REDESIGNING theBULLETINBULLETIN

Why do we need a new bulletin?Why do we need a new bulletin?

Our current bulletin has a “dated” look. In fact, our bulletin hasn’t changed much in more than 10 years.

It has too much information. The message is lost. We consistently hear from new attenders that the bulletin is overwhelming.

Consequently, it does not communicate effectively.

It’ h t t b di t tiIt’s heavy content becomes a distraction during the service.

It’s size is inconvenient for archiving.

It’s costly to produce: design, paper, ink and man hours.

A i i t i ti t it i lAs our ministries continue to grow, it simply will not work.

What are our goals for a new What are our goals for a new bulletin?bulletin?bulletin?bulletin?

A clean, fresh, warm, artistic look.

Something easy to read; minimalist in design. Softer on the eyes.

Efficient communication Identify our mainEfficient communication. Identify our main targets and communicate with intentionality.

Create a tool for two-way communication (vs. current one way) A weekly tear off will allowcurrent one-way). A weekly tear-off will allow people to respond to us.

Facilitate connecting with guests and responding to their needsresponding to their needs.

What about all the detailed What about all the detailed i i t i f ti tl ii i t i f ti tl iministry information currently in ministry information currently in

the bulletin?the bulletin?

Utilize the Website:Utilize the Website:Web ministry pages that are information-rich, current, and easy to find and navigate.

Change is always difficult but people willChange is always difficult, but people will adapt. As our ministries grow they require greater communication, which cannot fit into our current Sunday bulletin format. We must move toward more web-basedmove toward more web based communications.

Community News:We will publish a monthly newsletter withWe will publish a monthly newsletter with ministry pages that contains the information currently squeezed into the bulletin.

What advantages will a What advantages will a l tt id ?l tt id ?newsletter provide?newsletter provide?

Each ministry can have its’ own ministry page:p g

•There will be less space limitations

•We’ll have the ability to include pictures, y p ,articles, and ministry logo’s

•It can be e-mailed to people

•It can be placed on the website

•It can be made available in the lobby

•It will create a powerful and attractive guest tool and a more effective communication tool for the church community

How will this affect our ministries?How will this affect our ministries?

It represents a paradigm shift:

From a weekly bulletin to a monthly newsletternewsletter

From print media to website and more electronic communications

From working a week ahead to working a month ahead

Example:Example:

Content for August’s newsletter due by July 14.

• 1 week to design• 1 week to design• 1 week to print and distribute

Newsletter available Sunday, July 30.

Front Cover

Graphics on the front cover will be simple, clean, appealing, can be seasonal or can be related to sermon seriesrelated to sermon series themes. These will be run in large quantity print runs to minimize cost and maximize efficiency.

Oh No!

Where’s the Service Order?

Not to worry…The service order will be on the front of the 3-hole punched, sermon notes p ,insert. That way, people are able to capture the entire worship experience, including hymns choruses composershymns, choruses, composers, participants, AND the content of the sermon.

Column 1: Welcome

Personal note from David, followed by relevant guest information. The content is connection-driven, tryingcontent is connection driven, trying to move guests toward opportunities to connect.

Column 1: Stewardship

We worship God through our giving, and this section provides both a snapshot of that worship and athat worship, and a reference point for our community to be informed.

Column 2: Calendar

The coming week’s events, or week-at-a-glance, with a clean, readable format.clean, readable format.

Column 3:

th d tsave the dateBig events within a ministry no more than 3-weeks out

act nowAll-church, or ministry-wide events, including some detail or narrative (exdetail or narrative (ex. Women’s Spring Brunch, Men’s Fraternity, Alpha)

coming soonMajor news or events from a distance (ex. Easter, Fall Campaign)Campaign)

caring opportunitiesOpportunities to experience community through caring

Tear-off: Spiritual connection

An opportunity to allow the community to respond to the message or the worship experience,

d t id th t ffand to provide the staff an opportunity to respond to needs within the community. Either a specific prayer can be included, p p y ,tailored to the message or sermon series, or some other action step can be suggested.

Tear-off: Guest RegistrationTear-off: Guest Registration

A message to our guests, asking for their information, offering a gift from the Welcome Center, and providing them an opportunity to ask for more information. We will alsomore information. We will also include a space for our regular attenders to respond with a prayer or other need.

Column 2: Website

We are trying to constantlyWe are trying to constantly reinforce that the place to get current information on all of our ministries is the website. The ebsite does not ha e theThe website does not have the limitations of printed pieces, and so is the most accessible and current tool for getting g ginformation to our community.