Moving ranks right up there with the most stressful life events. And with nearly 60% of moves happening between May and August, chances are you’ve got some new and overwhelmed families in your neighborhood right now.

That makes summer the perfect time to reach out with a warm welcome. Inviting new neighbors to your church doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. With the Outreach New Mover Program, your church can automatically send a friendly, well-designed postcard to every family that moves within your area—all for 79 cents per card with a nonprofit permit. It’s a simple subscription service that is easy to set up, and you can cancel anytime.

Even better: Right now, setup is free, and your first month’s mailing—up to $100—is on us, no strings attached. You can cancel after the first month. Visit NewMoverOutreach.com to learn how many new families have relocated near your church this month.

Kids’ Area Makeovers

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your children’s ministry. For many visiting families, the look and feel of your kids’ spaces can be a make-or-break moment. If the area feels outdated, messy or uninviting, they may never give your church a second chance. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget or a construction crew to make a big impact.

Outreach has just released three budget-friendly Children’s Area Design Sets that are easy to install and full of color and creativity. Each set includes banners, wall shapes and cutouts made from lightweight Coroplast® (translation: durable, affordable and easy to hang).

Choose from three fun themes:

• Hosanna Savannah (perfect for the little ones)

• Adventure Kids (for elementary-age kids)

• Galactic Explorers (great for older elementary)

You can transform hallways, classrooms or worship areas in a weekend. Check out all the options at Outreach.com/KidMin.

Ready to Grow

It may still feel like summer in your corner of the country, but back-to-school season is just around the corner. That means now is the time to plan your fall outreach—and we’ve got just the thing to help.

When your church signs up for Back to Church Sunday (happening this year on Sept. 21), you’ll get access to a free fall resource kit filled with tools from trusted church growth partners. It’s a great way to jump-start your ministry season with a big push and be part of something bigger—the nation’s largest single-day outreach effort to reach the unchurched and bring people back to God’s house.

It’s completely free to join. Learn more and register at BackToChurch.com.

College-age adults today often look for less programming and more authentic, casual, organic connections. Let them coordinate the events and invite others to attend. Keep it simple and avoid overplanning. Consider offering meetups and activities outside of the church walls—such as at homes, parks and coffee shops (however, skip the chains and look for specialty coffee shops that practice fair trade).

“You can’t manufacture connection,” says Quint Firestone, worship director at SUMMIT Church in Estes Park, Colorado. “Be flexible as you create space for Gen Z to connect with one another.”

Here are a few ways to do that.

1. Make Intentional Invitations.

Include young adults in your larger church planning. Whether it’s to participate, connect or serve, find ways to seek them out this summer. 

Start by listing upcoming activities on your church’s website, posting them in social media groups, and texting them to groups and individuals.

Personal invitations make a big difference to Gen Z, even more so than the rest of your church’s congregation. Consider asking them to join a meetup or two throughout the summer or to serve at VBS or summer camp.

2. Consider Practical Meetups. 

There’s no need to create new things and new activities. Just go where Gen Z already are, enter in and encourage them to include others. If you do want to create meetups, here are some possibilities: 

• Host a worship night at the church. Be sure you have an up-to-date playlist.

• Offer a throwback event. An epic annual youth group event such as a giant Nerf gun fight or color war could be a fun way for young adults to reconnect.

• Go on a camping trip. Keep it low-key and let the young people handle the arrangements.

• Host a game night. Have a variety of board games and provide the snacks.

3. Develop Relationships.

The young adults at your church may have attended the youth group, might be new to the area, or could be visiting their parents for the summer. Each individual might participate differently, fully or sporadically, so you could invite an adult small group to “adopt” a group of young adults for the summer, feed them dinner and engage in discipleship.

Instead of focusing only on those who are present during the summer months, consider also those who are away. Emma Troyer, a psychology major at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado, says, “Since I’m only there for three months out of the year, I’m less likely to make connections at my summer home church. Instead, I’d want my school-year home church to check in on me over the summer.”

Summer Fun

Unusual Dates for Outreach

July 12: National Paper Bag Day

Paper bags have been in use since 1859. Consider handing out paper grocery bags to those in your church to bring back filled with nonperishable foods. You can work with local food banks or school districts to identify specific needs in your area and ways of distributing the bags of food to families who could use extra groceries over the summer.

