H.S. YOUTH: Locker Magnets

This is so good it's time to REPOST!

Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of Christ. 

Ever been on Pinterest?  People pin all kinds of inspirational quotes.  Some funny, some serious, and some intresting paraphrases of Bible verses.  We seem to like soundbites and lyrics and slogans.  We remember them and replay them in our minds constantly.  Well, let's take that idea and instead of a poorly paraphrased Bible verse or something out of context, let's give kids the real thing, and since I'm all about finding ways for kids to carry Jesus with them and using Him as their support system, I say, make inspirational locker magnets!  They can give support and encouragement every time a student opens his/her locker throughout the day and soon enough that verse will be stuck in their minds.  Be sure to let them know that if a friend thinks they're cool and wants one that more are available.  Also, try not to let them take popular verses out of context.  Psalms and Proverbs are a great place to start!


 There are many different ways this can be done.  Here are a few:

• Make them and give them as gifts at the beginning of the school year.
• Have an event where kids get together to make their own.  Be sure they use real Bible verses (including the reference) and not popular quotes.
• Develop a few theme verses the kids may like to use and memorize for the semester.  Make large posters for the youth room and locker magnets for the kids. 
• Make the activity part of a Bible study about keeping the Word close to
  your heart and why it's important to use God's words IN CONTEXT instead of catchy quotes that may be inspiring but may not be Biblical.

Remember that the more often they see God's Word (the magnets) and read them, the better they will remember it later... Brain Rules (John Medina).

EDUCATION: The Atheist Delusion Video

All Americans have not heard the truth. You don't have to go to the mall and reach out to perfect strangers because everybody has a friend or family member they need to talk to about what God has done for them through Jesus Christ.

This video, The Atheist Delusion: Why Millions Deny the Obvious is both interesting and enlightening, beginning with the logic behind intelligent design and the illogic of evolution, the interviewer logically takes self-proclaimed atheists down a path of discovery. Show it to your youth and adults! There are a few discussion questions below that will help them pull it all together. It will not only help people when discussing their faith, but will encourage and affirm what they already believe.

The Basic Flow of Questions in the Video
Do you believe God exists?
Can something come from nothing?
Where does the complex and unique information in DNA come from?
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? (What evolved first?)
Why do we have knowledge of right and wrong?
Why do we want to live in darkness?
If God exists, does hell exist?
Is it just to punish evil?
Are you a good person?
If judged, would you be guilty and go to hell?
Do you know what God did for guilty sinners so they wouldn't have to go to hell?

If you want to purchase the dvd, you'll find it at Living Waters. It's $4.99 and I believe it would be good for Christians to support their efforts.




Possible Pre-movie Questions
Everybody has a friend (or family member) who is an atheist and believes in evolution because they have not heard the truth. In a discussion with that person, what would you say to support your belief in creation, their creator, and what he did to assure their salvation?

Possible Movie Questions
Either pause periodically to give time to respond to these questions (or any that you add), or give time after the video. At the very least, make sure people have paper and pencil to respond to question 8 on this list.

1. What is the argument against nothing producing or becoming something? 
2. What are 3 or 4 points that prove the earth/universe was created by intelligent design? 
3. When asked about evolution, what is a problem with the idea of evolution from a single cell?  
4. Once they agree that there must be intelligence behind creation, why is it so difficult for people to admit there is a God?
5. What is idolatry?
6. If God exists, and the Bible is true, why do some people still want to sit in darkness?
7. Do you think it would help to give these people something after a discussion like this that would help them answer their questions? What might that be?
8. Write down anything that impresses you about the questions that were asked and answered or how they were asked and answered.

Possible Post-movie Questions

Write down a brief outline of what your heard in the video. 

What would you tell your atheist friend or family member now? 

If you want a study or video guide created by the video creators, you can find it here.

CHRISTMAS: Amateur Gingerbread or Cereal Treat Nativity Contest

Being the middle of July, we're getting close to fall, which means we're getting close to Christmas. I posted before about two things I'd like to bring together. People seem to love making gingerbread houses, but they're sometimes a challenge for kids, so I posted on making Christmas cereal treat churches as a silent auction fundraiser. (You can see my attempt below.) I also posted on having a Nativity on Parade, an idea I love as I love seeing everybody's nativity scenes when I visit them. What a cool Advent evening event that could be!

