How to Create a Pastoral Invitation

In many areas pastors are the heart of the community. With the growing populations at some churches it has become increasingly important for pastors to find creative and effective ways to keep in regular contact with church members, other pastors, and the larger community. Creating and distributing event and fellowship invitations is one longstanding way that pastors can accomplish this.

Select the design or layout for the invitation. For special events such as annual day celebrations, church anniversary banquets and community fund-raisers, contact a printer and order 20 lb. half-sized invitation sheets. To save costs on other regular weekly or monthly invitations, you may find it best to use standard white letter-size paper which you can purchase from office superstores like Staples and OfficeMax.

Include a scripture at the top of the invitation that connects with the event. Type the scripture and include the book of the Bible, chapter and verses. In the top right corner of the invitation include a photo of your pastor and first lady or an image of the church building to personalize the invitation.

Craft the introduction so readers immediately connect with the pastoral invitation. For example, if the invitation encourages recipients to attend the church's 50th anniversary banquet, you could begin with, "Dear Church Member, Pastor & First Lady John Doe invite you to join them and the entire John Doe church body at an upcoming banquet gala to help celebrate the church's 50th anniversary."

Provide details such as where and when and if there is a charge to attend the event. Banquets and other events held away from the church may require a fee, such as to reserve the hall. If you are going to pay this cost by asking invitees to purchase a ticket, state this clearly. For example, you could write, "The 50th anniversary banquet will be held at ABC Restaurant located at 111 Main Street in City, State. The banquet will begin at eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday, (date). Please purchase your tickets to this blessed event as soon as possible. Cost per adult is $20. There is no cost for children five and younger to attend. To purchase tickets, please contact (banquet organizer's name)."

Encourage participation by clearly letting invitees know how much their presence at the event means to the pastor. You could write something like, "Your presence at the event, which starts at eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday, (date), means a lot to the pastor and first lady."

Close the invitation on a positive note by repeating how important it is to the pastor that all invitees attend the event. Keep the message short and concise. If you print the invitations on heavy half sheets of paper, five to six sentences should be sufficient. If you print the invitations on standard letter-sized paper, you could type as much as three paragraphs. Following is an example of a full pastoral invitation for a 50th church anniversary banquet.

"Now faith is the thing hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen." -- Hebrews 11:1

Dear Church Member,

God has richly blessed us over the years.

It is for this reason that Pastor & First Lady John Doe invite you to join them and the entire John Doe church body at an upcoming banquet gala to help celebrate the church's 50th anniversary.

The 50th anniversary banquet will be held at ABC Restaurant located at 111 Main Street in City, State. The banquet will begin at eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday, (date). To cover the cost of the banquet, please purchase your tickets to this blessed event as soon as possible. Deadline to purchase tickets is (date). Cost per adult is $20. There is no cost for children five and younger to attend. To purchase tickets, please contact (banquet organizer's name). Choirs and area ministers will be in attendance and bless us with songs of praise. Reverend Johnny Doe, pastor of AME Zion Church, will preach the word.

Your presence at the event, which starts at eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday, (date), means a lot to the pastor and first lady. We love you and trust that you will be there."