Third Wednesday in July: National Hot Dog Day

Whether you prefer classic ketchup and mustard, sauerkraut or chili, hot dogs have been enjoyed for decades in the U.S. Invite families, church members of all ages, and people who live near your church for an evening of yard games in the grass and hot dogs. Offer chips, cookies and soda to round out the fun night.

Aug. 2: National Coloring Book Day

Recent studies have shown that coloring helps reduce stress. Refresh your church’s supply of coloring books, colored pencils and crayons, then invite coloring enthusiasts to sit at tables with at least two other generations represented. Plan ahead and create simple table cards printed with optional conversation starters. For added fun, on the following Sunday give a coloring book and small pack of crayons to every child.

Aug. 21: National Senior Citizens Day

Take a moment to celebrate the older generations in your church. Whether planning a pickleball tournament or an old-fashioned ice cream social, give seniors a chance to tell stories from years past. Consider adding learning opportunities such as tech tips, trivia competitions and ideas to stay active.

Try This

Falling for Autumn

Get the whole church involved in these ideas to spend meaningful time together and engage with your neighbors this autumn.

1. Adopt a School.

Whether a nearby elementary, middle or high school, check with school staff for specific needs they may have as the new school year begins. From mentoring students to paying off lunch debt to bringing in snacks for teachers, your church could provide the smiles and encouragement the school needs.

2. Cheer for Youth.

Check with your local recreation department, sports leagues, schools and dance studios for schedules of students who are participating in sports, or art and music events. With parents’ permission and a little organization, post these schedules for church members to peruse and find what interests them. Parents, grandparents and friends can join together and support kids at a dance recital or football game. Be sure to include students of the arts and attend band competitions, art shows and school musicals.

3. Hold a Caramel Apple Party.

Perfect for those with a sweet tooth or who appreciate nostalgia, caramel apples are sure to satisfy both. Invite neighbors from around your church to come and enjoy an afternoon of sweets. Check online to see what you would need to dip apples in caramel. And don’t forget to include plenty of toppings.

4. Host a Halloween Alternative.

Some churches provide a Halloween alternative where kids can dress up and adults can hand out candy. Especially in areas where walking door-to-door isn’t a viable option, people of all ages will appreciate this fun event.

5. Help Neighbors Rake Leaves.

Encourage church members to get together and rake their neighbors’ leaves. Those who are aging or have special needs will especially appreciate the kind gesture. You can also connect youth with those in your church who might need an extra hand with this seasonal chore. Check with your city or county for any scheduled yard waste collection sites and times.

Count Your Blessings

Celebrate Ordinary Time

When we think of celebration, huge parties full of decorations and delectable treats typically come to mind. But God invites us to celebrate his goodness all the time—in grand ways as well as in the mundane moments.

Within the church calendar, there is Ordinary Time between Christmas and Lent, and again between Easter and Advent. Though, day in and day out, we can celebrate God’s presence, which is far from ordinary.

Consider mentioning Ordinary Time to your church and create a space to collect and celebrate the blessings received during Ordinary Time. People can write down a meaningful conversation they had with a friend, the sun rising in the morning, the provision of clothes and food, or the sound of a child’s laugh.

Whatever display you choose, be sure to include simple instructions and replenished supplies for those in your church to use. You can transform a bulletin board in a prominent hallway with bright-colored sticky notes. Or, hang framed chicken wire and attach notecards with clothespins. Better yet, recruit someone with artistic abilities in your church to create an engaging display that meets your church’s culture.

As churches reopen their buildings to their members and guests, Outreach Inc., the parent company of Outreach magazine, is providing clear signage that communicates required social distancing measures.

Available in a variety of designs, these new 17” x 17” floor stickers are printed on nonslip adhesive vinyl. They adhere to tile, concrete, wood and industrial carpet, and can be used outside.

See the new designs »

Well, we make the most of it—in spite of all the unknowns and questions we have. To the mom, dad, grandparent or caregiver, my message to you is that we can do this. Here are some things to consider as you plan what may seem like an endless summer:

1. Be Flexible.

I think the biggest challenge we may all have is our own attitudes towards this particular summer. If we can hold the time with open hands, we will have a better chance at making summer 2020 special for our kids. Be sure you are taking time to stay in the Word and have a prayerful heart as you approach each day. This attitude is contagious to your kids (and so is a negative one, by the way.)

