Christmas is coming in hot and the job of communicating what Christmas means at your church is at the forefront of many church communicators’ minds. Between services, smaller gatherings, larger community events, and staff parties, we wanted to explore some of the easiest ways to get the message of your services, events, gathering, and more out to your community. Let’s dive into ways we can decrease confusion about what’s happening at your church during the Christmas season.
Great Big Signs
Along with the family togetherness of this season is a great migration back to hometown churches as well as those that are not able to make it home and wanting that hometown feel. What you have on your signs outside your church could make or break the activity into your church. Some suggestions to draw people to your sign, and in the end to reading the details and getting them inside, are to use color, use bigger words with readable font, and clarity as to what the sign is saying by its images. Many churches have the interchangeable letter signs now which are a great way to show a little church personality to draw people in a familiar or home-like slogan.
Special Christmas Website
Have a tab on your menu that directs people to your Christmas events. Putting these special services on the main page or in the main events tab can be confusing. The last thing the church staff needs during the week of Christmas are emails and phone calls about where to find the details of what’s happening at the church. (Which, by the way, having a special “Christmas Season FAQ” section, email macro, or even voice message for would be an amazing bonus)! Create a page on your site just for the holiday season that describes all the holiday events. You can even include various special ministry events like children’s shows there as well! After all, with New Year’s Day on a Sunday as well this year, having a one stop shop for your community will make your job as easy when you can direct everyone to that page.
Brand, Theme, Brand
Hopefully by now, with Christmas one month away, you have come up with a “word,” a “brand,” “a story” for your Christmas. Whether it’s the warm and cozy theme of Mary and Joseph snuggling the newborn baby Jesus or the bright shining star that guided the wiseman, all of your Christmas brand should follow one theme. Throwing a modernly decorated Christmas tree into the mix of a manger scene could cause confusion. Make your thematic choice and stick to it!
Get Ready to Set Boundaries
Oh, church communicator. May I gently remind you that the season rushing upon us is also a time for you to experience in the blessing of the birth of Jesus, too? Well, it is! Get your out of office reminders ready because you are going to put this in action today! The New Year springs up quickly and the unique Sunday Christmas of 2022 is meant for all in the body of Christ, and that is you, too!