A Church Voice

Issue #3: Seasonal Content

November 12, 2000 - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

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From Barbara’s Keyboard

You're right, it isn't Sunday any longer, and A Church Voice is late. I apologize; the baby needed me Right Away last night and I couldn't get the issue out before midnight. It's a good issue, though, and I think you'll enjoy it.

We've made it to my goal of 150 subscribers by this issue -- wow! Thank you so much for subscribing. If you think a friend, colleague, church staff member, pastor, or any others would enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to pass it along to them and invite them to subscribe.

I hope you're finding the articles, tips, and resources helpful. Please email me your favorite tips and most baffling questions to help make this publication especially useful to you.

Remember that A Church Voice has a Web home, with an archive and other resources for you: http://www.AChurchVoice.com/

With Advent and Christmas just around the corner, the focus for this issue is seasonal content.

blessings,
Barbara Laufersweiler
mailto:cveditor@laufers.com

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C o n t e n t s

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Ah, yes, the time of year when our thoughts turn to Advent wreaths and Christmas services, children's pageants and Christmas hymns. We want to reflect this in our newsletters or Web sites, but how?

Your first thought might be to add a bit of seasonal art, list the special services, and perhaps use some color of the season, often red and green in the case of Christmas. There is a lot more you can do in your Web site or in your newsletter to enrich your readers' experience of the season. This is true for any upcoming church season or special day, whether it's Advent or Easter, Christmas or Remembrance Day, Springtime for Missions or Reformation Sunday.

Pull together for a single listing all of the special services, events, and activities that will take place for your church in connection with the season. The Advent/Christmas time is a spectacular example of this, with possibilities for a single church often ranging from Christmas caroling to Advent weeknight devotions, a children's pageant to choral performances, service projects for the community to Christmas Eve services. Put it all in one place so everyone can see what's going on and plan their participation.

The next possibility for seasonal content -- for newsletters and Web sites both -- is material that will help your readers bring the season into their hearts and homes. Seek out wonderful prayers, excerpts from special sermons, brief stories and meditations, children's art, Bible verses and hymn verses, family craft ideas, suggestions for service to others. Anything that touches hearts --prepares us for the special day or season -- draws us toward each other and God -- is probably right on target.

Any of these ideas can be done in just a little bit of space if your newsletter is cramped as is. Find a brief, minimalist way to lovingly present these special activities and enriching material. You can do it!

For newsletter and Web site content, it's never too early to be thinking about the next church season or special day. Today is always a good day to prepare a special page devoted to the season. or get some new art ready. or seek information on special activities to highlight. It's always time to help turn your readers' thoughts toward the season in their hearts, at home, and in church.

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When preparing your church Web site for a special season, remember to be somewhat restrained. Web sites can have plenty of color, of course; simply keep your contrast high. Rejoice and be readable too!

If you want to try red text, make sure it's dark red against a pale background. The same with green, and any other colored text you'd like to try. A tip: Avoid red text; it can be especially hard to do well.

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You're thinking about printing your Christmas-time newsletters on red paper? I'd avoid it: the low contrast of black or dark ink on red paper makes it extremely difficult to read. Try color in some other way, depending on your budget.

You could buy or have special color covers printed separately; have the newsletter paper pre-printed with a color border; or -- for a small mailing -- perhaps add a seasonal motif by hand-stamping in red or green ink or using holiday stickers.

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Are you a church secretary, or do you know one (with email access)? Check out the mailing list "ChurchSecretary" at eGroups; subscribe by email, mailto:churchsecretary-subscribe@egroups.com

If you work on a church Web site, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has a great Web-based bulletin board, WebStewards, for sharing church Web site information and ideas.

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A Holy Christmas, the wonderfully deep and broad collection of Advent and Christmas online resources tended by Charlene and Richard Fairchild, is the perfect place to start a search for Christmas-theme clip art and graphics. Their A Holy Easter is spectacular as well. The Christmas clip art links are near the top of the second Christmas page.

A source of seasonal art that has no equal is your own church kids. Ask the Sunday school teachers to invite their classes to draw seasonal pictures, and then let you borrow them (to scan or otherwise duplicate for your file). Make sure you credit the creators -- your readers will love to see ages and first names (and perhaps family name initials?) with each drawing you use!

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O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you, bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

[The Book of Common Prayer, 1979, ECUSA]

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If you would like to pass along part of this newsletter, please send the entire newsletter. Thanks!

Your comments and suggestions are welcome! If you’d like to submit a tip, question, or Web site, send me an email at

mailto:cvoice@laufers.com

For more resources, visit

http://www.AChurchVoice.com/

See you in two weeks!

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Copyright © 2001-2002 Barbara Laufersweiler.
All rights reserved.

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