Quick and Inexpensive Church Decor
How To Decorate Your Church On A Strict Budget
Are you the overseer of a church that has a tiny budget? There’s plenty you can do to change the decor now and then, without spending much at all.
Some churches have huge budgets, but for those with small budgets, decor can be skimpy or non-existent. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are lots of things you can do to change the decor without spending tons of money.
Most churches have crosses, here and there, throughout the church. There’s plenty of ways to make crosses with little or no expense. Cut them from thick cardboard then use jewel-tone paints to decorate. No one will be able to tell they’re cardboard. Hang them on walls. Or, make a cris-cross from tinsel pipe cleaners and string beads onto the four limbs, gluing on the last bead of each limb. Use suction cups to hang them in windows or glue to affix them to permanent structures.
Cut styrofoam slabs into crosses and use jeweled pins or sequin to decorate. These are somewhat time-consuming but beautiful when completed. Find the jeweled pins or sequin at any craft store. Craft stores also carry crosses, made from wood or plaster, that can be painted or decorated in other ways.
No fancy pulpit at your church? Maybe you get by with a wooden stand or table? Consider purchasing a twin flat sheet in red, gold, or purple and put in elastic along one long side. The elastic will make the sheet gather and you can then tack the sheet around the perimeter of the stand. Sheets can be found in satiny fabrics if you want something less bulky than traditional sheets. Or, purchase an inexpensive piece of lace to make the pulpit skirt. Walmart generally has a large stack of reduced fabric, some of which are surely suitable for your needs, and the price tag is usually only a dollar or two a yard.
Use the sheets or reduced fabrics to make curtains for doorways as well. A wide strip on each side is all you need – the curtains don’t actually have to close. Hanging lace or satiny curtains on each side of a doorway makes it appear more inviting and won’t cost much. Use tie-backs, if necessary, to hold the fabric out of the way.
Tablecloths are another way to stretch the budget. Not only can they be used to cover dining tables, but they can be used as curtains, runners and more. Look for tablecloths that do not have the flannel backing, but are thin and wispy instead. Or purchase thicker cloths and buy fancy roping to tie it back or decorate it.
Nowadays you can get wall appliques for a reasonable price. The appliques are put on by rubbing a tongue depressor or popsicle stick over the image. The picture will transfer to the wall making the room come to life. Choose religious pictures, weeping willow trees, sheep and lambs, or even angels. Fabric images are easy to do, too. Purchase fabric with the images you want, then use decoupage glue to affix them to the walls. If you don’t have the glue, just starch the fabric and rub it onto the wall.
If you don’t have fancy windows, but would rather not put up curtains, try the rolls of vinyl window covering they have for sale these days. The vinyl comes with an adhesive backing and you can purchase it in rolls that have designs like stained glass windows. It’s easy to cut and hang and no one can tell it’s not real stained glass unless they touch it.
Set up a table to place up front or in the entryway. Lay a nice lace or cloth runner on the table, then place things like a bowl of flowers, Bible, rosary beads, cross necklaces and other spiritual items. Set up spotlights to hover over the table to draw attention to it.
You don’t have to be an upholsterer to redo your hard wood benches or pews. Call local upholsterers and ask them for castaway foam cushions or pieces. Many will be glad to give them to you, or sell them to you at a reasonable cost. And, if they don’t have any on hand, just ask them to start saving throwaway foam as they recover couches and chairs. If the foam is thick, you can use an electric knife to cut it into thinner pieces, allowing it to cover even more benches. After you have enough foam to cover the benches, check out sheets, or reduced fabric, to cover them.
Instead of covering each individual cushion, you can use tacks or staples to attach the fabric to the bench. Begin by folding the end under and tacking it in the corner of the bench, behind the foam. The side should be tacked as well, allowing the fabric to then hang down to the floor. Continue stapling along the entire back seat area until you reach the other end. Fold under and staple along the side of the bench, allowing the fabric to hang down to the floor. The fabric may have to be cut and hemmed to keep it from being too long.
Go online to find posters of Jesus, Mary and other religious images. Frame them yourself to save money then hang them up in the entrance hall or another area. For special occasions, use clear or white Christmas lights to brighten the place. Use the lighting in imaginative ways like lining the sidewalks or writing a scripture passage a wall.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on decorating when you think up alternative ways to breathe life into your decor. Check dollar-theme stores, clearance shelves at craft or department stores, and look for good deals online. Your church will be beautiful and inviting in no time.
