THE VIBRANT PARISH NEWSLETTER

Announcing a New Bulletin Cover Series — The Immerse Covers

If you are an LPi regular, you might have noticed that we’ve been sending out customer surveys recently so that we can get a better idea of what our partnering parishes’ hopes and dreams are for their weekly bulletins. A HUGE thank you, by the way, to everyone who has taken the time to respond to the surveys! Guided by your feedback, we are launching a cover series called Immerse for the new cycle of the Liturgical Year, Year B, starting this upcoming Advent in December 2023. This week, we sit down with the lovely designer of the new series, Kristen, to learn more about it and to give our readers a little sneak peek before we start releasing these beautiful new covers into WeCreate.

Hi Kristen, can you introduce this new series to us?
Sure thing! The Immerse series is designed to have more of a macro-focus on the Gospel message of each week, paired with nature photography specifically selected to reference that week’s readings. This series starts in December for the new liturgical cycle and includes three different image size options in both Spanish and English.

Why are there multiple image size options for each cover?
We have different sizes of cover images available because churches have different needs for their bulletin covers. Some parishes use a half page, some a full page, and some use these pieces of cover content inside their bulletins instead. We wanted to create a variety of options so that everyone can make use of this beautiful series in whatever way their parish needs.

What was the concept behind this cover series?
Our concept for the Immerse series was inspired by the survey responses that we’ve received from Church staff across the country. We found, from these responses, that there was a significant request for more nature imagery paired with the weekly gospel for bulletin covers. Customers also indicated their need for designs with text that is larger and that stands out more boldly on the cover as its main focus.

How did you approach the design?
First, I made three completely different design options to present to our team. All focused on the same image and Gospel passage but using different text treatments, colors, and design styles. One design element I wanted to be sure to incorporate into the series was a “focus word” that popped out as visually distinct in every cover. Once the three design options were completed, I sent them over to our LPi graphic design manager and our brand and art director for them to choose their favorite. The option that they chose just happened to also be my favorite of the three designs! Once we made the choice, I got to work. I’ll continue to design these covers throughout 2024.

What do you hope churches get out of these covers?
My hope is to give parish communities great quality artwork to showcase on their bulletin covers.

Who are these covers for?
These covers are for any parish that wants to try a more modern approach to design on their bulletins while also staying true to the traditional Gospel message of the Church. Although it’s not necessarily traditional-looking artwork, the covers do lend themselves more toward focusing on the Gospel which makes them the perfect blend of modern design and traditional messaging.

What is something you’d like our parishes to know about the design or work you’ve put into these covers?
One thing I’d love people to know is that these covers often feature images of the Holy Land and other photography of locations that mirror each week’s Gospel message. For example, when the readings speak about Jesus in the desert, I chose imagery of the Judean Desert so that the image used was accurate to the message. Another example of this is a cover using a verse from the story of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus and the image I used for that cover is from the actual Jordan River where the event happened historically.

What do you like about the Immerse series?
One thing I like about this series is the fact that we have three options for different sizes that parishes can fit into their bulletins however they want. Each size’s imagery is specifically curated to fit that size so that, no matter what image a parish uses on its bulletin cover, it looks professional, fresh, bright, and inviting.

Thank you, Kristen, for letting us know more about this new upcoming cover series!

To stay in the know about when LPi releases new content for vibrant parishes, like new bulletin cover series, digital images and templates, stock photography, and more, make sure to subscribe to our monthly new release emails! Don’t have access to this content but want it? Get all of our relevant and reverent Catholic content inside WeCreate.

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New in WeCreate for Children

We have a great new series to help engage children in the parish — introducing our Parish Treasure Hunt images! The pieces, designed by one of our awesome multimedia designers, Tim, were created to provide an educational and fun interactive game for parents and children to play together. They can also be used as educational content for faith formation programs or as graphics inside bulletins, social media, or on your parish website! Each features a common item found inside of a Catholic church and invites youth to find that item at their own parish. The piece also shares a fun fact about that specific item. In your own parish, these items may have a different shape or look to them which can add to the educational aspect of the game.

View the Collection

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SOCIAL MEDIA INFOGRAPHIC

In November we focus our social media efforts on showing gratitude and giving to charity as well as vocation stories, and ideas for Veterans Day and All Saints Day.

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Common Mistakes Churches Make About Visitors to Their Parish (and how to fix them!)

“We want to be a welcoming community.” Sound familiar? We work with churches all over the country and one of the most common things we hear from church staff everywhere is that they want their parish community to be welcoming, friendly, and accessible to visitors. This endeavor requires more than just open doors, however, and even the most well-intentioned churches can sometimes miss the mark when it comes to helping newcomers feel truly welcome and included. Let's delve into some key aspects that might be easily overlooked in your parish’s collaborative quest to bridge the gap between established parishioners and visitors.

Mistake — Lack of Information
Walking into a new place can be intimidating, especially when there's a lack of easy-to-access information available. How are visitors supposed to know where to park, where the bathrooms are, how to get access to ministries or services, if there is childcare available, about opportunities for those with disabilities, or simply that you pray the rosary together as a community after the 5 p.m. Mass? It can be scary walking into a new parish for the first time when you don’t know what to expect.

Fix it by —

• Providing clear and concise literature and digital resources that introduce your visitors to the history, mission, activities, and other FAQ’s of the parish. A great way to do this is to include a menu item or a link on your website’s homepage that is front and center for visitors to gather this information. If the homepage suggestion already makes you feel lost, we can help! We assist churches all over the country with their websites and would be happy to get you set up for visitor success.
• It’s also important to have a friendly point-person whose main job at Mass is to greet visitors and help newcomers get acquainted with the parish. Some communities have volunteer greeters at every Mass who play this part, while and others have a staff member who oversees community outreach or evangelization and is available to newcomers.
• Another easy way to catch visitors’ attention is to have a table or area set aside near your entrance with a sign that clearly points visitors to printed resources. Don’t forget to have these resources available outside of your regular Sunday Mass times too! Weddings, funerals, and even programs like youth groups often have visitors who are looking to be included!

