bullet points from the pastor that help the congregation follow along during the sermon. There's no single right way to do this.

Some pastors prefer fill-in-the-blank notes to keep people engaged, while others provide complete outlines for later study. Either way, this section helps the congregation stay attentive during the weekly message.

For a more interactive experience, consider using the best Bible app for note-taking to keep your congregation engaged during sermons.