Yesterday morning we packed boxes and placed those boxes on shipping skids for our VBS Training events in January. I’m not talking about 20-30 boxes… I’m talking hundreds of boxes that make up 30+ shipping skids. I’ve done this in the past, but this year my team all pitched in (some even came in from Vacation) to help get this enormous task completed. Guess what… a project that I calendared for a full day took us (as a team) about 1½ hours!
The difference in this year’s packing and the previous year’s… the TEAM. I’m thankful for the team I have the privilege of serving with. They go the extra mile, give the extra effort, and they make the work part of my job so enjoyable!
In Kid’s Ministry YOU NEED A TEAM. I’ve not met a Kid’s Minister yet who can get everything done by themselves, but I have met some along the way who knew how to get it all done… and they use a TEAM.
There are a lot of good principles that apply to effective teams, but the one I want to remind you of today is APPRECIATION. Here at Christmas time, it’s so important to show your team how much you appreciate them. The following are a few last minute ideas on expressing your appreciation.
- Send individualized Christmas cards. Take the time to write to each team member why you appreciate them. Hand delivered with a candy cane is a nice touch too.
- Send an email on Christmas day. Let them see that you think enough of them to take time on Christmas morning to drop them a note of appreciation
- Make a quick phone call on Christmas morning. Don’t make it long but that special phone call from the team leader can really express just how much you value what they contribute to the team.
- Plan an “After Christmas, Christmas Party!” I don’t know about you, but I don’t have all that much free time during the holidays. Acknowledging that fact and not trying to add another event to an already busy schedule demonstrates that you really do care and appreciate me! It’s not too late to put something on the calendar for January and send out the “appreciation” invitations before Christmas.
- Consider the uniqueness of individuals on your team and provide “random acts of kindness” uniquely designed for each unique team member. Maybe it’s a night of free child-care, maybe it’s an afternoon at the movie, maybe it’s a gift card for latte at your local coffee shop… whatever it is, making it unique sends a clear message that you appreciate them, uniquely!
- Consider giving each member of your team the gift of doing one of their tasks. For example, if you have someone who is responsible for leading child-care during worship, give them the gift of actually leading for them one week while they attend worship. Another example might be the volunteer who cleans and sanitizes the young preschool toys after each use. Write a thank you note and share that next week, you’ll cover her responsibilities for her.
Bottom Line: It’s never too late to say thank you. It’s never too late to show appreciation. Don’t let the Christmas season get by you without making sure your team knows how much you depend on them, how important their work is, and how very much you appreciate their service to the Kingdom!
