Invitation letters are essential to church programs. A letter of invitation to a church program informs community members of your organization and welcomes them to learn more about what you offer, potentially supporting church growth. The letters can also invite special guests and speakers to appear at your services.
But what is the best way to extend an invitation to potential new church members? An effective church invitation letter is the optimal solution.
This step-by-step guide explains how to write a church invitation letter that is warm, personal, and welcoming. Rather than writing a new church event letter from scratch for each church service or event, you can follow a few simple steps to create a variety of invitation letters for your church using our free templates.
Table of Contents
- Why Church Invitation Letters Matter?
- How to Write a Church Invitation
- What Are Invitation Letters and Why Are They Important?
- Free Church Invitation Letter Samples
- Download the Free Church Event Kit
- FAQs
Why Church Invitation Letters Matter: Reversing Attendance and Membership Declines
Churches across the country are facing a troubling trend—declining membership and lower attendance. In fact, our research on church attendance suggests that fewer than half of all adults belong to a church, which is down from 70% over the past 25 years. And, only 39% of Americans attend religious services at least twice a month.
While many churches count on members to invite others, this strategy has limits. According to Lifeway research, 33% of churchgoers never invited anyone to a service—and this number actually increased by 4% over six years. Even among those who did extend invitations, most only did so a handful of times.
To turn the tide, churches must adopt a more intentional and consistent approach to outreach—one that includes reaching out to existing members, former attendees and newcomers. That’s where church invitation letters come in.
How to Put Church Invitation Letters into Action
Your members believe in your mission, but many don’t feel comfortable reaching out to others. That’s why it’s helpful to equip them with a physical church service invitation. Many churches print stacks of these invitations and place them in the narthex, making it easy for members to share them with someone who might be interested in attending a future service.
In addition, your church is likely collecting attendance information from both members and visitors. If you have their contact information, consider sending a written invitation—either by mail or email—to support your congregation’s outreach and evangelism efforts.
How to Write a Church Invitation
Growing a church congregation is challenging. That’s why creating invitations to church services and events is important. We outlined the steps to help you craft the perfect ministry invitation.
Start with a Warm Greeting
A warm greeting will engage people, making them more likely to read your entire letter. It will also give them a good feeling about your church, making them feel comfortable and welcome when they visit.
Start your letter of invitation to a church program using the person's name to provide a sense of personalization, e.g., Dear [recipient]. Include a spiritual greeting like, "May the grace of God be with you."
Introduce the Purpose of the Letter
Get straight to the point, letting them know why you are inviting them. If you drag it out and skirt around the issue, they will lose interest before they learn the reason for the letter.
After providing the purpose, offer additional details, such as services and programs, that will make them want to attend. However, the letter should be brief overall. If they see a lot of text, they may decide not to read.
Provide Key Event Details
You could provide an open invitation for community members, but inviting them to a specific event will give them a more defined goal. Provide the date, time, location, and purpose of the event. Make it clear they can come by at other times, but ensure the event is the focus of your invitation.
Explain Why Their Presence Matters
The invitation recipient must understand why their presence matters. It should go beyond church growth. Here are some possible angles:
- The need to restore and maintain faith within the community
- They can become a part of something bigger than themselves
- For a more personalized approach, explain the importance of having families/seniors, youths in your congregation
- A guest speaker invitation can explain how the guest will help enrich the church and community
Include a Call to Action
A call to action is essential. Without it, people may read your invitation and put it out of their minds the moment they put it down. A CTA encourages them to act and commit to appearing.
An appropriate CTA may require them to call or email the congregation with an RSVP to reserve their attendance at the event. You can inspire a sense of urgency by warning them that you will only accept responses until a certain date or that attendance is limited.
Close with a Blessing and Contact Information
Ensure that feeling of warmth continues to the end of the letter by closing with a blessing such as "May God bless you abundantly". Then include a contact number or email so they can get in touch with any questions.
The Importance of Church Invitation Letters
47% of people in America attend church regularly, so your church is a valuable part of the local community.
Welcoming people into your congregation helps to build this sense of community. New members can contribute to enriching experiences and support your church, ensuring it thrives all year round.
You also need to keep your congregation up-to-date with news about services and events in your church's calendar. This will allow people to connect with your church as much as possible and ensure a great turnout at each service. It will also give your congregation an opportunity to volunteer their time or make donations throughout the year.
Sending an invitation to church is a great way to achieve these goals. These letters feel more personal than newsletters or social media post updates.
So, what should you include in your invitation and welcome letters? Let's take a closer look.
What Makes an Effective Church Invitation Letter?
A letter of invitation to a church program is designed to inspire someone to attend a service or event at your church. It’s often the first point of contact a person has with your church, and it needs to connect with them authentically, accurately representing your church and what it’s about.
A religious event invitation should also clearly communicate the key details of the event you want the recipient to attend. They should know what the event is, when it will take place, the location and other important details such as parking and whether or not they need a ticket. Ultimately, you want people to be motivated to attend and know what to expect when they arrive.
