Welcome to Church Signage: Tips and Ideas

The church stands at the center of a community, and is also often much more than a place of worship. Many churches also offer pre-school daycare or kindergartens, soup kitchens for the homeless, local events such as concerts or open days and much more.

As part of this, providing a clear welcome is an important element of the church using signage. There are many ways to use church welcome signs, from banners to digital screens.

In this article, we'll be looking mostly at how you can use digital displays to create engaging church welcome signs.

What types of signage are used in churches?

When we talk about signage in churches, a wide range of tools comes to mind. Some of the most common and popular signs for churches include:

1. Outdoor digital displays: Digital signage has become increasingly popular, offering flexibility in messaging and visibility day and night.
2. Wayfinding signage: Used for navigation and signposting, these signs guide visitors through various church facilities and highlight certain locations. This can be signs for the restroom, or signage highlighting that a room is being used for an event.
3. Indoor digital signage: Often placed in lobbies or gathering areas, displaying everything from event schedules, or welcome messages to live service feeds.
4. Welcome centers: Including digital kiosks or banner stands with staff or volunteers ready to assist. Often found in larger religious centers as a place for wayfinding and much more.
5. Bulletin boards: The church notice or bulletin board is a place for everything from promoting upcoming events to scripture quotes. This can be either a digital screen or a traditional pinboard with printed materials.
6. Banners and flags: Outdoor and indoor flags and banners are a popular method of adding some color to the church. These can announce special events or seasons in the church calendar.
7. Room identifiers: This signage is used to denote specific rooms like the nursery, offices, or meeting rooms.
8. Informational signage: There are many fun ways to use informational signage, such as displaying historical facts about the church, its mission, or theological tenets.

Where to place church signage displays?

While every church layout is different, sign placement needs to be accessible and visible to all visitors. These are some of the most effective locations for digital church signage.

Entrance/foyer area

A welcome display or bulletin board should be placed at eye level on entry to the main foyer area. This allows visitors to see the welcome sign and orient themselves within the building. Using digital welcome signage means that the display can cycle through a welcoming message, and then offer directions or details of upcoming events.

This might also be the best location for a church bulletin board, depending on the size and layout of your church.

The nave/worship area

Within the main church area the focus will be on the sermon. Digital displays can be used to display religious imagery, lyrics to hymns or quotes from the Bible.

Cafes and event/social areas

Many modern churches will have a cafe for visitors to grab a drink and to mingle with other members of the congregation. They might also have an area for either socializing or for events, which could be a large meeting room or even a garden area.

These are also excellent places for sign placement. The church cafe can display menu items on a digital menu board, or place digital signage around the social areas with relevant information and inspiring scripture quotes.

What kind of information should be displayed on church signs?

As there is usually more than one type of sign that visitors encounter, there are different opportunities to display content.

Many churches will display an external message, for example using a banner, billboard or large sign in their window or on their lawn. This will tend to be an inspirational or motivational call to worship, catching the eye of passing foot or vehicle traffic.

External signs might also include up and coming services, or advertise community services such as child care or adult education classes.

Once visitors step inside the church, this is where other forms of communication become more important.

• Service Times and Welcome Messages: Essential information for new visitors.
• Event Announcements: Upcoming events, workshops, or group meetings.
• Inspirational Messages: Quotes, Bible verses, or contemplative questions.
• Seasonal Content: Messages pertinent to the liturgical calendar or holidays.
• Safety Information: Evacuation routes, child pick-up policies, etc.
• Wayfinding: Directions for navigating the church facilities.

The digital signs app from ScreenCloud features a selection of Bible quotes ready to use for church signage.

12 Ideas for Church Welcome Sign Content

When crafting messages for church welcome signs, variety and relevance are key. There are many things you could share, and there is certainly scope to get creative.

These are some simple content ideas to inspire a warm and enlightening welcome:

1. Warm Greetings: Personalize your welcome message with phrases like “Welcome Home” or “We’re blessed to have you with us today!”
2. Scripture of the Week: Share an impactful Bible verse that resonates with the current sermon series or seasonal theme.
3. Thought-Provoking Questions: Pose questions that encourage reflection, such as "What are you grateful for today?"
4. Church Vision and Mission Statements: Remind your community of the shared vision and purpose that binds you.
5. Service Themes: Highlight the focus of upcoming services to pique interest.
6. Announcements of Community Activities: Shine a spotlight on after-service gatherings, volunteer opportunities, and small groups.
7. Seasonal Imagery and Quotes: Embrace the liturgical calendar with relevant verses and images for Advent, Easter, etc.
8. Notices of Charity Drives and Outreach: Inform congregants of ways they can participate in the church’s charitable work.
9. Celebrations of Church Milestones: Mark special anniversaries or achievements within the church family.
10. Weather Updates and Safety Tips: Provide information that helps in planning and preparedness for the service day.
11. Testimonials and Stories: Feature brief testimonies from members to foster connection and shared experiences.
12. Interactive Elements: QR codes linking to detailed event information or a church app, and social media integrations to encourage engagement.

Using ScreenCloud for church welcome signage

Setting up a digital signage network within a church can be done with consumer grade hardware such as standard TVs and a wireless internet connection. Once you have installed your TV screens, you simply connect them using devices such as an Amazon Fire stick or Google Chromecast and manage the information with digital signage software.

ScreenCloud digital signage software is designed to be user friendly, allowing church administrators to easily manage and update content. No need for a specialist IT team to update your message.

Find out how ScreenCloud can help you get the message across to your congregation easily and clearly.

Sign up for a free trial, or schedule a demo today.