Today I want to bring them together and think it would be a great idea to open up a gingerbread church or nativity contest to the community.

Rice Krispie Church (mine)

Obviously I'm not going to be winning any Christmas baking contest any time soon, but it was fun!

from pardubickypernik.cz

Gingerbread Nativity

Rice Krispie Nativity

Here are some practical ideas or options for your event:

• Have age categories. (Adult or 18+ years, Teen or 13-17 years, Youth or 9-12 years)
• Allow teams or partners.
• Everything (except the base) must be edible. 
• All structures will be tasted and hopefully eaten with coffee/milk and joy after the competition. 
• Judge entries on overall appearance, originality and creativity, difficulty or complexity, and taste. Who wants a beautiful gingerbread nobody can eat? 
• Have forms so everybody can vote, a specific group that will vote anonymously, or both! 
• Have two categories: gingerbread and/or cereal treats. 
• Have free beverages and other baked goods (maybe for sale - the youth could make some money). 
• Combine it with a homemade ornament sale.
• Get to know your neighbors!!! 
• Make it fun! Don't make it so serious or formal that people forget to laugh at themselves and each other. Share the joy of the season!

Always be sure to invite the community to an event like this and don't forget to have the pastor share the gospel story for why we celebrate the birth that inspired all these lovely edible treats before the winners are announced.  After the winners are announced, EAT THEM!

Yum! I'm really feeling in the spirit now!

ADVENT: Cookie Outreach Invitation

I posted before about an Advent neighborhood outreach postcard. It's intended to drop off at homes around everybody's neighborhood or the neighborhood around the church. This one is different. It's not an invitation to church, it's (I hope) an invitation to Jesus or a seed, a reminder that Jesus, the tiny baby boy whose birth we celebrate every year, was born for a reason. To that end I added another verse to the usual Christmas card verse:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.  (1 Peter 3:18)

People often share cookies with their neighbors and friends so why not add a postcard intended to share what you believe in a simple way. I couldn't find a commercial Christmas card that said what I wanted to say so I created one that's a little more direct than the usual trite, overused phrase, "Jesus is the reason for the season." I finally gave up and went where I should have gone in the first place, the Bible. God will speak for us. Here's what I came up with. Feel free to copy them or create one of your own!

OUTREACH: Rally Sunday magnets anyone?

Rally Sunday is right around the corner!!

Instead of a boring flyer or an email, have your information printed on refrigerator magnets at Uprinting.com Refrigerator magnets are available in many and various sizes, one being the size of a business card or one that is a 2" by 2" square (1000 for about $66). You might think that's pretty small, but it's not too small for the Word of God! There are bigger sizes as well, but of course, the bigger they are, the more expensive they are, however, 1000 3" x 3" marketing magnets for about $120 is a pretty good deal. Handing them out on Rally Sunday is a great idea!

3" x 3"

2" x 2"

Also, if you've got a business card, you can have it made into a magnet at Uprinting.com for a very good price. You can get 100 of them for about $40 or 1000 for about $84, but really, who needs 1000 business cards... unless you're giving them away as visitor gifts!

SPOTLIGHT on Christina, Urban Outreach and Youth Ministry

I spent some time recently chatting with my friend Christina who does outreach and youth ministry (as well as many other things) in a struggling urban Lutheran church.  Some of the things she’s trying are worth sharing.

Christina arrived and was introduced to a large, but well-worn facility, a community that is a myriad of cultures with low incomes, and an aging congregation that was unsure of what to do, as was Christina. The first thing she told me was, “There’s no job description for this!” So, she started reading… a lot. The first book she recommended was Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive by Thom S. Rainer. This book may help point out areas that are in need of attention.

It didn’t take but a moment for her to realize that her congregation did not resemble the community in which it resides. Perhaps they have been so focused on hanging on to what is done inside the church that they didn’t see what was going on outside of it. This is one way a congregation dies in the middle of a populated area.

[Read:  Stearns, Richard.  The Hole in Our Gospel.

We, as a church, have fallen into a habit of keeping the gospel to ourselves. It is not only intended for us to go to church and study the Bible, but to share the message with those who have not yet heard.]

Keeping in mind that Jesus is the center of everything and that prayer, devotion, and Bible study are key components, Christina started a few things.