How to Craft a Warm and Welcoming Tone in Your Invitation
A church invitation letter should have a friendly, welcoming tone. Stepping into a new place, especially a church, for the first time can be intimidating. Your simple invitation sets the tone for an invitee’s event experience. When writing your message, put yourself in their shoes.
Include personal notes and touches in your church invitation letter, even if you use a sample letter of invitation to a church program or church invitation text message sample to get started. Try to write in your church’s voice and convey the same warmth you’d show a person if you were greeting them as they walk in the doors of your church for the first time. Also, try to understand that those you invite may not have a church background, so using a lot of churchy terms they may not be familiar with could be off-putting.
Be conversational and attempt to make the reader feel at ease.
Should the church invitation letter include any specific religious language?
The short answer is yes. It’s not mandatory to use overly religious language, but in a limited quantity, it can be beneficial to include some spiritual sentiments that align with your church's beliefs. This gives the reader a low-key introduction to your church’s values while avoiding potentially overwhelming them with religious terminology if they don’t have a significant church background.
Personalizing Church Invitations: Tips for Different Recipients
Personalization is key when inviting individuals to your church, whether you’re starting with free sample letter of invitation to a church program or writing your own from scratch. Your approach to personalizing a message should vary based on the recipient. For example, if you’re sending a church invitation letter to a fellow member, consider starting the letter with "Dear fellow parishioner…”
For those outside your church, an introduction as simple as, “Hi, [RECIPIENT NAME] can work well. Customize the letter of invitation to church program so the reader feels valued and welcomed and that they’re not simply one of hundreds of recipients of a generic letter you put minimal time and thought into.
Include essential details like date, time and location, while adding specific instructions or requirements so recipients have the information they need to attend or contact your church if they have more specific questions about the event.
When Is the Best Time to Send Church Invitation Letters for Maximum Impact?
When sending out a church service invitation or an invite to a special church program or other special events at your church, timing matters. Send the invitation letter too far ahead of the event and recipients likely won’t remember because the event will seem distant and they’ll set the letter aside, only to forget it.
Conversely, send that same church invitation letter too close to the event and people may already have plans they can’t change, preventing them from attending. Aim for 3-4 weeks prior to an event when sending out an invitation letter – maybe more if it’s a major event that requires tickets or an RSVP.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Church Invitations
One common mistake is failing to provide all the necessary details, such as date, time, location and specific instructions or requirements. These are essential elements no matter the event or audience. People can’t attend an event if they don’t know when or where it takes place, or how to get in once they arrive.
If this information is missing, people may not make the effort to seek it out and will simply throw the invitation in the trash.
Another mistake is using overly formal or complex language that makes the message tough to read or understand. Don’t assume that recipients are all advanced, highly educated readers who will follow along with lengthy, complicated words.
Not proofreading a letter of invitation to a church program is another common, easy-to-fix mistake. No matter how good a writer you are or if you have a reliable source for free a sample letter of invitation to a church program you draw from, we all miss mistakes such as misspellings or grammar errors when writing. Try to have at least one other person proof your church invitation letter before sending it out, and if you can get a second proofreader to take a look, even better.
Remember, the invitation letter presents your church. If it’s sloppy or filled with spelling and grammar errors, readers could get a negative impression before they even consider setting foot in your church.
Free Church Invitation Letter Samples
Writing a new letter each time you hold an event or want to reach out to your local community can take time. Coming up with original and interesting invitation letter ideas can also be challenging. Fortunately, we're here to help.
Here is a selection of free church invitation letter samples for you to use whenever you need one!
Invitation to Church From the Office
If people have recently moved to your local community, they may be looking for a church to join. Your church office can send them a welcome letter as an invitation to church. This allows them to join a service and meet the local pastor.
Dear [New Resident’s Name],
On behalf of [Church’s Name], I would like to offer a heartfelt welcome to the local community. I hope you have been welcomed with love, kindness and faith.
If you are looking for a place to celebrate your faith, our congregation would be delighted to come together to bless your arrival. We hold regular services on:
- [Times and dates of regular services at your church]
- [Times and dates of regular church activities, such as Bible study class]
If you would like to attend, please feel free to contact the office. We will gladly organize a meeting with our pastor, [Pastor’s Name], and fellow members of our community.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or need support in any way, please feel free to reach out. Our office number is [phone number].
May your love of the Lord guide you and protect you.
With best wishes,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Name and Role in the Church Office]
Invitation Letters From the Pastor
A church invitation from the pastor can add a personal touch when sending a worship service invite. This handy template will help you create an effective way to reach out.
Dear [New or Existing Member’s Name],
As the pastor of [Church’s Name], I would like to invite you to celebrate our love and faith with me at a special service on [date] at [time]. Our service will feature readings from long-standing church members. I hope it will be the perfect opportunity to gather and pray for the future together.
As always, our regular church activities will also continue in the coming months. These include:
- [Name of the church activity and date]
- [Name of the church activity and date]
- [Name of the church activity and date]
You are welcome to become more involved in the church community or offer your support. In that case, please get in touch with the church office at [phone number].
