Starting a new role in church communications can feel overwhelming when everything seems urgent. Taking the first month to observe, identify quick wins, and establish foundational systems sets up long-term success. This structured approach helps new communicators build trust while creating sustainable workflows that serve the team.
So you’re the new church communications person. Whether you’re stepping into a staff role, volunteering out of passion, or simply the one who didn’t step back fast enough during a meeting...welcome. You’re not alone.
Every summer, we see a fresh wave of communicators entering church life. Staff transitions, ministry shifts, new energy. And with it comes one big question:
Where do I even start?
This guide is here to answer that...with practical tips, encouragement, and a roadmap to survive (and thrive in) your first 30 days.
Week 1: Breathe and Observe
✅ What to Focus On:
- Get the lay of the land. Don’t rush into redesigning the bulletin on Day 1. Spend this week understanding how communication currently flows.
- Meet with key ministry leaders. Ask what’s working, what’s frustrating, and how they prefer to communicate.
- Look at past materials. Browse through emails, social posts, past slides. Notice the patterns, tone, gaps, and tone inconsistencies.
💬 Questions to Ask:
- How are announcements currently submitted?
- Who approves final content?
- What channels (email, social, stage, etc.) are used most often?
🔹 Pro Tip:
Keep a running doc of everything that feels unclear or chaotic. You’ll want to revisit it later with fresh eyes.
Week 2: Identify Quick Wins
✅ What to Focus On:
- Tidy up obvious clutter. If there are outdated links in the weekly email or a Facebook cover photo from 2021, fix them.
- Document what you can. Even if you’re not ready to overhaul processes, start capturing what currently exists.
- Find the low-hanging fruit. Maybe it’s as simple as creating a consistent template for slides or social posts.
💬 Questions to Ask:
- What are the biggest pain points?
- What can be standardized easily?
- What’s falling through the cracks week to week?
🔹 Pro Tip:
Don’t overcommit. One or two visible improvements will build trust...and buy you space to think bigger.
Week 3: Clarify the Calendar
✅ What to Focus On:
- Build or update a church communications calendar. If none exists, this is your moment. See how to create a church communications calendar for step-by-step guidance.
- Start centralizing requests. A simple form or shared doc is better than scattered Slack messages.
- Look ahead 60–90 days. What major events or sermon series are coming up?
💬 Questions to Ask:
- Who sets the church-wide calendar?
- How do events get added?
- What timelines are expected for promotion?
🔹 Pro Tip:
Use Communicate to map this all out in one place. It’s designed specifically for ministry teams to ditch the chaos and get aligned.
Week 4: Create Rhythm and Vision
✅ What to Focus On:
- Establish recurring check-ins. Whether it’s a weekly planning meeting or a monthly ministry sync, rhythm is your secret weapon.
- Draft a rough communications plan template. Think of it as your new north star. For a complete guide, see the ultimate guide to building a church communications strategy.
- Celebrate the wins. You made it through month one. Reflect on what you learned and share progress with leadership.
💬 Questions to Ask:
- How can we plan better for the next season?
- What communication needs still feel unclear?
- Where do we need better collaboration?
🔹 Pro Tip:
You don’t need to build Rome in a month. Just lay solid foundations. The rest comes in time.
You Were Made for This
Church communications is equal parts art, strategy, and pastoral care. You won’t get it perfect. But you don’t have to. The fact that you care enough to start strong says a lot.
And if you ever feel overwhelmed, the Communicate team (and community) is here for you.
How this topic connects: This onboarding guide supports the church communication calendar pillar by showing how to set up new teams with calendar systems and processes.
Related Articles
Explore these related guides to improve your church communication onboarding:
- How to Create a Church Communications Calendar - Step-by-step creation guide
- Your Church Needs a Communications Calendar - Why calendars matter
- Church Communications Strategy: The Complete Guide - Comprehensive strategy framework
- How to Centralize Your Church Communication Workflow - Workflow centralization
- Church Communications Tools for Small Teams - Tools for small staff
- What Churches Should Communicate Every Week - Weekly communication priorities
Want to put this into action? Start planning your church communications with Communicate ... the only church communications calendar built just for ministry teams. For leadership visibility, see a communications plan your pastor will actually understand that shows what's going out, when, and why. Learn more about church communication software for small teams that helps you plan announcements without overwhelming your staff.