1) She started by cleaning up the facility and inviting volunteers to help. Nobody is interested in a church that looks run down, as if nobody cares about it or has a lot of junk or broken furniture sitting around. It’s amazing what a little elbow grease and a coat of paint will do. A building is not a sacred cow. Create boundaries where necessary. Lock the doors of rooms people shouldn’t be going into and lock up valuables, but open the building up to the community for appropriate use. Spend a little money for basketball hoops and other sports equipment. Start allowing the church to be a place in the community where kids go after school, but make sure activities are structured and monitored. Nobody can do it all on their own. Volunteers are necessary.

2) She started developing relationships and, more importantly, partnerships in the community. Her first task was to talk to people and ask questions. She visited with administrators in the schools and asked what their most common problematic issues were. She partnered with Timber Bay – Mentor for Life and started weekly mentoring groups where the kids could meet in the church. They are also planning on beginning TheVirtues Campus – Church Based College Education at their church. Along with preschools, daycares, and before/after school care, another option would be to start a homework club where kids can come, have a snack, and do their homework in a positive environment.

3) She started showing up with groups from the church consistently in the community whether helping or playing. Every city has events. Don’t just go to them, participate in them. Make a float, have a booth, provide a service. Make sure people know what church you’re from and step out into the community. Participate!

[Read:  Swanson, Eric and Rusaw, Rick. The Externally Focused Church.

Integrating good deeds and good news into the life of the church in order to be a valuable impact and/or influence in the community to the point where people would notice if they no longer participated.]

4) She stopped making culture the issue. Poverty is the issue. Poverty is a lack of resources and support. Find out what people really need and find out where those resources can be found in your neighborhood. People used to go to the local church for help. Help is not always money, it’s support, a listening ear, knowing what’s available and where.

[Read:  Corbett, Steveand Fikkert, Brian. When Helping Hurts.

Gain an understanding of the complexity of poverty and how simply giving people money and handouts does more harm than good.]

 There were a few other things she highlighted.

• Be sure your infrastructure is in place before you bring kids in for sports or mentoring.  The two biggest issues are behavior and safety.  Love = discipline.  Lock the rooms you aren’t using or things will be stolen.  It’s part of the culture of poverty so remind yourself that it’s not because they’re bad people and it’s not because they don’t like you.
• Make sure you have enough volunteers.
• Train your volunteers!! They need to understand that LOVE = DISCIPLINE. It’s not about feeling sorry for their cute little faces when they’ve broken a rule. You’re welcome in this building if you follow the rules.
• When students check in for an event, stamp their hand for that event so you know where they belong.  Hand stamps don’t tell stories. Kids do.
• Don’t expect consistent attendance.  Welcome anybody who shows up and encourage them to return, but don’t define success by the numbers.
• Choose activities or events that build relationships.  For example, going to an amusement park. Sure, it’s fun, but does running around in small groups and riding rides build the kind of relationships you’re hoping to build?  

Christina’s greatest asset is how she laughed about not knowing what she’s doing. We were taught to “do” ministry in a certain way, but there is no playbook for what she’s doing. She’s doing it anyway. Her heart is full of Jesus and she’s trying. She’s reaching out. She’s opening God’s house to the community and letting them know that He loves them. Things that don’t work will end and new things will be tried. You may not be able to do ministry the way Christina does because every urban congregation and every community is different, but you can try too.

Below are some books Christina read and recommends for doing youth ministry in an urban community:

• Joiner, Reggie and Schefchunas, Tom. Lead Small: Five Big Ideas Every Small GroupLeader Needs to Know. Learn more about leading small groups with children and youth.
• Lawrence, Rick. Jesus Centered Youth Ministry. Teenagers are looking for Jesus and we’re giving them everything but. They want to know who Jesus is, what He said, and how faith matters in their lives.
• Mayo, Jeanne. Thriving Youth Groups. Making youth groups friendly in a way that makes kids want to come back.
• Clark, Chap. Hurt 2.0. Shows what some issues with teenagers are today and may be a great resource for training volunteers. 

REACH OUT: The Preschool Connection

Some congregations have very successful preschools but they seem separate from the congregation. I've had people ask me how to build a bridge to their preschool families and my answer is always the same... "Show them Jesus!" What a great blessing that God has brought the mission field INTO YOUR CHURCH!

How do you serve your preschool families?