May the Lord bless you and keep you. (Numbers 6:24-26)
With best wishes,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Name and Position in the Church]
Invitation for an Upcoming Church Event or Service
If you have a specific event coming up in the church diary, it is a good idea to reach out to your members with an invitation to a church service. This will ensure you have a great turnout and plenty of support in the lead-up to the service.
Dear [Church Member’s Name],
We hope God's grace is keeping you and your loved ones well during this time. As the [Seasonal Holiday or Event] approaches, we would like to invite all our members to a special service.
Our [Name, e.g., Christingle] service will take place on [date] at [time] and will be led by [Pastor’s Name]. This will be an opportunity to pray, celebrate and reflect.
We hope you will join us. In the meantime, if you would like to help organize our service or seasonal collections, please contact the church office. Any support is greatly appreciated.
May the Lord be with you all. (Thessalonians 3:16)
Sincerely,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Your Name and Position in the Church]
Invitation for Members to Join a Fundraising Event
Church fundraising events are essential for churches across America. They can help to raise funds for your church or support local causes.
Events might include bake sales or collections after one of your services. No matter how you choose to fundraise, invite as many people as possible to your event! Here is an example of a church fundraiser letter that will encourage people to attend.
Dear [Church Member’s Name],
At [Church Name], we strive to support and comfort the local community by offering spiritual guidance and reflection. However, we also understand the importance of practical support.
In light of [recent events/Seasonal Holiday], we will be raising funds to support [cause] by hosting a [event or collection] on [date] at [time].
Any donations will be invaluable in supporting this worthwhile cause. Support in organizing the event (and/or contributing gifts) also would be welcome.
Please contact the church office at [phone number] for more information. If you cannot attend but would still like to show your support, the office will also be accepting donations until [date].
With best wishes,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Name and Position in the Church]
Welcome Letter to New Members of Your Community
Welcoming new members into your congregation is an incredibly important. So why not set aside time for them to meet the rest of your community? This is a great way to make people feel at home in your church.
Dear [Existing Church Member’s Name],
We are delighted to welcome new members, [Names], into our community at [Church Name]. Seeing our community grow is a true blessing. We want to give you the opportunity to meet our newest members and welcome them yourselves with open arms.
[New Members’ Names] will be joining us for their first service on [date] at [time]. After this service, we invite you all to stay to enjoy food and drinks and a proper introduction. We hope to see you there!
May the Lord grace you with his love.
Best wishes,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Name and Position in the Church]
Invitation to Other Churches and Community Groups
Inviting local groups and members of other churches to your services helps strengthen your ties with the local community. Sending an invitation to church for special services can help achieve this goal.
Dear [Church or Community Group’s Name],
At [Church’s Name] we greatly admire the work you have done in the local community over the years. We share your passion for supporting and enriching the lives of people in [town/city].
We would be delighted if you and your members would join us for a special service on [date] at [time]. This will be a wonderful occasion to come together and reflect. We will serve food and drinks after the service to give individuals a chance to connect.
If you would like to attend or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the church office at [phone number]. We hope to see you soon.
May the Lord bless you and protect you.
Sincerely,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Name and Position in the Church]
Now that you know how to write a church invitation using free church invitation letter samples, you can plan church outreach and the services and events that bring new life to your church.
FAQS
What is the best way to invite someone to a church event?
A church invitation is the best way to invite someone to a church event. Although a casual verbal invite can be effective, the invitation makes it more formal, letting the person know you care about their presence. It also gives them something tangible, ensuring they don't forget about the event.
Email and social media can also be effective, but a handwritten or printed invitation provides a more personal approach.
Should a church invitation be formal or informal?
A church invitation can be formal or informal depending on the type of event and your relationship with the individual. For example, if you invite someone to an upscale event, you may invite them with the date, time, location, and other essential details.
However, if you invite a newcomer to your church for the first time, it's best to take a more informal approach. Explain your church and what you offer, ensuring the invitation is warm and personal.
What essential details should be included in a church invitation letter?
A church invitation should include essentials such as the event's time, date, and location. You may also include other details that ensure people will not have trouble when they arrive.
For example, you may want to provide parking or transportation details. You may also want to warn them if they need to use a special entrance when arriving at the building. Let them know if they need to bring anything or if there is an admission fee.
How far in advance should a church invitation be sent?
It's best to send out church invitations about three weeks before the event. This timeline gives people enough time to plan around the event, but it's not so far out that they will forget about it.
For more formal faith-based events, you may want to send invitations a few months in advance. However, the three-week timeline works well for casual occasions.
Can I send a church invitation via email or social media instead of a printed letter?
You can send a church invitation via email or social media instead of a printed letter, but it's not advisable. A printed letter of invitation to a church program shows that you took the time to invite them and care about their attendance. It offers a sense of personalization and is a tangible reminder of your event.
Although social media and email should not be your primary invitation delivery method, they can be ideal for backups and reminders.
Looking for More Helpful Tools for Church Events?
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- Event planning checklist
- Church event letter templates
