Ideas for Making Banners for Church

Names of God

Members can create a single banner with biblical names for God, such as El Shaddai, Elohim and Yahweh. They also can make banners to line the walls with more than 100 names for God. Place all the names for God that begin with Jehovah on a single banner or group of banners. Use bright colors for the backgrounds and letters in gold or silver. Add gold or silver tassels to the hangers, matching the color of the banner letters.

Use liturgical colors and symbols to create seasonal church banners. For example, use a purple background during Lent with a symbol of the Passover lamb with a cross. If you want banners that are reversible to better use your resources, purple also represents Advent, and a manger with a star would work well for that season. A small collection of banners in six colors would allow a congregation to have a banner for each season in the liturgical calendar. Several church banner companies have ready-made liturgical banners and banner kits.

If a church has a logo, a banner with the logo and church colors could identify the church for a variety of events such as youth rallies and church conventions. Church groups can create a banner specific for the group. For example, a women's prayer group banner might depict a praying woman with a Scripture reference for Proverbs 31. The banner for a Sunday school class could show an open Bible with II Timothy 3:15 embroidered on the pages of the Bible.

Colorful banners contain favorite Bible passages such as The Lord's Prayer, 23rd Psalm ("The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want....") and Joshua 24:14 ("Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness....). The size of the banner determines how large the passage can be and still be easily read at a distance. Illustrations add color and variety to the banner but make using long passages impractical. Christian symbols such as a cross, a dove, a rainbow or a Bible work well on banners. Banners using these symbols do not require words and can be used any time of the year. Other appropriate symbols for use throughout the year include the trinity symbol, a butterfly or cross and crown.