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The Many Uses of The Joyful Noiseletter
Holy Humor & Jokes, The Joyful Noiseletter
JN: A Holy Humor History
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The Risen Christ by the Sea The Joyful Noiseletter Humorous Books from The Fellowship of Merry Christians
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Books available from The Fellowship of Merry Christians
Holy Humor Sunday, The Joyful Noiseletter
Humor & Health Hangouts start with prevention focus
Order The Joyful Noiseletter and books from The Fellowship of Merry Christians

We are now offering electronic subscriptions to The Joyful Noiseletter in addition to our printed version.

The electronic version is mailed as a PDF file directly to your e-mail inbox, where you can easily cut and paste the articles, jokes, and cartoons directly into your church publications.

Here's what people are saying about The Joyful Noiseletter

"I was thrilled to read our church can now receive The Joyful Noiseletter electronically. JN's reproducible cartoons and humor pieces are far superior to what your competitors offer. It's an excellent and affordable resource."

— Doris Anderson
Ministry Assistant, Lutheran Church in Baltimore, MD

Best-selling Christian author Paul L. Maier, a prominent Lutheran who is Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University, wrote recently:

"I've been on the road giving seminars across the country. It's delightful to note the presence of The Joyful Noiseletter in so many congregations across the land.

JN's fame is widespread - as ought to be the case for a publication which easily buries the concept of Christianity as a 'joy-killer.' Truly, it's a 'joy-instiller,' as your witty comments, puns, holy humor, and cartoons bring out in every issue. The Joyful Noiseletter is the best humor publication in Christendom. Keep up the great work!"

Humor for the hard times

Churches are keenly aware that more than a few of their members are hurting because of hard times – from job losses, stock losses, debt, and home foreclosures.

Whatever the cause is, the best way to deal with hard times is with faith and humor. Humor is hope.

Lest we forget, the Great Depression of the 1930’s gave birth to many of America’s greatest comedians and humorists, and many of them were devout believers, both Christian and Jewish. People were hungry for humor as well as for bread. So the good Lord raised up a flock of comedians and humorists who kept Americans laughing and brought them good cheer and hope through the hard times.

We sincerely believe that in hard times churches are called not only to help people in their struggles, but also to lift their spirits with faith and good humor.

Send us your holy humor!
A funny story, clean joke, a sign, or bulletin blooper.

Email: JoyfulNZ@aol.com

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You can subscribe to the printed or electronic version of JN by:

  • using our secure online store.

    1 Year Subscription or Renewal — $29.00 Add to cart

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  • filling out the Printable Order Form and mailing it, along with your check for $29, to The Joyful Noiseletter, PO Box 895, Portage, MI 49081-0895 (foreign printed subscribers add $10).
       
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G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that the devil fell by force of gravity. He who has the faith has the fun.”

And do our subscribers have fun with our feast of Christian humor and jokes pastors can tell.

Our award-winning newsletter, a publication of the Fellowship of Merry Christians, provides churches with a bountiful bimonthly supply of reproducible cartoons, clean jokes, one-liners, inspirational stories, and joyful Scripture references. And JN doesn’t carry any ads!

Local church publications and church web sites reprint JN’s anecdotes and priceless cartoons by 18 of the Christian world’s finest cartoonists, including Bil Keane, creator of The Family Circus, and Johnny Hart, creator of B.C.

Subscribers regularly receive in JN a bonanza of delightful cartoons by 18 of the finest Christian cartoonists. These cartoons are related to current events, church calendars, holidays, and the changing seasons. The cartoons in JN may be reprinted in church newsletters, bulletins, fliers, posters, signs, and letterheads free-of-charge and without seeking permissions. They also may be projected on overhead screens.

Pastors and lay speakers use JN’s fresh and timely holy humor and cartoons in their sermons and presentations. And Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, chaplains, and health professionals find the healing humor in JN invaluable in getting the attention of children and teenagers, and cheering up hospital patients, depressed parishioners, shut-ins, and the elderly.

Humor, like love, crosses denominational lines. And the many very funny contributors to JN reflect the diversity of beliefs and humor in our Christian traditions, as well as the many beliefs we all share in common.

JN has won awards of excellence for newsletters from all three Christian press associations. JN has even won the plaudits of comedians like Steve Allen and Patch Adams. JN is now an expanded bimonthly.

The Joyful Noiseletter's subscribers include pastors, church newsletter editors, health professionals, chaplains, humorists, comedians, cartoonists, clowns, public speakers, toastmasters, lay church leaders, youth ministers, and lots of people who just enjoy sharing good, clean humor and healing laughter.

For a modest cost — only $29 — JN will help your church produce a joyful, warm, and exciting newsletter, bulletin, and web site.

Every new subscriber also receives our annual catalog of books, CDs, and prints, as well as a wallet-size card of “The Risen Christ by the Sea” painting — a representation of the “Easter laugh.”

Jesus asked his followers to “be of good cheer.” Faith and humor are powerful bridge-building and healing tools. Faith and humor are an unbeatable team in helping to lift people above the force of gravity. When you subscribe to JN, you, too, like C.S. Lewis, will be “surprised by joy.”

A 25th Anniversary Gift

The Joyful Noiseletter is celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2010. As a gift to our subscribers and friends, we are providing on our web site a bonanza of ideas and materials that churches can use to celebrate Holy Humor Sunday (Bright Sunday) on the Sunday after Easter. An ongoing celebration of Jesus' resurrection is a revival of an old custom begun by the early Greek Christians.

Click on "Holy Humor Sunday" and you will find many articles from past issues of JN, dating back to 1988, describing how churches have been celebrating their Holy Humor Sunday services (and attracting large crowds).

You will find in this section Easter carols and joyful songs, joyful Scripture readings, clean jokes, practical jokes, suggested decorations and props, congregation responses, and inspiring sermons. They also can be used for Easter Sunday, as well as other times of the year.

Please feel free to download these articles and to pass them along to churches interested in offering a Holy Humor Sunday service. You can also direct them to this web site. Thank you for crediting The Joyful Noiseletter and the other sources cited.

This is essentially a free guidebook for churches. The copyrighted materials in this guidebook may not be reproduced for sale.

God bless and smile on you!
©2010 The Joyful Noiseletter. All Rights Reserved.

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