THE SHORT ANSWER
Pick three or four per issue and rotate them. Keep a few that run every week, like a note from the pastor and upcoming events, and add one that changes, like a volunteer spotlight or Sunday’s songs. Below are 30 ideas, grouped so you can find the right one fast.
The gray tag next to an idea is the Butter section built for it. You do not need Butter to use any of these.
Every week
- A note from the pastor. 100 to 150 words, written like a letter. The part most people read first.Signed letter
- This week’s one big thing. The item with a deadline, a photo, and a button.Featured
- Upcoming events. The next few weeks at a glance, a line each.Dated event list
- Last Sunday’s sermon. A still, a title, and a link for anyone who missed it.Featured sermon
- Sunday’s songs. The set list with links, so people can keep singing during the week.Set list
- Ways to give. Every way to give, in one place, without a pitch.Ways to give
People
- A volunteer spotlight. One person, one photo, and why they serve. Recruits better than any sign-up form.
- Meet a staff member. Five quick questions for someone people see every Sunday but do not know.
- A baptism story. In the person’s own words, with their permission.
- Welcome new members. Names and photos of the people who joined, so others can say hello on Sunday.
- A missionary update. A short note and a photo from someone the church supports.
- A thank-you list. After a big event, name the teams that made it happen.
Getting involved
- Serve teams with open spots. Each team, the time it meets, and one button to join.Announcement list
- A new study or group. What it is, when it starts, and when sign-ups close.Featured announcement
- A newcomers lunch. One easy, low-pressure next step for people who are new.Event card
- Bring a friend. Service times, the address, and where to park, ready to forward.Planning a visit
- A quick survey. One question about the church, the service time, or the newsletter itself.Featured
Resources
- A book recommendation. What the staff is reading, and why.Book recommendation
- A podcast or playlist. Something worth listening to on the drive in.Spotify
- A reading plan. A PDF people can print and keep on the fridge.Download
- Something for families at home. A short devotional or discussion questions to go with Sunday.Download
- The sermon series ahead. What is coming over the next few weeks, so people can read ahead.Sermons list
Through the year
- Fall kickoff. Groups, studies, and serve teams starting back up.Event grid
- Thanksgiving. A thank-you from the church, and a way to serve the neighborhood.
- Advent and Christmas. Every service time in one place, ready to forward to family.Event schedule
- Year-end giving. What giving made possible this year, and how to give before December 31. There is a year-end template.Ways to give
- Lent and Holy Week. The schedule for the week, from Palm Sunday through Easter.Event schedule
- Easter invitation. Service times and a line people can send to a friend.Service invite
- Summer. Camps, VBS, and what changes on Sundays.Event list
- A retreat or conference. Every session across the weekend.Conference schedule
Church newsletter name ideas
Plain usually beats clever. A name people understand at a glance, like “This Week at Grace,” does more than a pun they have to decode. A few to start from:
- This Week at [Church name]
- The Weekly
- Sunday Ahead
- Midweek
Putting it together
Ideas are the easy part. Choosing what to feature, what to list, and what to cut is the job. The how to write a church newsletter guide walks through it, and there are five full examples built from these sections.
