Volunteers are the lifeblood of a children’s ministry. With their passion and tireless efforts, they handle daily operations and Sunday Bible lessons, ensuring that they’re spreading the wonder of God’s Big Story to children.
Children’s ministry is imperative in helping children build faith in Jesus, making it essential to find the right volunteers and keep them engaged. That’s why it’s so important to regularly show appreciation to your volunteers. When volunteers feel acknowledged and appreciated, they are even more inspired to continue the good work of sharing God’s Word with kids.
In this article, we’ll discuss the best ways you can show your appreciation to your children’s ministry volunteers.
Give Them Thank-You Notes
You don’t need a grand gesture to show your appreciation—a thank-you note is a heartfelt and personal way to thank your team members. So don’t just stick to a generic thank-you letter. Instead, show that you care about your volunteers by personalizing the note:
- Specify what volunteers have done well: Praising a volunteer for their unique contributions to and successes in your ministry shows that you paid attention to them as individuals. As a result, they’ll be encouraged and motivated to continue giving their all in your ministry.
- Address them by name. Of course, we know this! If you’re sending a thank-you note via email, you can include the volunteer’s name in the greeting and potentially the subject line. Handwritten notes should also have the volunteer’s name on the card and on the envelope. For fun, you can use any nicknames the volunteer likes that the kids have given them!
- Send the note in a unique format. Consider making a highlight reel of your volunteers in action. You could also have children, parents, or other team members give a heartfelt message about how much they appreciate volunteers. You could even design volunteer appreciation eCards to put a memorable spin on a traditional note.
Thank-you messages for volunteers are important for occasions too—for example, when they reach a milestone of service, a birthday, an anniversary, or complete a special project. Continual appreciation reminds them that they are important and that you value them for more than what they produce in ministry.
Treat Them to a Fun Outing
When you spend time with your volunteers, it gives you space for building community and relationships outside of a church setting. So, we recommend that you schedule fun hangouts with them, such as:
- Coffee gatherings
- Lunches or dinners at local restaurants
- Group outings in your community
The outings don’t have to be elaborate—so long as your volunteers are on board, they’ll have their desired effect. You also don’t have to schedule a fun outing constantly—once a quarter is plenty.
Not only are outings great for showing your appreciation to your volunteers, but they’re also the perfect chance for discipleship and team-building as everyone bonds. Strengthening your relationships with your volunteers leads to a better working partnership in the future and builds a more fulfilled team and community.
Present Them with Thoughtful, Personal Gifts
Just as volunteers offer their spiritual gifts to help your children’s ministry, your church should also present them with your own gifts as thanks. These gifts don’t have to be elaborate or expensive—as the saying goes, “It’s the thought that counts.” However, they should align with volunteers’ preferences.
For example, if you know that a volunteer loves journaling or sketching, give them a notebook with their first name or a Bible verse on the cover. Other personalized gift ideas your volunteers might love include gift cards to places they love, gifts from local stores, or maybe even a basket of their favorite snacks.
Giving your volunteers things they’ll love is one way to show your care for them. While the budget can’t always cover everything you would like to do, it can cover something! So take the time to choose what’s most effective for those in your care. As a result, they will feel seen once again.
Let the Church Community Show Their Thanks
Your church’s leaders don’t have to be the only ones to show gratitude to children’s ministry volunteers. Involving the community at large is another way to show gratitude!
For example, let’s say that your current group of volunteers went above and beyond to plan and execute your summer Vacation Bible School, and that event was a massive success. Invite the kids at the summer camp to write a letter of thanks to a volunteer they interacted with. If you want to take it a step further, you can film short snippets of each child sharing their favorite stories with the volunteers and compile them into a single video for the group.
Maybe you have a group of volunteers who lead children’s church or Sunday School weekly. You could have parents and children say thank you, either through notes or video!
Imagine how hearing about the impact they’ve had on the church community could boost your volunteers’ morale. It’s an awesome way to remind them that they’re doing good work week in and week out.
Give Them Time to Rest
It’s great when your volunteers are passionate about serving the church, but overengagement can lead to burnout. For that reason, you should care for your dedicated volunteers by giving them time to rest.
You can start by simply asking your volunteers if they need a break, but some might be too shy to admit they do. If you suspect someone may be on the brink of burnout, log in to your church management system and check their volunteer schedule. If you see someone’s schedule is fully booked (or has been fully booked for some time), approach them with encouragement and the opportunity to rest.
Alternatively, you can consider taking your volunteers to an optional conference or a ministry network event. These opportunities are perfect for those who may want to have a reprieve from volunteering but still want to enrich their souls.
A Culture of Gratitude
Investing in your volunteers is a must if you want a healthier, more vibrant ministry. When they know that you appreciate their efforts in running weekly children’s church lessons and other tasks, they can better lead children to discover that they are also known and loved by God.
If you’re overwhelmed with your options, you can always start small. Just pick one idea to implement at first and monitor your progress. Over time, you’ll get a sense of what your volunteers like, so take note of these preferences for future reference. Foster a culture of gratitude in your ministry, and you’ll reap the blessings soon enough.