• Find out about them.  How many are divorced?  How many have single parents?  How many have other kids in the family and what are their ages?
• Offer single parents support through free babysitting once or twice a month to give them a break.
• Have a group of people who like to cook prepare some one-dish meals for some of the families in need or single parents.
• Involve members in Bible story time. Have them share their favorite Bible stories. (They can show, tell, or read from a children's Bible.)
• Include a service component in your confirmation classes where the kids are required to volunteer so many hours a month in the preschool.  Have the director or teachers make lists of service opportunities.
• Have members volunteer to watch the kids on the playground so the teachers can have some meeting or work time.
• Involve the kids in worship services on a regular basis to get families to mingle with the congregation.
• Provide preschool activity bags to help keep the kids busy during worship and include small bags of appropriate treats (that won't cause a mess in the sanctuary).
• Have a clothing and/or toy swap.
• Write a focus article on a preschool family in your newletter so people can get to know them.  Give them a special gift for participating.
• During church events have prizes such as a meal a week for a month, 3 months, a semester, or longer.

A preschool can be a great addition to a church community and many people think they will bring families into the church and they will. If the community is a reflection of Jesus, they won't help but be drawn in.  Show them Jesus!

EDUCATION: Great book for the wee ones!

Do You Know Who Jesus Is?

It's always hard to find a good resource for young kids, but I've found one! There a lot they can't understand about faith, but they CAN understand the stories and the story of Jesus is the best and most important one to share with them. Most rhyming books try so hard to rhyme and be clever that they use vocabulary far beyond that of a 2nd grader, however, the new booklet from the Lutheran Hour Ministries called Do You Know Who Jesus Is? is really good. I just read it and the illustrations are perfect for the age group, the rhyming is simple, and the vocabulary age appropriate. It also does a really nice job of telling a simple story. Just add a song like Jesus Loves Me and a prayer and it's an excellent devotion, Jesus Time class lesson, chapel talk or children's message.

This resource would be great for:

• Christian Schools - devotion, Jesus Time class lesson, chapel talk
• Christian School - new students gifts!!
• Church Pew Bags for kids.
• Children's Message - Break it into sections or take the time to read the whole thing.
• New member or visitor gift for a family with young children.

Check out the preview and order here.

VBS: It's time for a CHANGE!

I've posted before on Vacation Bible School:

• VBS for Everyone? 
• Choices, Ideas, and Variations
• Easy Online Registration

But this post is different. The previous postings were all about working within the current VBS model. Today, as the Queen of Change and a proponent of always being brave enough to try something new, I propose that it's TIME FOR A CHANGE for VBS. What? Change?!?! NO WAY!?! We've always done it this way! I know, I know, but hear me out.

Many, many, many years have passed since Vacation Bible School was named Vacation Bible School, and I have no idea why they named it that. Kids don't love school. They like it and learn to enjoy some aspects of it because they have to be there, but reality is reality and if given a choice, they would not choose school. So why call it Vacation Bible SCHOOL? What is VBS anyway? Sure, there are Bible stories or studies, but for the most part there are games, songs, snacks, and crafts. Why not call it Bible CAMP? Sure sounds more fun that Bible school.

And speaking of camp, why not have any number of camps to serve a number of populations throughout the summer? If you really want to reach out to your community, try having different camps throughout the summer.

• Kids Camp (formerly known as VBS) - They usually have a fun and catchy name that changes every year.
• Joy Camp - For those with disabilities. Not every congregation may be able to do something like this, but if you can, I'm sure it would be a great blessing.
• Sage Camp - For the older set. This would be great if you could provide transportation for some people in assisted living as well as those in your congregation. Give them a special time-out from their regular lives. Sing songs, do crafts, and have Bible studies. Want to give them a really great time? Let them sing songs from their youth!
• Spiritual Gifts Camp - Learn about personal spiritual gifts, but take it one or two steps further and work with others in the community to find places to use your gifts outside the church building and throughout the community. Whatever the gift, teach them how to incorporate it into their daily lives. (Try Uniquely You!)
• Dads & Sons (or Moms & Daughters) Camp - Incorporate sharing beliefs into the activities. It is incredibly important for parents to be able to casually talk about what they believe and why they believe it with their children, and the most important role model for a child is their same sex parent.
• What do I believe and why? Teen Camp - In this wacky world where things don't make sense and people are attacking Christian beliefs from all sides, knowing how to communicate what do you believe and why you believe it is incredibly important. You don't have to defend it or convince the world that you are right, you just need to know for yourself and be there if/when somebody needs you to share it. 
• Parenting Teenagers Camp - How many people in your congregation wouldn't love this? Find a good program that gives good advice. It could be set up so that it's a lot of fun!