2. Do Your Research.

Google Maps has become my best friend during the coronavirus season. As you know, you can use it as a search engine for places you are interested in going to and it will tell you if it is open—and usually have an updated statement about COVID-19 precautions such as masks required or partial capacity. It is worth a phone call to see if there are updates since places are constantly changing their policies and hours.

3. Strive for One Outing a Day.

If you are working outside the home, you might plan this for a babysitter or for after-work hours. If you are still working at home, plan around your lunch break, or start your day early and plan for a late afternoon activity. Ideas for outings include: outdoor activities such as trails and creeks, swimming holes (or pools and parks if open), indoor activities such as libraries, museums and visiting friends.

4. Create Activities at Your Home.

For all the hours spent at home, it’s time to get imaginative about creating a fun fortress of things to do at home. I realize we have all been in quarantine and maybe feel like we’ve exhausted all of our ideas, but for this summer consider going a bit further. Ideas to consider might be making each room a different theme (a “build-it” room stocked with Legos and blocks, a “creative” room full of arts and craft supplies, a “fort” room with a homemade tent and sleeping bags and lots of books—you get the picture!). Don’t forget about your yard—keep sprinklers close by and a small inflatable pool or slip and slide, sidewalk chalk, and maybe even a lemonade stand!

5. Open Your Home to Others.

Small gatherings are permitted almost everywhere, so use this opportunity to open your home to neighbors, friends, and playgroups. If you aren’t comfortable with people inside, use your driveway or patio to grill hamburgers, serve up ice cream, and let kids play together outside and adults have meaningful conversations on camp chairs while supervising.

6. Worship Together.

Your church may be open now, but not yet for kids and preschool programming. Be sure to take the opportunity to worship together in a safe way at church with the guidelines your leaders have set or at home by using streaming or recorded services.

Beyond that, use this chance to open God’s Word together daily as a family. It can be a short passage simply read aloud, ending with a prayer or a Bible story ready from a Children’s storybook Bible, or look to your church for activities to intentionally engage your child with resources they provide. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow together spiritually.

So, while summer 2020 may seem like an endless summer that started in March, let me encourage you to make the most of it by being open to what God has planned specifically for you and your family during this season. We will one day tell the stories about how we made our way through such unknown times, let’s commit to making them special and memorable—even if the community pool stays closed!

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

This article originally appeared on LifeWayVoices.com and is reposted here by permission.

2. Be interested in them personally, not just the job they can perform. It’s all about relationships.

3. When a team member responds to an idea or responsibility negatively, don’t assume the person’s negative reaction is about you. Do not let negativity derail you, your team meetings and your team.

4. Don’t assume. Ask questions and be genuinely interested in the responses.

5. Humble yourself. Serve your team and respond to their needs.

6. Ask their advice. Accept that you are not always right nor are your ideas always the best.

7. Praise publicly and correct privately. Praise often and correct sparingly.

8. Offer to help get the job done but overcome the temptation to take over.

9. State expectations clearly and seek needed clarification.

10. Remember—God made them in his image … not yours.

—VBS.LifeWay.com

Find more children’s outreach ideas »

Important Information to Know (From the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention):

• Sept. 10-16: Suicide Prevention Week
• Sept. 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
• Number of Americans who die each year by suicide: 44,193
• Number of suicides each day: 121
• For every person who dies by suicide, 20 or more attempt it.

Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City, Iowa, hosted suicide-prevention training—free and open to the public—exploring myths surrounding suicide and learning how to talk about it.

Rock Church in San Diego, California, has a ministry for family and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide. “Aftershock” is designed to be a place for people to share their grief openly and see God’s light in the darkness.

St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Minnesota, has a page on its website dedicated to suicide prevention and resources including risk factors, warning signs and hotlines.

