21 March 2023

A fortnight ago I attended a conference on “Leading your church into growth” (LYCIG). It was a worthwhile time, led by excellent presenters who were visiting from the UK. Whilst at one level I didn’t hear much that I hadn’t heard or read before, it was useful to have a refresher, and to be reminded of some of the basics that we can so easily let slip. I was also interested that at several points colleagues nodded their heads in furious agreement with ideas that I knew full well some had steadfastly not made a priority in their own ministries. One such moment was during a brief discussion of signage and parish websites. Let’s face it, this is one of those things that every church growth manual tells us makes a quantifiable difference, yet it is something that often seems to be “next year’s project.” In consequence there’s still a lot of really bad church signage out there, even in some “growth-focussed” parishes. And don’t get me started on the quality and content of many parish websites. Yet these are key points of first contact for people who are looking for a church.

Signage is a pretty basic indicator that a church a) exists, b) is open and c) is or is not likely to be welcoming. A good or bad sign can make the difference between whether a person considers walking into your church or not.

One church I walk past regularly, situated on a main road with a LOT of passing foot traffic, had until very recently a single very decayed sign with text in a tiny font size that revealed almost nothing other than the church’s name and the date of its construction. Given that the front door of this church is also quite hard to find, the signage always struck me as odd. In fact, it looked like the church had closed down! Thankfully that sign has recently had a revamp, though it still doesn’t give much away. It certainly doesn’t encourage me, or presumably anyone else, to want to visit the church for a service.

At the LYSIG conference the archbishop shared a story of trying to attend a church service whilst on holiday in another diocese. The small rural church in question had incorrect information about service times on both its signage and its website. He and several others appeared at the advertised time, only to find a firmly shut door, with no indication of where or whether a service was to be held that day. How hard is it to ensure that our signage is, in these most basic details, up to date and correct?

I have also encountered the reverse problem with church signage – that which provides far more information than anyone might reasonably want, such that you can’t see the wood for all the trees. When walking briskly down a high street thinking about what I might do with my Sunday morning I do not want to stop to read a paragraph on the history of the church, an introduction to its minister, a three-paragraph mission statement, and advertising for every event to be held over the next six months. I want the service times, the website address, and perhaps a phone number. Seriously, that’s about it. And I’d like it in a font size large enough for me to read from a passing bus. Perhaps at particular times of the year like Christmas and Easter I might also hope for something to tell me the times of special services, but anything else really is just a distraction.

Signage needs to be clear and minimal. Websites, by contrast, have the capacity to deliver much more information quickly, and for most people looking for a church in 2023 the internet is their first port of call. However as with physical signage, most people looking on the internet for a church to attend are usually looking primarily for the answer to a single question – When are the services? The front page of a website can certainly provide much more detail than a standing sign, however first and foremost should be a clear indication of the service times and – importantly – the location of the church. It’s obvious really, but whereas people reading a street sign will already know the location of the church, people googling for a church might not know exactly where your church is or how to get there. A link to Google Maps or something equivalent is a more than useful addition to the front page.

There are people far more qualified than me to suggest how best to organise and build a website that is outward-focussed and that attracts people who might be considering visiting or even joining your parish church. The thing I want to underline here concerns the initial point of contact, and ensuring that the “most frequently asked questions” are all addressed at the very first “click”. Think first about how you want your website to look to someone looking for a church in your neighbourhood. Can they access basic information immediately, and if that information lines up with what they’re looking for is it easy with a single click to access information on the values and style of the church community?

Signage and websites are important, but they are not the only points of first contact. Word of mouth is the most obvious other way people discover a church, and I will offer some reflections on that in a future post. For now, let me highlight just one additional example. If you have one (or more) of these they are as good as a flashing neon sign for letting the world know you’re there. They’re very traditional things. They’re called bells.

During the Covid lockdown period we were all forbidden from leaving home to attend church, but it was always allowed that a small group could enter the building to livestream services. As well as the Sunday Eucharist, in my parish we live-streamed morning prayer via Zoom from the church every day. Before every service we rang the main church bell, which sounded out over an otherwise almost silent suburb. As well as appreciative comments from some members of the worshipping community who lived within earshot, I received two emails from people I’d never met. Both of these expressed how important and helpful it was for them to hear the bell as a sign of normality in a most abnormal world. One of them, who took pains to tell me that he was not a church attender, told me it had prompted him to say a little prayer every morning. Perhaps one day that person might decide that they do want to connect with a church. Could it be the bell that attracts him?

Not every church has a bell. But if you do, do you use it? Does it ring out not just on Sunday morning but every day, to tell the world you are alive and praying? Does it call people to join you in prayer?

Are there other things about the physical fabric of your building in addition to the noticeboard and the bell that might call people to prayer? It is always worth considering what might make our churches more “findable” and more likely to draw people in. Good signage is a great place to start, but it’s only one of several possible points of first encounter.