Pick a topic and turn it into a camp!

Pick a population in your community, find something that will help them, and turn it into a camp!

WORSHIP: Pre-Service Slideshow Announcements

I had to be at church early today and as I was waiting for the prelude to begin I noticed that they had a slide show going of announcements similar to those in a movie theater before the previews begin. What a good idea! They were simple announcements about times and places of things going on throughout the week and where regular Bible studies were held during the education hour. Here are some ideas of the kinds of slides that might be shown for your congregation:

• Where Sunday school children should meet for opening and adults should meet for different Bible studies.
• Bible studies that are held throughout the week.
• Important board of directors information.
• Ministry opportunities (women's, men's, youth).
• Special upcoming services.
• Upcoming sermon themes.
• Fundraising events.
• Service opportunities.

You don't need to put the entire bulletin in slides because that would be too many but highlight a few important announcements of things coming up. I suggest doing 6 to 10 slides that rotate so there aren't so many that people only see them once. It might turn out to be a very helpful way for visitors to know where Sunday school and Bible studies meet and that they're welcome to join.

SUMMER: Neighborhood Fun Night!

You may have noticed that my last few summer posts have not been about planning and organizing huge events but about pulling back and relaxing. I'm quite convinced that, as a church, in some ways, we try too hard and trust too little. Since summer is a time for slowing down and forcing things never really works anyway, why not relax a little bit and stop trying so hard to push Christ into people's lives and just invite them to join in a neighborhood fun night. No in-depth study, no sermons, no pushy questions, just hanging out, playing some yard games, and having some face-to-face conversations. Don't push... plant... and trust that the Spirit will move in their hearts in God's time.

Among the many you already know about, here are a few great yard games:

• Big Birdie Golf - This looks SO fun!!
• Yard Twister - A fun twist to the indoor game.
• Mini Disc Golf - Inexpensive but challenging.
• Hide some "treasure" in the yard for a treasure hunt.
• Frisbee Tic-Tac-Toe - Section a shower curtain and pin it to the ground.
• Basket Frisbee Golf - Cute idea but needs a bunch of laundry baskets.
• Croquet, Horse Shoes & Bean Bags - Oldies but goodies.
• Water Balloon Toss - Sometimes it's fun with partners, tossing and catching them with towels.

Don't forget to make some really crazy medals just for fun!

(you can make them out of small paper plates and markers or jewel them up a bit)

YOUNG ADULTS: Congrats on Graduating - Now what?

Yesterday I posted on a great video for young adults/college graduates so today I want to say something about grads in general. It's another year of graduations and graduation open houses and it's all very exciting but it's kind of like a wedding. Party today because tomorrow life changes. Some will be moving into a college dorm next year and they may or may not attend a Christian college or university and even if they do it doesn't mean they'll be spiritually fed. Others will hit the pavement and start looking for a job. Some may even include a move to another city or state. What can you do to make sure your young graduates remain connected to a church?

If they're moving on to college:

• Know where they're going.
• Keep in touch as they transition.
• Contact a few congregations near the school and ask them to reach out.
• Get the names of a few people so they don't feel so awkward when visiting.
• Use social media to keep in touch throughout their college experience.

If they're graduating college: 

• If they're moving find out where.
• Keep in touch as they transition.
• Contact a few congregations in the area, let them know somebody new is moving to the neighborhood and ask them to reach out. 
• If they're not moving then reach out and help make them a part of the regular congregation by getting them involved in something right away.
• Give them a role in the congregation by putting them on a committee or board. (I don't recommend they be youth counselors for a few more years or they may have difficulty transitioning into an adult role.) 

If you are in a congregation in a city/town where there is a college:

• Make connections at the school.
• Get permission to put up fliers to post church information.
• If possible, find out about any Christian clubs or organizations on campus and connect with them.
• Have a specifically chosen contact person for them for when they visit. 
• Let them know you can provide transportation if necessary.

