By Michael C. Mack
Ideas for your church, group, class, or team:
Spruce Up the Community. Contact a local parks department, senior living centers, or cemeteries, for instance, or ask members to provide names of neighbors who could use yard help this spring. Ask how your volunteers can do a postwinter spruce-up. Gather all the volunteers and gear you can and love your community through these acts of service.
March Forth and Do Something. March 4 is “March Forth and Do Something Day.” Try planning a day of service in your community, perhaps in conjunction with the first idea. Let the media know you are marching forth to do something positive on March 4.
Help a Good Cause. There are a number of observances for philanthropic organizations in March, including American Red Cross Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, Deaf History Month, National Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month, and National Kidney Month. Contact one of these organizations to ask how you can serve them. Develop a team of people who are particularly passionate about this area of ministry to lead the charge.
Easter for Everyone. Take Resurrection Sunday outside your church walls. Think of places where people are hurting and cannot get to worship services: local prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, or a park near where homeless people live, for instance. Develop a team to provide an excellent, interactive service that includes singing, Communion, a brief but powerful message, and an opportunity to share the gospel and minister to individuals.
Do Something Different This Easter. Lots of churches make special plans for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. This year, develop a plan for after Easter Sunday. Plan small groups or classes for the unconnected Easter-attendance crowd. Plan a short series for these groups and classes that answer the questions seekers are asking (don”t guess at those questions, actually ask the seekers!). Gather leaders for the new groups beforehand and provide them with the materials. The idea is to welcome them, answer questions in a safe environment, and help them find some friends with whom they wouldn”t mind staying connected.
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