Traditional and Print Media

As a church, you have lots of 'traditional' and print media under your control, including printed materials, and various forms of signage. In an ideal world, all of these would follow your church’s ‘branding’, i.e., it’s colour palette, logo, fonts, photography style and tone of voice, also known as ‘look-and-feel’. They would seek to convey the same message and style. In reality, it can be hard to keep all these resources and channels in sync with each other. We recommend that you don't try to do it all at once! There may also be a certain charm in a collection of styles which recall the history of a place and its people.

Traditional Print Media

Design Tools

You are probably familiar with various design and publishing tools, but the one we recommend most often for parish communications is Canva. It has templates and tools for traditional print design as well as for social media and other digital media. As a non-profit organisation, you should be able to access not just the free version, but the essential pro features for free. Canva has similar capabilities to other design tools like Adobe, but is very accessible for people with little or no design experience and it has many pre-designed templates, designed by professional designers, that can help you create something that looks good with minimal effort. It is worth getting to know your way around Canva, and the best palce to start is the national church's online resource, Digital Labs. You can find everything you need to get started on Canva on the Digital Labs web page here. There are usually a few pre-recorded or live webinars about using Canva on Digital Labs, check here for the latest.

Parishes with Canva accounts can access Hereford Diocese brand and campaign resources by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

The national church creates its Lent and Advent visual resources to be Canva compatible, and at the relevant time these can be accessed through the CofE website, another good reason for churches to use Canva as their preferred visual design tool.

For those of you familiar with Microsoft Publisher, you need to know this product is being discontinued by Microsoft from October 2026. If you are creating content in Publisher, using Microsoft 365, you will need to find a different tool and you will not be able to open Publisher files after that date.

Print Resources

Print can be expensive. We recommend obtaining several print quotes, including local resources and online printing services. Local printers can often match the online quotes once the online printers add the cost of shipping, VAT, proof checks etc. and your local printer can often trouble shoot your design, recommend finishes, meet a deadline and even recommend a designer or design a leaflet in-house.

CPO is a Christian organisation specialising in printing, finishing and fulfillment for churches, and has a lot of pre-designed templates, including those on their CofE Print Shop hub.

Church House Publishing is a good source for pre-printed leaflets, posters etc.

Online printing services you may want to consider include:

Vistaprint

Optimal Print

Helloprint

Diocese Resources for Printed Pew Sheets and Parish Magazines

The Diocese publishes some regular content online which can be used in your pew sheets and parish magazines. You can find it all at the Parish Newsletter page of our website here.

Parish News is a round-up of the last month's news from our eNews digital weekly newsletter, plus the monthly address from one of our senior clergy, delivered in a downloadable and print-friendly format which you can print and distribute, insert in your parish magazine or pew sheet, or copy and paste selected items in your own magazine.

Parish Magazine Article is a montly reflection by one of the diocese's senior clergy, typically the Bishop, Dean of Hereford Cathedral, or one of our Archdeacons. It can be copied and pasted into your own parish magazine.

God's Acre Content is a monthly reflection by the team at Caring for God's Acre, and can be copied and pasted into your own parish magazine.

Diocesan Prayer Diary is a quarterly printed publication listing the people, places, organisations and situations we are collectively praying for as a diocese, and the prayers we are saying for them. You can pick up a copy in the diocesan officeIt is also available digitally via the Prayer page of our website here.

Noticeboards, signage and displays

Your physical church noticeboards, signage and displays are an important part of your visual presence in the community. They are an opportunity for the church to communicate directly with its members, and passers-by who may be on the edge of faith.Below you will find some ideas and tips for effective use of these media. There are also some important regulations and requirements which you must follow. Let’s start with those:

Rules & Regulations

There are not a lot of these, but they are very important, not only for the safety of everyone who comes into contact with your church, but also to make sure you don’t have to rectify expensive errors. A planning fine can be thousands of pounds which could fall on the PCC.