Mistake — Overwhelming Liturgical Jargon & Unexplained Traditions
While longstanding parishioners might be well-acquainted with your parish’s liturgical language and practices, newcomers can often feel lost in a sea of unfamiliar terms, rituals, and culture.

Fix it by —

• Making a conscious effort to explain your church’s rituals, prayers, and customs in an accessible way. This could be as simple as your priest or lectors explaining parts of the Mass ahead of the events taking place when something new or complicated is coming up.
• Educate visitors using the screens in your sanctuary if you have them. Display a slide explaining rituals, with prayers people can read, or even a schedule of what to expect out of the service so that newcomers can be more familiar with what is going on and what to expect.
• Some churches also provide literature or brochures accessible to each seat in the parish that explain the main parts of the Mass and invite visitors to learn more by registering or attending a new-comer’s gathering. These are great ways to help people follow along and to invite them deeper into the parish community.

Mistake — Exclusive Social Circles and Inaccessible Leadership
Human nature often leads people to gravitate toward those they already know. This can inadvertently create exclusive social circles within the church.

Fix it by –

• Creating space before or after Mass to actively encourage existing members to welcome and engage with newcomers (and each other). Some churches will even give parishioners a conversational prompt like “What’s your favorite local restaurant?” or “Do you belong to any of the parish’s ministries?”
• Another strategy would be for your pastor, when greeting everyone at the beginning of Mass, to ask if there are any visitors who would like to introduce themselves. Often simply asking their names and where they’re from can inspire other parishioners to engage with them after the celebration.
• Make sure you have the contact information for your church staff or ministry leaders on your parish website in an easy-to-find place. This simple step can go a long way toward taking the guesswork out of accessing leadership and finding resources for visitors!

Mistake — Neglecting Technology
In today's digital age, churches that neglect technology miss out on valuable opportunities to connect with visitors. Don’t forget, 90% of Americans communicate daily through social media and over 65% of website views are from cell phones instead of home computers!

Fix it by —

• Maintain an up-to-date website and active parish social media presence! These tools greatly help parishes distribute information, share stories, and showcase the warmth of their church community. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a digital expert to achieve these two goals. We have a plethora of free resources for parishes on the Web and Social Media section of our blog to help you navigate this world!

We hope some of these solutions have inspired you! In the heart of every church beats a desire to embrace all who seek solace and belonging. By addressing these sometimes overlooked aspects of welcoming visitors to your parish, we sow the seeds of belonging and can ensure that your visitors feel valued, connected, and empowered.

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Three Church Bulletin Myths Debunked!

Church bulletins have been a staple of church communities for decades. While they serve as an important source of information and communication, there are several myths that have developed around them. Let’s debunk some of these misconceptions and shed light on the incredible value your parish’s bulletin brings to your community.

Myth 1: Print Bulletins are Irrelevant and Nobody Reads Them

This is an all-around FALSE statement. According to this 2023 research study on Catholic Media Use by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate from Georgetown University, the best way, by far, to reach Catholics in the pews or outside of them is the through the parish bulletin. This study found that:

• 90% of weekly Mass attendees read their parish bulletin — most often in print-only (46%).
• 61% of respondents had read their parish bulletin in the three months prior to being interviewed.
• 25% read their bulletin only in print. 11% read both print and online versions.
• 40% of those who attend Mass a few times a year or less often read their bulletin — both in print and online.

If you catch yourself thinking that your bulletin might be irrelevant, then make it relevant! We have timely and reverent content, ready for use in WeCreate, LPi’s digital art and content library. We also have loads of bulletin ideas on content and design inside our blog to help you out!

Myth 2: Bulletins are Just Filled with Announcements

While announcements are a part of most church bulletins, we hope your bulletin offers much more than that. If you need some ideas of what to put in your parish bulletin other than upcoming events and announcements, consider adding these content fillers. Some of these ideas are available in WeCreate.

Fresh Bulletin Content Ideas:

• Weekly Gospel reflections and with LPi’s original weekly Gospel illustration (available in WeCreate)
• Inspirational messages from your pastor or other church staff members
• Educational/Catechetical pieces
• Ministry activity recaps
• LPi’s scripture discussion questions (available in WeCreate)
• Calls to action and volunteer opportunities
• Pictures from recent parish events like retreats, service projects, or youth group meetings
• LPi’s original saint biographies and illustrations (available in WeCreate)
• Parishioner spotlights highlighting different members of your parish (find an example here)
• Special prayers for holidays and feast days (write your own, use the USCCB, or find them in WeCreate)
• LPi’s Catholic trivia (available in WeCreate)
• Catholic cartoons and comics — we have a large selection in WeCreate

Myth 3: Only Regular Churchgoers Benefit from Bulletins

Even if you're a visitor or an occasional attendee, church bulletins can be incredibly helpful. They often include details that can ensure that everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the church, can actively participate in your community and worship experience! Printed bulletins are also often sent home to those who are home-bound or hospitalized and provide a real, tangible bridge for those people to connect directly and still participate in parish life with the parish they love.

We hope these facts and ideas were illuminating and that you’ve concluded, like us, that church bulletins are far from the outdated, ignored artifacts they might be mistaken for! Interested in a free parish bulletin for your church? Learn more about our ad-supported bulletin service here.

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