Every congregation is a part of the bigger church and we to need work together and communicate with each other to make sure this age group is not left behind.

WOMEN: Fundraising, Fellowship, Outreach, BUNCO Parties!

I know a lot of ladies enjoy BUNKO or more commonly, BUNCO.  It's a fast paced dice game that makes people laugh out loud. Usually it's played once a month, people pay $5, bring a snack (sweet or savory) and friends are not only welcome but encouraged to come. Set up another table!  Proceeds can go to support women's ministry or to a particular charity or ministry inside or outside the congregation.  Goofy prizes are always the most fun but you can also pick up a bunch of things at the Dollar Store near you.  After all, the goal is fun and fellowship.  Don't forget to start with a devotion.

You can get the game for $15 at WalMart but it's really a simple game.  Here's what you need:

• bell or noise maker of some kind for the head table
• 3 dice per table of 4
• Bunco score sheet for each player
• Bunco table tally for each table (scratch paper will do)
• pencil or pen for each player
• numbers on the tables - the head table is #1

Play

Playing is simple.  Four players sit around each table and one is the score keeper.  Players 1 and 3 are partners as are players 2 and 4 and partners are switched at the end of each round.  There are 6 rounds and the bell or noise maker signals the beginning and end of each round.  Each player rolls the dice and the goal is to roll the round number on the dice as many times as you can.  For example, in round 4 you want to roll 4's.  Every time you roll a 4 during round 4 you get a point.  If you roll three 4's you've got a BUNCO! which is worth 21 points. (You don't get the points if you don't yell BUNCO!)  If you role three of any other number you receive 5 points and get to keep rolling. As long as you're rolling at least one 4 it's your turn. When you bust (no 4's in a role) the dice are passed to the next player (clockwise).  Everyone keeps rolling until the head table reaches a score of 21.  After the head table reaches 21 and rings the bell each person rolling at other tables finishes their turn.  To break a tie have a role-off.  Each team roles until bust and the one with the most points wins.  Each individual player keeps track of their Buncos, wins, and losses.  After each round the winning team moves up to the next table, the team left at the table switches partners, and the losers at the head table are demoted to the last table.  If you're still not clear check out this site:  Dice Gamers Bunco Rules or Print Your Own Bunco.

Traveling

A traveling object is chosen and during each round when a non-Bunco trio is rolled the player yells TRAVELING!  The object is tossed to that person to hold until the next time TRAVELING is yelled.

Prizes

Have different people host each month who don't need to bring food but are responsible for the prizes.  They can be inexpensive and fun prizes like kitchen doodads or hand/body lotions or Christian books, plaques, etc.  Personally, I like to make the prizes fun and the person who gets the most wins might receive a large candy bar and a certificate that says, "The first will be last."  You can even invest in traveling prizes that move to the new winner each week.  Sometimes that's even more fun. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Most Buncos = Bunco Queen Tiara can be found at any craft/bridal store
Most Wins = Light Up Rock Star hat or Large Personalized Trophy
Most Losses = Giant "SUCKER!" or Propeller Beanie
Who Traveled Most or Who has the traveling icon at the end = Giant TSA Badge or inflatable globe

Make it fun.  Have theme nights!

PINTEREST: A bulletin board of ministry resources!

Pinterest is a simple and fantastic way to organize different resources I find around the web for The Carpenter's Toolbox.  There are things on my Pinterest boards for nearly every area of ministry from leadership to Christmas crafts for kids but I don't just pin randomly.  While I can't guarantee that you'll like every one of them, I pin resources that have been recommended by reliable sources or things I've used myself.  If you need ideas for crafts or resources (even curricula) for Sunday School, youth ministry, men's and women's ministry, outreach, marriage/relationships, parenting, etc. that's one place to look where they're all in one place.  If you have any great resources I haven't found yet, please let me know.

Click on the PINTEREST tab on this blog and you'll be taken right there.  Peruse to your heart's content!

EASTER: Planning an Egg Hunt?

For some congregations the Easter Egg Hunt is a huge outreach extravaganza and for others it's a simple community celebration.  Either way, whether on Saturday or Easter Sunday, invite the neighborhood to participate and share the love!  Let us always remember that the purpose of the "event" is not to get people into your church or to see how many participants we can entice with our games and prizes.  It's about sharing the joy of the resurrection with our neighbors and friends.  Prizes are fun but the ultimate prize we've already won.  This is the message!

