Looking for some fun gift ideas to show appreciation to your volunteers? We’ve got your covered! Click below to download some fun ideas.
Soapin’ you have a merry Christmas!
How to Foster Community with your Volunteers (so they stick around)
I always tell people my favorite part of my job is the chance to listen and talk with KidMin leaders across the country and world. Our team at LifeWay Kids has our ear to the ground with church leaders either on the phone, in the field, or online—engaging in thousands of catalytic conversations from leaders in all kinds of churches—small, big, mega, rural, urban, multiple denominations and non-denominations. One thing is consistent without fail; the number one pain point of children and preschool leaders is volunteer recruitment and retention.
We spend lots of energy blogging, podcasting, conferencing, book-writing, and so forth talking about this dynamic which is particularly important to kids ministry. Sure, other ministries need volunteers—but not at the same rate and volume as kids ministry. Am I right? So, out of all the strategies and tactics of volunteer recruitment and retention, I want to hone in on one that I believe is often overlooked: the importance of fostering community within the volunteers that serve with you.
Think about it. When you make the big ask for someone to serve in children’s ministry you are more than likely asking them to give up an hour where they would be in community with adults. In fact, this is one of the main reasons adults resist serving in children’s ministry. They don’t want to give up a small group or Sunday School class with their adult peers. So, how can we as KidMin leaders change that perception?
One of your primary roles as a Children’s ministry leader is to develop adults. I know most of us got into kids ministry because we love kids; but when you truly survey your role—who do you mostly work with? Adults. Therefore, it is our role to pour into them, develop them, and foster community with their fellow volunteers. More times than not, when we develop community with our leaders, they will stay with us longer. Here are some ideas for how to do just that:
- Pray together: It seems obvious, but I’ve talked to countless leaders who don’t meet regularly to pray for each other and the children they are teaching. Carve out time to do this either before or after class or during another environment (such as Wednesday night Bible study).
- Break bread together: Find a regular time such as a monthly lunch to eat and fellowship together. It’s essential to have time to get to know one another, share about families, jobs, hobbies, and talk about how the Lord is moving in each of their lives.
- Bear one another’s burdens: The more prayer and community time your volunteers have together with each other and with you, the more they will begin sharing prayer needs in their own lives.
- Encourage each other: Be sure your volunteers have contact information for everyone serving and begin to model how to text and call to check on one another. It may be a verse to share, a prayer need lifted up, or a call to action to help someone in need.
- Feed your people: We already discussed breaking bread with meal, but even more importantly, feed your people with the Word. Take time to share Scripture—even studying the lesson being taught to kids each week. If time is prohibitive to do this, an online, private Facebook community could be a great avenue to share God’s word (as well as other vital communication such as announcements, etc.)
As you can see, fostering community with your volunteers can be a key factor for retention. You want them to become friends and go deeper as brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. It’s scriptural and you won’t regret the time it takes to invest in them. Before you know it, your ministry will have a waiting line! For His glory!
“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
Happy Fall, Y’all! Teacher Appreciation
It’s finally cooling off after a rather mild summer here in Tennessee. The air is cooling off, our Saturday’s are filled with soccer games, and the thought of soup after church brings a comforting feeling. Regardless of where you live, fall brings certain memories or feelings.
The major fall holiday is one that reminds us to be thankful. We are thankful for our faith, our family, our friends, and our homes. Those of us in ministry are also thankful for our volunteers. Here are a few fall-friendly ideas that you can use to thank your volunteers.
Thank You Towels:
Everyone can use a good kitchen towel and I found these fall-themed towels at Walmart for only 88¢. Simply print THIS LABEL and tape to the tag and BOOM!!! Instant thanks!
Blooming Thanks:
Mums are the go-to flower of fall. I found these miniature mums at Walmart for $1 each. Print THIS LABEL and attach to the care-instructions. To make it a little more decorative, I wrapped the black plastic pot with a piece of colored construction paper.
No MITTstake:
It’s a lot easier to take that hot apple pie out of the oven with a good oven mitt. These fall-oriented oven mitts were 88¢ at Walmart. Print THIS LABEL, attach to the tag, and your thanks is red-hot!
Jeff Land is Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies For Life: Kids. He holds a BSW from Mississippi College and a MACE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has served as children’s pastor and currently teaches second graders each week at his church. Jeff, his wife Abbey, and their four sons live in Coopertown, TN.
Love Your Volunteers on Valentine’s Day
Most of the time I try to post cost-effective teacher appreciation ideas, but this time I wanted to shift your focus to those “mega volunteers.” You know, the one that has been the childcare coordinator for 15 years, the VBS director, the Extended Care coordinator, or the Sunday School director.
