Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design

Sometimes used at a funeral or distributed right after a person has passed away, prayer memorial cards are a way to work through grief while keeping a friend or family member’s memory close at heart. Prayer memory cards may have religious tones, with scriptural passages and symbols, or they can be secular, with images such as flowers, doves or a gravestone. Prayer cards may feature a photograph of the departed, and a personal message or a poem can be used to say goodbye.

1. Open Publisher and choose “Publications for Print,” then “Greeting Cards.” Scroll down to the “Sympathy” option; don’t worry if you don’t like the images and designs, they’ll be changed in the following steps. Double-click a card to open it in your workspace.
2. Step 2

   Look at the small page icons at the bottom of the screen. Right-click on the page 2 and select “Delete Page.” At the prompt box, select “Both pages” and click the “OK” button. Right-click on the page 2 again and choose “Delete Page” again. Now you have just the prayer memorial card front.

3. Step 3

   Scroll through the design options on the left side toolbar. Click on one to have it update the card in your workspace. To remove all the pre-set designs, draw a square around them with your cursor, then press the “Delete” key.

4. Step 4

   (Optional) Click the “Color Schemes” link, then choose a new color scheme for the card. All images and text colors will update with your choice.

5. Step 5

   (Optional) Click “Insert,” then click “Picture” and choose “From File.” Browse to a location on your computer where you have an image or photo to use for the prayer card, such as a headshot of the person who passed away or a drawing of praying hands. Double-click the image for it to appear on the card; drag it into place with your mouse.

6. Step 6

   Click the “Insert” menu, then click “Picture” and choose “Clip Art.” Pull down the “Search in” menu and ensure that all boxes are checked. Pull down the “Results should be” menu and select “Clip Art,” “Photographs” or both. Type a word or phrase, such as prayer, funeral, grave or cross into the “Search for” box and click “Go.”

7. Step 7

   Scroll to an image to use for the card and double-click it. It will appear in the center of the card; drag it into place with your mouse. Repeat to add any more images that you want.

8. Step 8

   Click the “Text” tool, which looks like an index card with an “A” on it, on the “Tools” palette on the left side of the screen. Draw a rectangle with your mouse into the area where you’ll add the prayer. The text toolbar at the top of the screen will become enabled.

9. Step 9

   Choose a font (select something ornate and ceremonial such as French Script, Pristina or Monotype Corsiva), a size and color. Type your prayer memorial text into the text box. Prayer memorial poems may be found online and copied and pasted into the text box. Add other text boxes as required, such as one that lists the person’s name and birth and death dates.