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CHURCH NEWSLETTER EXAMPLES

Church newsletter examples you can copy.

Five church email newsletters, each with its subject line, what goes in it, and why it works. Borrow the structure whatever you send from.

EXAMPLE 1 · EVERY WEEK

The weekly update

Subject This week: Worship Night, Work Day, and more

Preview Worship Night is Friday, and everything else coming up this month.

What’s in it

  1. Featured announcement
  2. Dated event list
  3. Event list

Why it works

One thing gets the big slot. Worship Night goes first, with the photo and the button.

Everything else is a line in the calendar, with its date and time.

Six more events get a photo, a date, and a place, so each one is easy to spot and easy to find.

The weekly update example as it arrives on a phone: Featured announcement, Dated event list, Event list.
As it arrives on a phone, sent from Butter.
EXAMPLE 2 · A WEEK BEFORE A BIG EVENT

The event push

Subject Block Party is Saturday. Bring a neighbor.

Preview Food trucks and games on the front lawn, 4:00 PM.

What’s in it

  1. Featured event 2
  2. Event schedule
  3. Map

Why it works

One event owns the whole email. When everything is featured, nothing is.

The schedule tells families when to come for the part they care about.

The map answers the question people actually have, which is where to go.

The event push example as it arrives on a phone: Featured event 2, Event schedule, Map.
As it arrives on a phone, sent from Butter.
EXAMPLE 3 · THE WEEK A SERIES STARTS

The new sermon series

Subject New series: Contend for the Faith, four weeks in Jude

Preview Watch week one, and get the reading plan.

What’s in it

  1. Featured sermon
  2. Sermons list
  3. Download

Why it works

Week one leads, so anyone who missed the first Sunday can catch up before week two.

Past series sit underneath, so a newcomer can see what Sunday is like before they come.

A reading plan to print gives people something to do between Sundays, which is what keeps a series going.

The new sermon series example as it arrives on a phone: Featured sermon, Sermons list, Download.
As it arrives on a phone, sent from Butter.
EXAMPLE 4 · AFTER SOMEONE PLANS A VISIT

The welcome email

Subject We would love to have you Sunday

Preview Service times, where to find us, and how to plan a visit.

What’s in it

  1. Featured
  2. Featured sermon

Why it works

It answers the nervous questions first: when, where, and how to plan a visit.

There is no church jargon and no list of twelve ministries. A first-time guest needs one next step, not a catalog.

A recent sermon lets them hear what Sunday is like before they walk in.

The plain-text follow-ups that come after it are here to copy.

The welcome email example as it arrives on a phone: Featured, Featured sermon.
As it arrives on a phone, sent from Butter.
EXAMPLE 5 · DURING A GIVING CAMPAIGN

The campaign update

Subject Room to Grow: 61% of the way there

Preview A note from Pastor Jeremy, where the new children’s wing stands, and how to give.

What’s in it

  1. Letter
  2. Campaign progress
  3. Ways to give

Why it works

The pastor goes first and says why it matters, before anyone sees a number.

Then progress. People give to something that is moving.

It is short on purpose. The number does the work, so nothing is there to bury it.

Every way to give is in one place, including the ones people forget, like stock and donor-advised funds.

The campaign update example as it arrives on a phone: Letter, Campaign progress, Ways to give.
As it arrives on a phone, sent from Butter.

What all five have in common

One job each. Each email exists to get people to do one thing. Everything else supports it or waits for next week.
The details are all there. Date, time, place, and a button. Nobody should have to reply to ask where it is.
Short. Two to four sections. Most people read church email on a phone, between other things.
Built from parts. The same handful of sections, rearranged. That is why next week’s takes ten minutes instead of an evening. How the builder works.

FAQs

If yours is not here, email us at support@butterhq.com.

What should be in a church newsletter?

Whatever is coming up that people need to act on, plus one thing that is just good to read. In practice: a short note from a pastor, the one or two events that matter most this week, everything else in a list, and last Sunday’s sermon for anyone who missed it.

How often should a church send a newsletter?

Weekly suits most churches. Send it a day or two before Sunday, so the events in it are still ahead and the service is on people’s minds. Save separate emails for the things that deserve one, like a big event or a giving campaign.

How long should a church email newsletter be?

Short enough to read on a phone in a minute. Three to five sections is plenty. If something needs more room, give it its own email.

What makes a good subject line for a church newsletter?

Name the actual things inside. “This week: fall study sign-ups, Work Day, Worship Night” tells people why to open it. “Grace Church Weekly Newsletter” does not.

Can I use these examples in Mailchimp or another tool?

Yes, the structure works anywhere. In Butter each part is a ready-made section you drag in, and events fill in from Planning Center. See all 37 sections.