Church Newsletter Templates

When we talk about “making” a church newsletter, we’re really talking about creating a design and layout that you can then continue to update with current news, events, and photos for each subsequent issue. With that in mind, you should begin the design process by reviewing your church’s marketing and branding strategy to ensure that recipients can tell at a glance that the newsletter is from your church. Decide on a few key elements you’d like to include in each edition, like a schedule of upcoming events, a note from the pastor, or a missionary of the week/month feature. Then, page through our online catalog of church newsletter templates to find the one that hits all the right notes. Apply your custom color scheme to the entire template and add in your logo, church name, and a catchy newsletter title. Choose a font style or two that fits your church’s style and is easy-to-read. Rearrange the layout as needed to fit the design choices you made ahead of time by dragging and dropping text boxes, shapes, and images to their preferred locations or by creating brand-new ones. For your first edition (and all future issues), replace the existing text with your new and updated content and replace the template images with the latest high-quality images to share your message. Once you’ve finished your design, recruit another pair of eyes or two for a quick proofread, then print it with us or anywhere else you like. Next time around, you'll just need to make a few quick updates, since your original project will retain all your customizations!

Writing a church newsletter is a lot like talking with a member of your church family. The tone and style you write with should be natural, honest, and comfortable. If your church is more traditional, you may find yourself automatically adopting a more formal tone, whereas more contemporary congregations may expect a fun and casual style. What matters is that you don’t try to sound like someone you’re not. Authenticity should be your main goal. Then tackle the pieces of your newsletter that require original thought. You may find yourself sharing a short devotional or Scriptural insight with your congregation that relates back to your current sermon series or relating your experience at a recent church ministry function. You can create cohesion and promote understanding by finding ways to connect these pieces to your church’s overall mission - why you exist as a church body. Highlight aspects of each that reflect your purpose and work from there. These may be as simple as linking your youth group’s community outreach event at a local soup kitchen to your stated mission to care for those who are in need or as complicated as applying your church’s spiritual purpose to events and opportunities in your neighborhood or even the world. Your writing will always be more impactful if it connects to who you are. 

As you begin creating your church newsletter, you’ll discover that the options for what you can include are almost limitless. However, with your knowledge of your church family and all its nuances, you’ll be able to identify fairly quickly what will work best for you. Consider including a note, devotional, or sermon excerpt from the desk/pen of your lead teaching pastor. He or she may want to use that letter to introduce the theme of the issue and connect it to the current teachings and events in your church. A schedule of upcoming events and ministry opportunities, along with appropriate descriptions, can serve as a reminder of those oft-unheard announcements from the front of the church each week. Other options include a summary of prayer requests and praises, staff reviews of new books/music, and a section highlighting ways church members can get involved in a specific ministry by giving their time or contributing financially. You can choose one of the missionaries your church supports to feature in each issue or find a way to celebrate another “hero of the faith” in a significant way. Some church families appreciate a heads-up about upcoming birthdays and anniversaries among their fellow regular attenders, so even a small call-out box can really make someone’s day. Your congregation may also appreciate a snapshot of your giving, expenses, and capital campaign or fundraising progress.