Sunday church service program sample for bulletins and announcements

People walk in on Sunday looking for a simple roadmap. A clear program helps guests and regulars relax into worship, and it gives your pastor, worship team, and volunteers the same plan so everyone pulls together.

That’s why we’ve created a ready-to-use Sunday service program you can copy, tweak, and make your own. Whether your church leans contemporary, traditional, or liturgical, you’ll find a flexible outline you can adapt for your bulletin, app, or announcements.

What a church program actually does

Your program sets a clear rhythm for worship, explains next steps, and keeps pastors, worship leaders, and volunteers moving together. It shows the congregation what’s next and why it matters, highlights moments like children’s ministry, communion, and giving, and creates a shared roadmap across your team.

Copy-paste Sunday service program sample

Here’s a sample order of service you can drop straight into your bulletin or announcements. Use it as-is, or edit the details to reflect your worship style and schedule:

• Pre-service: soft instrumental music, lobby hospitality, volunteer huddle
• Call to worship: scripture reading and opening prayer
• Worship songs: 2–3 songs with keys and worship leaders listed
• Welcome and connection: greeting, first-time guest acknowledgement, digital connect card QR code
• Children’s ministry: dismissal cue and secure classroom check-in reminder
• Scripture reading: passage reference and assigned reader
• Sermon: title, series, and teaching notes link
• Response: prayer time, reflection song, and prayer request option
• Communion (if applicable): how to receive the elements, and who is serving
• Giving: online, text, and kiosk options powered by Everygift™; include fund name(s) and a short generosity prompt
• Announcements: 2–3 high-impact items with one clear next step each
• Blessing: closing prayer or benediction
• Post-service: prayer team available, small group signups, coffee and community

This framework gives your church family confidence, your leaders clarity, and your volunteers the consistency they need to serve well.

Variations you can swap in by service style

Not every church looks the same on Sunday morning, and your program shouldn’t either. A contemporary service might lean on an extended worship set and space for reflection after the sermon. Traditional services often weave in hymns, creeds, and corporate prayers. Blended services can pull from both worlds by pairing a hymn with a modern chorus or sharing scripture responsively.

On communion Sundays, you might move announcements earlier so there’s space for receiving the elements. Family services often keep kids in the sanctuary, with a short children’s moment and activity bags to help them engage.

For Catholic parishes, the program flows through the Liturgy of the Word (readings, homily, prayers of the faithful) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (offertory, consecration, and communion). ParishStaq helps streamline liturgical scheduling and ministry coordination so every part of the Mass runs smoothly.

Bulletin layout that actually gets read

Think of your bulletin like a guidebook, not a catalog. The front panel should feature today’s program alongside the sermon series artwork and scripture reading. Inside, one side can hold worship lyrics or hymn numbers while the other side highlights two or three announcements with a clear next step. The back is a natural place for giving options, staff contact info, and service times.

Keeping it clean and visual ensures visitors can follow along, while regular attendees know exactly where to look for what matters most.

Announcements that keep people’s attention

Announcements are where many churches lose people’s focus. The key is to keep them short and actionable.

Cap announcements at three items, each with a single next step. Save the rest for push notifications, segmented texts, or a short email. Imagine a first-time guest opening your bulletin: they’ll respond better to “Scan this QR code to connect” than a long block of text.

Here are a few ideas you can tailor: A welcome blurb for newcomers, an invite to weekday Bible studies, a reminder about children’s ministry check-in, or a simple call for volunteers. You can also highlight upcoming events like baptisms or retreats with just one sentence and a next step.

Make it digital-first without losing the bulletin

Paper bulletins aren’t going away, but your congregation also expects digital access. Your church app can carry the full order of service, sermon notes, and scripture passages. QR codes can point to giving options, event registrations, or reading plans.

For online worshippers, pre-service slides and Resi live streaming make sure they don’t miss a moment. Resi live streams play right inside your app, giving remote members the same seamless experience.

A digital-first approach means you’re meeting people where they already are, while keeping the printed bulletin short and simple.

Build and distribute with Pushpay tools

Creating and sharing your program doesn’t have to be a scramble. With Pushpay tools, you can prepare once and distribute everywhere.

• ChurchStaq or ParishStaq: build service templates, schedule volunteers, set up smart follow-ups, and create order-of-service timing.
• Everygift: power giving across online, text, and kiosks while protecting and recovering gifts through Assured® Payments, Failed Payment Recovery, and Recurring Suggestion.
• Insights: spot attendance patterns so you can right-size your service times and volunteer coverage.
• Workflows: automate guest follow-up, group signups, and volunteer onboarding so no one slips through the cracks.

The printable and the post

The best programs live in multiple places. Export a clean one-page PDF for your bulletin, and also prepare a mobile-friendly version for your church app and website. Post it on your app’s home screen, your current sermon series page, and on lobby QR stands for quick access.

What’s next

Build your Sunday program once, then keep it fresh each week. Use service plan templates in ChurchStaq or ParishStaq to give your team a clear roadmap, and post the congregant-facing version in your app so everyone can follow along with Scripture, notes, and announcements.

FAQs

Why is a Sunday service program important?
A Sunday service program gives guests and regulars a clear roadmap for worship. It helps the congregation know what’s happening next and ensures pastors, worship leaders, and volunteers all follow the same plan.

What should be included in a church service program?
A typical program includes pre-service activities, call to worship, worship songs, scripture reading, sermon, response time, communion (if applicable), giving, announcements, blessing, and post-service opportunities for fellowship and prayer.

How can I adapt a church program for different service styles?
You can customize based on your church’s tradition. Contemporary services may feature longer worship sets, traditional services often include hymns and creeds, and blended services combine both. For communion or family services, adjust announcements and children’s moments accordingly.

How can I make my bulletin more effective?
Keep it clean and simple. Place the program and scripture on the front, key announcements inside, and giving/staff details on the back. Highlight only 2–3 announcements with a clear next step for better engagement.

Should my church go digital with service programs?
Yes. A digital-first approach helps people access programs through your church app, website, and QR codes. Pairing this with a short printed bulletin ensures both in-person and online attendees stay connected.