Ideas to help share the Story

• Have the congregation donate plastic eggs and individually wrapped candy.
• Have lunch bags (brown or white) and the first activity is to decorate your bag.  You can provide markers, stickers, and cut out paper shapes and letters, etc. 
• In order for every child to get eggs, you may limit their "findings" to a certain number.  Once an older child has found their limit they can help the younger ones.
• Have some eggs that have small novelty toys inside them. (See Oriental Trading.)
• Create some gold or silver eggs that are special prizes.  Inside they contain the Bible verses that tell the story of Holy Week.  After the hunt is over hand out the prizes as you tell the story to the large group.  They can be like the Wonka golden tickets and receive a special prize like an Arch book.
• If you have large prizes, make sure they point to Jesus.
• If you have a small group (or you can have them work in teams) have the story of Holy Week in special eggs and after they've found all the eggs, they have to put the story in order and share it to win the major prize.
• Major prizes can be gift cards for stores or restaurants, games, videos, or books from the local Christian book store.

Games

• Egg Roll - kids push a hard boiled egg a certain distance with their noses.
• Egg Toss - uncooked (if outside) eggs in a traditional toss.  You'll want to use hard boiled if you're inside.
• Capture the Flag Egg - instead of Capture the Flag have the kids capture some distinctly colored eggs.
• Hot Potato Egg - play the music and pass the egg until it stops.
• Egg Balance Relay - the kids have to balance an egg on a teaspoon as they relay, pass the spoon to the next in line and go until their whole team has a chance.
• Easter Bonnet contest - give the kids some craft supplies and let them either decorate simple hats or create their own out of newspaper, silk flowers, fabric remnants, etc.

If you want 1000 PRE-FILLED eggs for $136 try the Ayers Plastic Easter Eggs.

He is risen, indeed!

OUTREACH: Neighborhood Easter Bag Invites

From Oriental Trading

If it's been a while since you've invited your church neighbors to worship with you, try putting some neighborhood Easter bags together for them.  Put a few simple things inside along with an invitation to worship.  If you're having an Easter Basket Silent Auction it would be a great time to let them know about that, an Easter Egg Hunt (if you have one) or any other festivities.  Don't forget to add the schedule of worship for Holy Week and have them RSVP if they'd like to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt as you'll need to know how many eggs to hide.

In order for it to be a congregational invitation, let everybody help put them together during the Education hour one week and walk through the neighborhood delivering them the next week.  Be sure to remind people not to put them in mailboxes.

Bag Content Ideas - try to get things that are inexpensive but relevant.

• Book Marks - make your own on cardstock or purchase them
• Church pens or pencils - you may already have them with church info
• Commercially Packaged Candy
• Invitation to visit church - make it funny, offer a free cup of coffee, ...
• Stickers for the kids
• Coloring page for the kids
• A short prayer for them printed on nice, good quality paper

If you need some ideas of where to get appropriate items other than candy at a good price, check out the PINTEREST tab on my home page and look at the Lent/Easter board.  I've pinned a bunch of items for reasonable prices there though most of them are from Oriental Trading as I found they had the best prices.

Invite the neighborhood and share the good news.  HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

SERVICE: Easter Basket Rally

SHARE EASTER and MAKE A FRIEND!

An Easter Basket Rally can be considered service, outreach or both!  This is another idea that I just love because it reaches out through the generations.  The idea is to rally the congregation, the youth, and/or the Sunday school children to either make or donate Easter baskets to be given to a local retirement home, women's shelter, half-way house, homeless shelter, etc.

Call ahead to make sure it's okay for the kids to deliver them personally.  It's a lot better to have many smaller baskets than only a few very large ones but if you have a few large ones you can present to a group in a "common" room.  Be smart about the things you want to donate as what goes into the basket may depend on where it's going (you might want to get a list of appropriate food if you want to donate to a hospital) but even a few Easter bags with grass and candy will go a long way to brighten somebody's day unexpectedly.

Make sure you include a small devotional book or at the very least some inspirational Bible verses.  If you want a good source for inexpensive devotional pamphlets to add try these:  Inspirational Wholesale or Christianbook.com.  You can add a copy of Portals of Prayer from CPH for a very reasonable price.  Don't forget to have the kids make a Happy Easter card as well!

HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!

OUTREACH: Plastic Easter Egg-vites

Last year I talked my church into filling plastic Easter Eggs with a few pieces of commercial candy and an invitation to celebrate Easter with our congregation.  The outreach director decided to call them Egg-vites.  The idea was to hand them out in the parking lot of a nearby grocery store.  Depending on your city's statutes, you may need written permission from the property owner to do something like that because they own the parking lot as well as the store so it's considered private property.  Our request was declined so we had to come up with a new plan.  The church isn't near any public parks, dog parks or downtown streets, etc. so we were limited with regard to inviting the locals BUT not wanting to give up, we decided the real purpose of outreach is to spread the good news of the resurrection and NOT to grow church attendance.  We would spread the seeds and let the Holy Spirit nurture and sprout them!

Here are some distribution options:

• Find a place near the church and get the written permission of the owner (not the manager) of the store.
• Choose a few public places near the church to pass them out without the need for permission.
• Give them to members of the congregation to give to friends and coworkers. 
• Don't include the church's contact info and just spread the saving word of God by putting Bible verses in eggs and putting them anywhere you want.
• If you're having an Easter Egg Hunt give one or two to the Sunday School kids as an invitation to come to the hunt!

If you'd like to see a copy of the Bible verse/invitation insert check here.  Be careful about deciding to put the eggs out in a mall or other privately owned places thinking you'll claim ignorance and ask forgiveness later.  That's not the greatest message for a church to send.

FUNDRAISING: Easter Basket Silent Auction

While we want to keep in mind the point of Lent and Easter as being reflective and penitent, it is also a time of reaching out and helping others.  Easter Baskets may make a nice silent auction fundraiser to benefit either your congregation or another organization.

You can have a variety of gourmet or themed baskets for adults and/or a bunch of regular candy and toy baskets people can purchase as some people may not have the time to put together baskets for their kids and would love the opportunity to purchase them.  Be creative about these and have some for multiple aged children.

Proceeds can either go to a specific ministry within your church such as VBS, a scholarship fund, or a campership fund for sending kids to a NLOMA camp, or can be designated to a pre-chosen charity organization outside the church.  Be sure to set a starting bid/price for each basket.

Basket Ideas
There are any number of great basket ideas but here a few to get your creative juices flowing:

• Wine
• BBQ (tools and sauces) 
• Gardening, 
• Movie Night
• Baked Goods 
• Spring Flower Seeds 
• Men's or Women's  
• Gourmet Candy
• Coffee  
• Regular Kids Baskets 

REMEMBER that letting the neighborhood know about your auction is key to their participation!  Put a sign up letting them know which days it be held and be sure to have at least one Sunday when the church will be open a little later after the service so people can look around.

SERVICE: Mission Trips in Your Own Backyard

Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Mission trips are great!  We take kids somewhere with the purpose of giving them the opportunity of sharing Jesus by serving those in need or sharing the Word with those who have not heard BUT what we often overlook is the need for that same mission in our own backyard, in the neighborhood around our church, in our town or county.

And I wonder sometimes if we may be conditioning our kids (and some adults) to think we do service EVENTS and mission TRIPS.  Of course, they're fun and can be great mountain top experiences but what we really want to instill in our people, adults and youth, is that service is an attitude, that we serve people every day, that the mission (purpose) of sharing Jesus is not something we do on a special trip but in our lives every day.  Jesus is just as powerful in our lives every day as He is on a trip or during an event.  Sometimes we can fall into the trap of how going on a trip or participating in an event makes us feel and not that we are to do these things for Jesus and not for ourselves and how it makes us feel.

In order to do that we need some ideas of how/where we can help.  Take a group and try one of these in your own backyard.  Find out if there are any projects that may take more than a few days and plan a local "trip," develop an ongoing relationship with them, or just help out once in a while.  Make yourselves known in the community.

• Habitat for Humanity
• Homeless Shelters
• Drug Rehabilitation Shelters
• Veteran's Homes
• Halfway Houses 
• Food Shelves and organizations like Loaves and Fishes
• Senior Citizen Homes
• Special Olympics

It's great to serve but even those who don't know Christ serve.  The point of a mission trip is not only to serve but to share.  Make sure you teach your volunteers to talk about their faith and their relationship with Jesus!