Invite to Church Service Examples

As Doctrine and Religion have evolved through the years, we find ourselves spending more time in places of worship (Churches, Mosques, Temples, etc.), engaging in services, events, and activities separate from the routine Sunday services. These often require that you send out Invitations/Invites (please note that these will be used interchangeably in this write-up), formally requesting people or other religious bodies to attend.

This article will focus on invites to Church services. While there are different types of services in a Church, the content of the invitations to such services, however different they may be, will not vary significantly.  Most invitations carry the same standard details. The type of invite you choose to send will determine the number of details put in it. Ultimately, you decide. No list provided below is exhaustive.

Church Activities That Require Invitations

As has been previously mentioned, there are activities/events apart from Sunday or Midweek services that people can be invited to the Church for. Below are some of those activities:

• Wedding:  A wedding is the joining of couples in holy matrimony. It is one of the most commonly celebrated events in a Church. 
• Anniversary: This can be the anniversary of the date the Church was commissioned or significant anniversaries of parishioners. 
• Baptism: Baptism (by sprinkling or immersion) is usually done for 2 groups of people; A baby being formally introduced to the Church or an adult who has not been previously baptized and is joining the Church folds. 
• Funerals: While this is a sad event, it is unavoidable. Services to celebrate the passing of loved ones can be held in the Church.
• Thanksgiving Service: This is usually held to celebrate special moments people are thankful for, like the birth of a child, or the first/last day of the year.
• Carol Service: This usually holds on Christmas eve, where people gather in the Church to sing hymns and songs to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
• Vow Renewal: Renewing vows is a form of mini-wedding which can be done in the Church. People will be invited to attend in a pattern similar to weddings.
• Fundraising: When a Church is embarking on a new project (E. g. a new roof), fundraising is one of the usual ways to raise the required amount.
• Soul Winning: Usually, potential or new converts to Christianity are invited to the Church, so they can have a support system as they go through their journeys with Christ. 
• Launches: People or religious bodies can also be invited when the church is commissioning new projects.

NOTE: The list of Church activities above is not exhaustive. 

Types of Invitation

An invitation can be done and sent in different forms. Some types of invitations are discussed below:

• Letter: An invitation letter is one of the more detailed forms of formal request. While it is advisable that the letter does not exceed one page for ease of reading and understanding, you are allowed to write as many pages as you want. You are required to have the mailing details of recipients, and depending on their locations, the mailing fees might be discouraging. 
• Card: An invitation card is the most commonly used type of invite. While it does not have the leeway that a letter usually has, it still very sufficiently contains all the necessary details relevant to the event it is attached to. Mailing lists are required, and fees might be a concern with using invitation cards as well.
• Flyers: This is another common type of invite usually targeted toward a larger audience who are most likely strangers. These are also easy to hand out anonymously in the streets, stick on buildings or put under windshield wipers. The anonymity involved however might mean that it will not generate the anticipated conversion rate except the people handing them out take some time to have a conversation too. Printing cost is the major concern with this form of an invite.
• Texts/Phone Calls: These are electronic means of sending out invitations, that are probably not as pricey as the first three, depending on your phone plan. For these, contact details are required.
• Email: This electronic form of invitation incurs the least cost. There is no page or word limit. You can provide as many details as you are comfortable with when sending emails. Succinct emails are encouraged, so the message is not lost in the ramble. You are required to have the email addresses of recipients though. 

Details of an Invite

The details of your invite will vary based on the type of invite you are choosing to send. There is no specific checklist of information that an invitation should have, but some details are important. Below are some of those important details:

1. A Welcoming Headline: The headline is a short warm phrase that leads to the purpose of the invitation. A few examples are: “You are invited to…” “You are welcome to..” “Please join us..” “We request the honor of your presence...” “This invites….”.
2. Recipient’s Name: This is the name of the person who is being invited. It will be typed in a letter, email or text, and written in an invitation card or on an envelope. Please take care to make sure the recipient’s name is spelled correctly, especially if it is an unusual name. The effort will be appreciated.
3. Event: This is the main purpose of the invitation. It can be any of the Church activities that have been previously mentioned. Where applicable, give exciting details of the event and include catchy taglines.
4. Date: The date the event/service is supposed to hold must be stated clearly. Refrain from using abbreviated dates like xx/xx/xxxx as people, depending on where they live, use the position of the day and month differently which can cause some confusion. If you write 9/12/xxxx, for some, it will be 9^th of December, and for others, 12^th of September. For clarity, dates should be written in full. E.g., Sunday, March 22, 2051. 
5. Time: The time should be stated clearly as well, preferably using a 12-hour clock (with A.M and P.M), since the 24-hour clock (13:00 to 00:00 hours) is confusing for many people. You do not want people missing the event because they could not decipher what time it was supposed to hold. Write “All day”, if it is an all-day event. 
6. Address: The address of the venue where the event will hold, should be clear and written in full. Include landmarks if any.
7. Directions to the Venue: Where necessary, directions to the venue can be given for ease of access. A map showing how to locate the venue from multiple points can be printed on/behind the invitation card.
8. Contact Details: Phone numbers are usually written on the invitation card. In some cases, there will be email addresses as well. Contact details are especially necessary if the celebrants require that people confirm their attendance. An invitation should have at least 2 contacts, in case one is unavailable. The contact persons should be equipped to answer any questions that may be asked.

Examples Invite to Church Services

Many options and templates for invites are available online. In many cases, you can edit pre-existing templates without much fuss. However, if editing does not appeal to you, you can also design your invitation from scratch. Below are some examples of invites to church services:

Source: Canva.com

Conclusion

The purpose of an invitation is to attract people. A well-designed flyer, for instance, with catchy colors and a nice tagline, will do just that. Whenever possible, personalize your invitations. It shows that you value the recipient. Many DIY websites have simplified the process if you need to create your own invitations for a church service. They offer various easy-to-edit templates, and in many cases, you can even start from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does the design of the invitation matter? Yes, the design of your invitation matters. While you should expect people to focus on the message of your invitation, a catchy design draws the eye first. Once the design has gotten attention, most people will read the content.
• Is there a word limit for my invitation? No, there is no word limit for invitations. Depending on the type of invitation you are sending out, there is usually no word limit. Please check the types of invitations discussed in the earlier paragraphs. 
• Must I include all the details listed above in my invitation card? The details in your invitation, are at your discretion. Just ensure that you put all the details that are relevant to the event you are holding, and the type of invitation you are using.
• Can I use the details above if the invite is not for a church event? Definitely. The details can be used for non-church even as well. The information provided above are generic and can be adapted in different forms. Even in different forms, the basic details will not vary significantly, so you can adopt and adapt at will.