Family-Sized Bulletins
Betty Steele Everett; William Folprecht
Church bulletins usually contain the worship liturgy or order of service, the schedule of weekly events, and maybe a photo of a sunrise over Jerusalem. In at least two churches, however, the bulletins do more.
"The congregation is the family of God, and our bulletins are our family album," says Pastor John Linna of United Lutheran Church, Crystal Falls, Michigan. Photographs of events in the local congregation appear on the back and front covers of the bulletins.
Linna, an amateur photographer, takes the black-and-white pictures with his 35mm camera.
"Since I'm already present at baptisms and weddings, I don't need to set up a a special time for the pictures," he explains. "To get the picture of a senior citizen's birthday party, I may have to make a special trip, but then I have a chance to visit."
Cover photos are a way to introduce new members as well as honor anniversaries, church school classes, and committee workers.
"I happen to enjoy photography, but if a pastor isn't a photographer, an interested layperson could probably be found," says Linna.
The pictures are developed on Thursday, allowing them to be printed by the church's offset press. Before the press was purchased secondhand, the church took the bulletins to an outside printer.
The personalized bulletins are mailed by members to friends and relatives.
"In one case," says Karen Groop, church secretary, "the bulletin of a baptism was sent to a grandmother who had not been able to see the baby yet."
During Lent, only the back cover of the bulletins have photographs. The front covers are made from drawings by fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Those drawings selected are traced onto a master by the church secretary, so that two or three different ink colors may be used. ...
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