Sometimes we might inadvertently forget those key volunteers that keep our big ship afloat. So, I think I’ve got an AMAZON suggestion for you! I love gift cards, especially ones from Amazon, because it has everything.
Consider printing out this free printable and show that AMAZON volunteer just how much you love her with an Amazon gift card this Valentine’s Day!
Jeff Land is Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies For Life: Kids. He holds a BSW from Mississippi College and a MACE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has served as children’s pastor and currently teaches second graders each week at his church. Jeff, his wife Abbey, and their four sons live in Coopertown, TN.
Volunteer Appreciation Ideas for Christmas
The smell of cinnamon and cedar is in the air. Christmas music is playing. You’re probably even decorating your Christmas tree when you get home from work tonight, right?
Wait … what? It’s only the beginning of November? Well, lucky for you, the LifeWay Kids team is always thinking ahead. This year, we wanted to give you a good start on the CHRISTmas season and go ahead and help you out with some Christmas appreciation ideas for your volunteers!
Bright Spot in Ministry
Supplies Needed:
- Candles with lids (I bought mine at Dollar General for $3.50 each)
- Labels
- Ribbon if desired
Directions:
Print labels and cut them out. Attach them to the lids of the candles that you have purchased. If you purchased ribbon, you might want to tie some ribbon around the candles for a more festive look.
Socks and Stockings
Supplies Needed:
Christmas Socks (I bought mine at Dollar General for $1.00 per pair)
- Labels
- Tape
- Directions:
Print labels and cut them out. Attach labels to the tag on the socks or you might choose to place them in a gift bag and make them more festive!
Ornament
Supplies Needed:
- Ornaments (I purchased mine at Dollar General for $1.00 each)
- Labels
- Glue
Directions:
Print labels and cut them out. Attach labels to the back of the ornament. Write a special note and be sure to date it! If you purchased an ornament that isn’t round, attach the label to the string of the ornament. Always be sure to sign and date the ornament so that the volunteer will be reminded of your appreciation for him or her every year when decorating.
Poinsettia
Supplies Needed:
- Poinsettias (Purchase the day after Thanksgiving at a home improvement store for $.99 each)
- Labels
- Ribbon
Directions:
Every year, home improvement stores run “Black Friday” specials on poinsettias for only 99 cents each! Go to your local retailer and pick up some of these beautiful flowers. Attach a label using a ribbon.
As always, it’s not important to spend lots of money on the gifts. Your volunteers don’t need you to break the budget trying to buy them a gift. They do, however, love to know that you appreciate them!
Jeff Land is Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies For Life: Kids. He holds a BSW from Mississippi College and a MACE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has served as children’s pastor and currently teaches second graders each week at his church. Jeff, his wife Abbey, and their four sons live in Coopertown, TN.
Thanksgiving Teacher Appreciation
Family Traditions are special. One of my family’s traditions has been making “Turkey Cookies” each Thanksgiving season. Just for clarification, these cookies don’t contain actual turkey, but are decorated to look like turkeys.
Even as a young child, I remember sharing these cookies with classmates, teachers, and friends each year. When I started serving in ministry, I wanted to do something special for the church staff and ministry volunteers during the Thanksgiving season.
Many times we overlook this special season to show thankfulness to the Lord and to our teachers who serve the Lord faithfully through our ministries. It only felt logical to begin sharing the “Turkey Cookies” with the staff and teachers at my church. After the first couple of years, “Turkey Cookies” became a tradition for our ministry.
It was a simple way to communicate thankfulness for them. Everyone needs encouragement and affirmation.
This Thanksgiving season, consider making these cookies for your staff and teachers. When you share them, communicate specific reasons why you are thankful for them and their ministry. Reaffirm a teacher who contacts his class each week. Recognize a teacher who arrives early and is prepared when the first child arrives. Share with another ministry leader why you enjoy serving on staff with her.
Make a commitment this Thanksgiving to share genuine words of affirmation to your church staff and ministry leaders echoing Paul’s words in Philippians 1:3-5, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Turkey Cookies:
- Oatmeal or Sugar cookies (can be store bought or homemade)
- Vanilla or white Icing (I have found store bought works easiest)
- Hershey kiss
- Candy Corn
- Red Miniature M&Ms (small pieces of twizzler candies or red hot candies can be substituted for M&Ms)
- Place icing on one end of the cookie to anchor a Hershey kiss as the head.
- On the other end of the cookie, use icing to attach 5 candy corn as feathers.
- Put a small amount of icing on top of the Hershey kiss to attach the red miniature M&M for the beak.
*Remember to be mindful of allergies and food sensitivities. Some ingredients may need to be substituted.
Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.