RALLY SUNDAY: Random Acts of Kindness

The Kindness Tree

Kindness is infectious!!  For Rally Sunday (the beginning of the year education kickoff) introduce a theme verse and a Kindness Tree for the congregation to actively show the love of Christ to people in their lives.  After doing a random act of kindness they give the recipient a card and the recipient can notify the church that they've been gifted with an act of kindness.  Remember that when sharing the many acts of kindness with the congregation that the goal is NOT to give credit to the person being kind, but to God for the ability to share His love.  Watch the outward giving attitude of the congregation change!!

Theme Verse:  1 John 3:18

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

GOAL

In a society that is very "me" focused help the congregation begin focusing outside itself and sharing the love of Christ in the community without receiving credit for it.

DETAILS

Put a tree branch into a large can or bucket and make cards that have ideas people can do as random acts of kindness on the tree as ornaments.  I suggest making the ornaments two colors, one for adults and one for kids.  On the side of the tree have postcards that say something similar to the examples shown.

Front of Recipient Card

Back of Recipient Card

The recipients can contact the church via phone, email, regular mail or dropping the card off, to let them know that somebody from their congregation randomly showed them the love of Christ.  Periodically the number of random acts of kindness that have been performed in the name of Jesus can be announced to the congregation in the bulletin, newsletter, or on a Sunday morning. 
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Examples of random acts of kindness:

Deliver thank you cards to a local fire station.

Take a few vases of flowers or some homemade art to unknown people in the hospital.
Take homemade art to and visit residents of a nursing home or assisted living complex.
Volunteer to round up clothes to deliver to a local thrift shop.
Create and randomly leave inspirational book marks around the Library.
Leave a simple gift for a server wherever you eat lunch.
Leave a simple gift for the lunch lady at school.
Run errands for shut-ins.
Share 10 sticker smiles with random strangers along with your own beautiful smile.
Volunteer at a hospital or adult care center.
Share music with the members of a nursing home or assisted living complex.
Offer free tutoring or babysitting.
Help a neighbor with yard work.
Offer to pray for someone.
Volunteer to do a job at your church.
Wash the family car without being asked.
Bring enough lunch to share with a friend at work.
Bring an extra snack to school to share with a friend.
Sit with a stranger for lunch at school.
Thank your mail carrier.  (Don’t give homemade food…)
Write a letter to someone who made a difference in your life.
Offer to study with a classmate who’s struggling in a subject.
Visit an animal shelter.

Appreciate your bus driver.

Appreciate your school janitor.

Appreciate your teacher.

Send an “I Love You” card to a grandparent.

Bring lunch to your church work professional.

Give your extra change to the LWML.

Stand up for somebody who deserves it at school.

Clean your room (without being asked).

Anonymously share inspirational quotes/Bible verses with coworkers.

Pick up trash in a public place.

Give the lady who cleans the church a free week off!

Do something nice for your boss.

Come up with your own ideas.  There are THOUSANDS!!