Displaying Safeguarding Information

The Diocese requires each PCC to display relevant safeguarding notices on church notice boards. These notices come in the form of two posters, pictured here. One poster details ‘Whom to contact if there are any safeguarding concerns’. The second poster is a one-page summary of the ‘Promoting a Safer Church’ Policy. To be compliant, both posters need to have the relevant local information filled in. These should be displayed ‘prominently’, for example on at least one of your external noticeboards and on your main internal noticeboard. If you have a noticeboard in your porch that could be another good place for these.

Ensure information is displayed about how to contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Officers and Parish Safeguarding Officer (who cannot be the local priest) and how to get help outside the church with child and adult safeguarding issues. In our diocese, this requirement is satisfied by displaying the diocese’s posters, correctly filled in, as noted above.

The Church of England also requires church noticeboards to display a formal statement of adoption of the House of Bishops’ ‘Promoting a Safer Church: Safeguarding Policy Statement’. This should be signed on behalf of the PCC.

If you are in any doubt about what Safeguarding signage needs to be displayed, how and where, please contact your Parish Safeguarding Officer or the Diocesan Safeguarding Officers.

How Faculties apply to Noticeboards and Signage

Do check if you need a faculty to change your noticeboard. Cosmetic changes to an existing external noticeboard are fine, but a replacement with a new noticeboard even of the same size and shape will need a faculty, as could moving the existing noticeboard or installing a new one in a different location.

The following is the formal guidance from the Church Commissioners about when a noticeboard does and does not need a Faculty:

“Under List A, the repair, repainting, or like-for-like replacement of a noticeboard can be done without permission on condition that the wording is not changed, apart from updating information. If it is a replacement, the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007 must be complied with, that the board is not illuminated and any ground disturbance is kept to a minimum.

“Under List B, the introduction, replacement or alteration of a noticeboard requires permission from the Archdeacon as long as the board is not illuminated and follows the Town and Country Planning Regulation 2007.

“All other works will need a faculty, and you should consult your DAC in the first instance.”

Local Planning Authority Consent

You will also need to check if the new board needs planning permission from the local authority. This only applies to external noticeboards in churchyards and lych gates. The Church of England has comprehensive advice about local authority permissions on its website here https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/noticeboards#na but even they say you may need to seek legal advice.

The following is the formal guidance from the Church Commissioners about local authority permissions relating to noticeboards.“Under the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007, the display of advertisements require consent from the local planning authority before they are introduced; however, there are certain categories of deemed consent so long as the advertisements comply with certain conditions. Unless the proposed advertisements fall within one of these categories and meet all of the conditions, express advertisement consent will be required from the local planning authority. Of the various categories of deemed consent set out in the Regulations, there are two which, in most circumstances, will apply to churches and churchyards: category 2A and category 2C. Other categories of deemed consent may apply. Please refer to the Regulations for further information.”

Design & Usage

This is the more fun part, deciding the ‘look and feel’ of your public-facing, physical identity materials. In most cases you will debate and plan any changes with your PCC. Some things to think about:

Physical Positioning and Choice of Materials

Ensure that you have one noticeboard or sign outside the church which shows the service times and contact details, including the name and title of the incumbent, eg: Vicar: The Rev’d Sue Smith and a phone number, the church website URL and an email address, and any other media channels you regularly use and update such as a Facebook page.
Put the main church sign and noticeboard where casual passers-by can read it/them, either on foot or from a car if you have little foot traffic.
Do keep in mind information that will remain current and that which will need to be changed frequently.
Choose materials that will withstand the weather and potential vandalism, if that is an issue, and a construction design that is reasonably accessible for everyone who needs to be able to post and update information.
Wood looks charming as it ages, but will need replacing eventually if not to appear unloved.

Security

Will locks make it difficult for people to post important fliers and information when needed? Can part of a noticeboard be locked, where more permanent information is posted, and part be accessible for parishioners and PCC members to post more transitory content? Who will hold the keys?

Maintenance

Who is responsible for taking down out-of-date content and keeping the whole thing looking fresh and inviting? Do you need a rota or is this better assigned to one person?

