Quick answer: open your old .pub bulletin (or a template) in Free Pub Editor, put the church name and contact details on the master page, add the order of service as a table, and save it as a template. Each week, use File › Save As to make a dated copy, update it, then print or export a PDF.
Can I keep using our old Publisher bulletin?
Usually, yes. Microsoft says Microsoft 365 subscribers lost Publisher "on or shortly after October 1, 2026" (Microsoft Support), which left many church offices with years of bulletins they couldn't open.
Free Pub Editor opens .pub files from Publisher 2002 through to Microsoft 365 with their text boxes, pictures, tables, master pages and colours. Open last week's bulletin with File › Open and you can carry on as before. If something looks a bit off, see why a .pub file can look wrong.
Starting fresh? Choose File › New and pick the Newsletter template, the A4 blank size for a single sheet, or A4 landscape for a folded bulletin.
Which layout should I use?
| Layout | How to set it up | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single A4 or Letter sheet | A4 blank size, one or two pages | Small congregations, notices only | Can feel crowded |
| Folded A4 to A5 (four panels) | A4 landscape, two pages, each split down the middle | The classic bulletin: cover, two inside pages, back | You arrange the panels yourself |
| A5 booklet, 8 pages or more | A5 pages, then booklet printing from a PDF | Festivals, weddings, funerals | Page count must be a multiple of four |
How do I set up a folded A5 bulletin?
Be aware that Free Pub Editor doesn't impose booklets: it won't shuffle pages into folding order for you. For a single folded sheet that's easy to do by hand:
- Start with the A4 landscape blank size and add a second page.
- Drag a guide out of the ruler to the middle, 148.5 mm. That's your fold.
- On page 1, put the back cover on the left half and the front cover on the right half.
- On page 2, put the two inside pages side by side.
- Keep text at least 8 mm away from the fold line so nothing disappears into the crease.
- Print double-sided and choose flip on short edge (the wording varies by printer). Then fold in half.
Print one copy and fold it before printing fifty. If the inside comes out upside down, switch to the other flip option.
What goes on the master page?
The master page holds anything that repeats on every page, so it doesn't get nudged out of place while you edit the week's notices. Open it with View › Master Page (or Ctrl+M) and add:
- the church name and logo
- address, phone, email and website (Insert › Page Parts › Contact block is a quick start)
- the minister's or office's contact details
- a page number, using Insert › Page Number
For a folded A5 bulletin, put only the things that belong on both A4 sides on the master. A logo that should only appear on the front cover goes on page 1 instead.
How do I lay out the order of service?
A two-column table keeps the order of service neat, and it's easy to change week to week. Choose Insert › Table, pick two columns, and fill it in like this:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Leader's name |
| Hymn | Number and title |
| Reading | Book, chapter and verses, reader's name |
| Sermon | Title and preacher |
| Prayers | Leader's name |
| Closing hymn and blessing | Number and title |
Turn off the table borders for a cleaner look. If you print song words, CCLI's Church Copyright License covers printing lyrics in bulletins and service sheets, with the song's credits and your licence number (CCLI). Check with your denomination if you're unsure what your church holds.
Where do the notices go?
- Sidebar. Insert › Page Parts › Sidebar adds a shaded "Dates for your diary" box for the week ahead.
- Rosters. A small table for readers, flowers, morning tea and door duty is easier to scan than a paragraph.
- Longer notices. If an item won't fit, link two text boxes with Insert › Text Flow, so it carries on to the back. See how to continue text on another page.
- Prayer requests. Ask before printing anyone's name or health news. Bulletins get left on buses and posted online.
How do I reuse it each week?
- Keep one file called something like Bulletin template, saved with File › Save as an editable .fpe file.
- Each week, open it and choose File › Save As with a dated name, such as Bulletin 2026-11-01, before changing anything.
- Use Home › Replace to change last Sunday's date everywhere at once.
- Update the readings, hymns, rosters and notices.
- Run Review › Design Checker to catch text that has overflowed its box, and read it through once for spelling.
Recent publications also appear under File › Open in the same browser, but they live only in that browser. Keep the .fpe files on the office computer or a shared drive as well.
How do I print or share it?
- Office printer: File › Print, margins None, scale 100%, Background graphics on.
- Email or website: export a PDF (choose Save as PDF in the print window). It keeps the A4 or A5 page size. See our PDF guide.
- A5 booklet of 8 pages or more: build it as A5 pages in reading order, export a PDF, then use a booklet print option. Adobe's guide to printing booklets in Acrobat or the free Reader uses Page Sizing & Handling › Booklet (Adobe Help). Some printer drivers also have a booklet setting.
For other options for parish offices, see Publisher alternatives for schools and churches.
Common questions
Can I open our old Publisher bulletin without Publisher?
Does Free Pub Editor print booklets automatically?
How do I keep the same header every week?
Can several people work on the bulletin?
Open this week's bulletin
Old .pub files open with their layout. Free, nothing to install.
Open the editor