Templates

We’ve put in place updated PowerPoint templates and a Service Planner for use at St Andrew’s; especially for services like the 10:30 Sunday service using PowerPoint/EasyWorship (on the laptop at the back) and normally being recorded. These and some instructions are included below. However they can be used more widely for services at both churches.

The new Service Planner (.docx) can be downloaded by clicking here.  It’s easier to complete and works fine in Word on both PCs and Macs. If a Mac used does not have Word installed then open in ‘Pages’ and you can edit as normal; however after editing use use ‘ File/Export to/Word ‘ and save the file as required.
Please make sure that fill in complete names, service titles, etc. as the information is used by a number of people who will not always follow your shorthand.
The older Service Planner (.docx) can be downloaded by clicking here but can be more difficult to complete.

Normally the St Andrew’s services are pulled together on the church laptop as follows (but please check as this can change with holidays, etc.):

  • Midweek (Thursday) – Kirsty on Wednesday morning
  • 10:30 Sunday – Kirsty on Friday morning
  • The Six on Sunday – Kirsty on Friday morning

The words of songs/hymns for most services come straight from EasyWorship where we have a database of previously used songs and download others as required from SongSelect using the CCLI song number or full title. [The main exception to this is the midweek service where the  song words are normally in the PowerPoint.] To be sure that you have the right song, please try to include the CCLI song numbers in your Service Planner. Whenever possible whoever is on EasyWorship checks the exact song words with the music group  during rehearsals (has normally been Friday evening for the 10:30 service and prior to the service for The Six).

All other pictures, text and videos are normally in PowerPoint – which enables those leading and supporting the services to have PowerPoint handouts showing the layout of each and the  order of the slides. Leaders and preachers can produce their own PowerPoint using the templates below or provide whoever is pulling the service together with the relevant information. If you use the templates below, your PowerPoint should come out (same colours, layout, builds, etc.) as you intended. However please make sure that everything is stored in the PowerPoint, e.g. there are no external links or links to other files.

If you wish to use anything that may be copyright (e.g. videos, images or songs) in the service, please check that you are free to use them and that, if the service is due to be recorded, that they can be uploaded onto YouTube without a copyright strike. This needs to be done well in advance of the service and please don’t include the video, image  or song into your PowerPoint until this is done; ideally just include the Share URL in your Order of Service. This is a complex area and we are looking to try to get some further guidance to help; meanwhile Derek Barnes can usually provide guidance on a case by case basis.

In order that the laptop operator can seamlessly switch between PowerPoint and EasyWorship songs during services, please ensure that there is a title/landing slide before and after each block of songs.
The remote clicker must only be used during the PowerPoint parts of a service. After an EasyWorship song, please allow long enough for the laptop operator to get the cursor reliably back to the correct point on the screen before you try to click.

The Service Planner (.docx) can be downloaded above.


The St Andrew’s pre-service Rotator Template (.pptx) can be downloaded as a PowerPoint file by clicking here


The St Andrew’s Service Leaders Template (.pptx) can be downloaded as a PowerPoint file by clicking here.

The St Andrew’s Preachers Sermon Template (.pptx) can be downloaded as a PowerPoint file by clicking here.

 

For some  pre-recorded services where we use a widescreen (16 x 9) format and you want the PowerPoint to fill the screen, we also have a widescreen template that you can down load by clicking here. If you just want the PowerPoint to appear as part of the image (e.g. a recording of someone talking with the PowerPoint appearing in part of the screen), please use the normal (4×3) format templates above.

These templates have been put in place to ensure compatibility with the way services are presented at St Andrew’s, including EasyWorship on the church laptop and recording.  Please ensure that you always start your preparation with a ‘clean’ template. Once you have finished preparing the PowerPoint, please delete the first slide (which contains a set of instructions). A few key points to note:

  1. When adding or pasting in slides always choose the “Use Destination Theme (H)” option; never the “Keep Source Formatting (K)” option as this changes the underlying template and can cause problems.
  2. When adding a new slide go to ‘Insert’ tab & then ‘New Slides’  tab to select the template that you want to use for the new slide you want to insert.
  3. The absolute minimum text size is 24 point Arial (with Bold and Shadow enabled if possible) in a good contrast for text to be visible from back of church. Typically we try to use 36 point Arial with Bold and Shadow on a strongly contrasting background (white text on blue background) for normal text in church. If you use an smaller font (e.g. Calibri) you will need to use an even larger point size.
  4. The projection system in church in daylight means that the contrast will not be as good as viewed on your computer screen. Therefore please ensure that you use contrasts (e.g. between text and backgrounds) that will work well in the church. Also try to avoid using borders on sides as these will generally appear distorted with the projection system.
  5. We use a 1024 x 768 display and any full screen images should be as close to this as possible for clarity. Try to avoid fuzzy boundaries on images and enlarge them to edge of the screen if possible.
  6. Slides such as the welcome, readings and prayers slides are there purely as examples and, like the first instructions slide in each template, should be deleted if not required in the final PowerPoint.

If you need some further instructions, guidance or help, please talk to Derek Barnes or Kirsty Oldfield who will do their best to help you.

The Service Planner (.docx) can be downloaded above.