Target Audience

Who is your noticeboard talking to? For most churches, the answer will be two-fold: the congregation and passers-by. Both audiences need to understand the general demeanour, vision and presence of the church, what we might call its ‘message’. Are you warm and inviting, historic and lofty, nestled into your surroundings or a town-centre church trying to stand out in a busy commercial environment? Think about your church’s ‘positioning’ in the place where you are.
Is this same presence carried through in your other communications media? If you wouldn’t use bright red and gold on your parish magazine or website, is it right for your noticeboard and signs? The look and feel of your signs and noticeboards needs to both appeal to potential new churchgoers and make your congregation feel at home.
But while you may want to persuade passers-by to give you a second thought, or value your presence in the community, your congregation needs information. Your noticeboards carry a heavy burden in serving both of these objectives.

When thinking about passers-by, for example:

Opening times for visitors and accessibility for private prayer – this is especially important if you’re on a tourist route and may encourage people across the threshold.
Where and when people can go for a chat with the priest or pastoral team, or for help, either from the church or resources such as The Samaritans?
Do you have a school nearby? What activities can you promote to these families?
For new residents or people thinking about church, photos of events may interest them.
For older residents, do you have people who can give lifts to and from services?
Some good news about community activity such as a community fundraiser, weddings and baptisms.
Funeral service contact information.

The congregation will want information about things like:

Service times and locations;
Rotas and contact information for routine activities;
Upcoming events like Bible Study, Alpha Courses, Messy Church etc.

Content

People should be able to quickly understand the content of the board. Try having ‘permanent’ information in one area and temporary information in another, e.g. two halves of a glass-fronted board, or half painted and half with a cork board.
Always use accessible language.
Avoid information that will date quickly.
Include information about how access to the church can be obtained outside of service times and where further information can be found including contact details and a website address.
See the Safeguarding requirements, above.
Consider including on the ‘permanent’ side the full range of parish activities and resources and the names and contact information of the people who run them; this may tell ‘hesitant joiners’ that there is a place for them and they are welcome.
If your church does not have a service every Sunday, point people to the nearest church with a service.
If you include a list of important parish contacts in your Parish Magazine, do you want to also include them on your noticeboards?

Design

Readability is the most important thing. The information should be clear, concise and legible. Less is more!
Consider accessibility – ‘Clear Print’ guidelines make text more legible for everyone, including those with visual impairments.
Have a good contrast between the colours of the background and of the letters (e.g. white on blue or dark on pale). Avoid the colour red.
Use letters big enough for people to see. Does the most important information stand out clearly?
Design a church logo and put it on everything you use to communicate but only use logos and symbols that can be clearly understood.
Make sure the board suits its surroundings and adds to the scene - look at it with a friend who is not a church member.
Is your noticeboard welcoming? Does the look-and-feel and the arrangement of content invite people in?
What colour is your noticeboard? Does it match your church colour scheme?
Does it express the character of the church and its worship: for example, strict formality in design may suggest a formality in worship style. Is that what you’re trying to convey? Even what you may think of as a complete ‘lack’ of design can still convey a message! Is that the one you want people to take away?

Resources

Designers: Consider engaging a professional designer for your noticeboards and signage, especially if it is new and will need faculties and permissions. A local architect firm may be able to advise, or someone in your congregation may have contacts.
Suppliers: There are many suppliers of church noticeboards, signage and ‘kerbside’ displays, the best place to start is an online search.
Reference guide: A handy reference book for inspiration in improving your church’s presence is 100 Ways to Get Your Church Noticed by Neil Pugmire
The Church of England: The CofE offers some great guides on photographs and graphics. Visit their Learning Lab.
Photographs: photos featured on posters must be of good quality. Download stock photos for free via the likes of Freefoto or Pixabay. But take care with copyright. You cannot use photos without the photographer’s permission.
Templates: To keep your noticeboard looking neat, consider using the diocesan poster templates available on the diocesan website.

Further Guidance

Guidance can always be requested from the diocesan Property Team; find out more on their web page.

The diocesan Communications Team is also available for advice and support via email.

For full guidance from the Church of England about noticeboards and signage, see their website, which states:

“This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council pursuant to its powers under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly. Issued by the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division, May 2022. ©Church Commissioners”