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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: fall study sign-ups, Work Day, Worship Night

Preview A note from Pastor Jeremy, and everything coming up this month.

What’s in it

  1. A note from the pastor
  2. Featured announcement
  3. Upcoming events
  4. Featured sermon

Why it works

It opens with a person. A short note from the pastor is the part people read first, so it goes first.

One thing gets the big slot. Fall study sign-ups have a deadline, so they get the photo and the button. Everything else waits in the grid.

Last Sunday is at the bottom, for the people who missed it.

Grace Church
A note from Pastor Jeremy This Sunday we begin a new series in the Psalms, six weeks on what it means to bring God our honest words. My hope is simple: that you would come away with a steadier confidence in Christ, and the assurance that he holds you when you cannot hold yourself. Jeremy BrooksLead Pastor
Fall study sign-upsEight weeks in Philippians, starting the 14th. Sign up
Upcoming Events SEP07Fall kickoff9:00 AM SEP12Members meeting10:00 AM SEP14Bible study11:00 AM SEP20Men’s Breakfast8:00 AM See all events
Confession and RenewalJ.D. Greear · Nehemiah 9
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. Map and directions
  3. Volunteer teams

Why it works

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

The map answers the question people actually have, which is where to park and which door to use.

The volunteer ask rides along, because the people reading about the party are the ones who might help run it.

Grace Church
OCT04 SATURDAY · 4:00 PM Block Party Food trucks and games on the front lawn. Register
Visit Us 221 Armour Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 Get directions
Join a volunteer team Parking teamRain or shine, 8:15 to 9:15. Guest servicesHelp people find where they’re going. Welcome teamFirst face at the door.
EXAMPLE 3 · THE WEEK A SERIES STARTS

The new sermon series

Subject Starting Sunday: six weeks in the Psalms

Preview What the series is about, and what to read along the way.

What’s in it

  1. A note from the pastor
  2. Sermon series
  3. Book recommendation
  4. Podcast episode

Why it works

The pastor says why this series, in a paragraph, before anyone sees a schedule.

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

A book and a podcast give people something to do between Sundays, which is what keeps a series going.

Grace Church
A note from Pastor Jeremy This Sunday we begin a new series in the Psalms, six weeks on what it means to bring God our honest words. My hope is simple: that you would come away with a steadier confidence in Christ, and the assurance that he holds you when you cannot hold yourself. Jeremy BrooksLead Pastor
Recent sermons Deeper StillMatt Chandler · August 9 Grow & GatherMason King · July 26 DiscipleshipAdam Paa · July 19
Gentle and LowlyBook by Dane Ortlund WHY WE RECOMMEND ITOn the heart of Christ for the weary. We are reading it together through the fall. Buy
Ask Pastor John Short answers to hard questions, from Desiring God. Play on Spotify
EXAMPLE 4 · AFTER SOMEONE PLANS A VISIT

The welcome email

Subject We would love to have you Sunday

Preview Service times, parking, and what to expect.

What’s in it

  1. What to expect
  2. Map and directions
  3. Featured event

Why it works

It answers the nervous questions first: what time, where to go, where to park.

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

One easy, low-pressure event at the end gives them a reason to come back.

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

Grace Church
What to expect We would love to have you! Sundays at 9:00 and 11:00 221 Armour Drive, Atlanta Free parking in the north lot 221 Armour Drive
Visit Us 221 Armour Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 Get directions
Worship NightAn hour of singing together. Fri. Sept 5 · 7:00 PM Main Hall Register for Sept. 5
EXAMPLE 5 · DURING A GIVING CAMPAIGN

The campaign update

Subject Room to Grow: 61% of the way there

Preview Where the new children’s wing stands, and how to give.

What’s in it

  1. Campaign progress bar
  2. Ways to give

Why it works

Progress comes first. People give to something that is moving.

It is short on purpose. The number and the button do the work, so nothing is there to bury them.

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

Grace Church
Room to Grow A new children’s wing, so every family has a place on Sunday. $612,400 raised61% of $1,000,000 goalGive
Ways to give OnlineCard or bank transfer (ACH).Give online Mail a checkPayable to Grace Church.Mailing address Donor-advised fund (DAF)Recommend a grant to us.Give from a DAF StockTransfer shares directly.Transfer stock

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. Three or 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 21 sections.

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