For more resources and ideas on how to get involved, visit:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP.org)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI.org/SuicideAwarenessMonth)
• You Can NOT Be Replaced (YouCanNotBeReplaced.com)

Here are few ideas on what to do at your booth:

• Paint kids’ faces and give them balloons.
• Provide a full meal (grilled hamburgers/hot dogs) or a snack (popcorn, ice cream, etc.) along with coffee, water and lemonade.
• Have your church info—website, Facebook, Twitter, service times and upcoming events—printed on a convenient card to hand out.
• Offer to pray, if appropriate.
• Set up a funny backdrop and provide silly props and costumes, then take digital photos. Get people’s emails and send them copies of the photo along with a thanks-for-stopping-by note.

Find more “Try This” idea starters »

1. Take students to the beach, or invite them on a hike or bike ride.

Teens may have aged out of VBS, but providing a fun, outdoor activity will help them stay involved at church.

2. Hold an outdoor, dog-friendly service.

Designate a Saturday evening service where members can bring their dog to church with them.

3. Cool down commuters on hot days.

Set up shop on a busy street corner and hand out free, ice-cold soft drinks and bottled water to passers-by. Order personalized water bottle labels with your church’s name and information.

4. Offer free car washes in the church parking lot.

Have a professionally made banner or sign that says, “Totally Free Car Wash!” or “Free—No Kidding—Car Wash!” Then, wash the cars just as effectively as a paid car wash would.

5. Hold an outdoor basketball tournament.

One church invites area youth every Friday night for “Midnight Basketball.” They start each gathering with prayer and end the summer with a pizza party.

6. Hold outdoor concerts for the community.

Invite local musicians and bands, and mix up the genre each week. Provide complimentary refreshments for attendees.

7. Throw parking-lot parties.

One church organizes a parking-lot party once a week for five weeks during the summer—complete with food, petting zoos, moon bounces, games, crafts and more.

8. Reach out to the folks at the county fair.

Set up a booth at your county or state fair and get the word out about your church. Bring photos of service or missions work your church has done, as well as a list of ministries and service times.

9. Shuttle low-income children to the swimming pool.

One church uses their bus to bring children living in public or low-income housing to the nearby pool where church volunteers provide swimming lessons, game time and a quick Bible study.

10. Host a surf camp.

If you live near the beach, enlist some surfing aficionados from your congregation to teach children, teens and adults how to surf.

11. Teach people how to fish.

One church hosts a free fishing seminar for anglers of all ages. The Sunday event includes demonstrations by the state Department of Environmental Conservation: live fish, bait demonstrations, crafts and games, and a spooling station to reline fishing reels.

12. Turn your church into an air-conditioned escape facility.

Convert your church into an indoor lounge complete with Wi-Fi, a play area and an ice cooler stocked with bottled water. Open it up to the community and contact local mothers’ play groups to let them know they’re welcome.

13. Mow lawns for free throughout the summer.

Send teams of volunteers to mow lawns for their neighbors who have limited mobility, such as the elderly.

Junior high and high school students—tech savvy, no fear of trying new things, quick learners and a desire to do something that matters more than playing video games all day—could we leverage VBS as a training ground for them? Could we trade production perfection for the greater goal of developing new student leaders on our media team? Yes!

Last year’s VBS media team included 30 students. We let student leaders—who were already plugged in to our team—be the trainers of the newbies. For example, we asked a student who was home from college to train other students on shading cameras. We had a high school student, who normally serves on our graphics team, teach the newbies how to run graphics. Everyone rotated to different positions each session until he or she found the place that clicked for them. We even promoted one of our students who normally switches to director. He did a great job. Sounds like fun, right? Truth is, it’s exhausting. It’s messy. It requires significant preparation and oversight, but is it worth the investment? Absolutely.

1. Have a plan.

There is no way to throw it together on the first morning with 30 fresh faces. But be flexible with your plan.

2. Designate a clear leader to interface with the students.

We have very successfully utilized a woman who actively serves on our weekend team to make contact with students, schedule them and keep them in line.

3. Have the students sign a code of conduct based on 1 Timothy 4:12.

We explain that if they violate this code of conduct, they will be sent home. We started this agreement after a couple of kids got Gaff-taped to a wall (true story).

4. Feed them.

If the snack says things like “low fat” or “natural,” do not waste your money! They want Ding Dongs, Honey Buns and chocolate. Trust me on this one. Seriously. The students will be working hard, and they love the fact that we provide snacks that are 100 percent theirs. We create their own room for breaks, and it makes them feel like a team with their own locker room.

5. Expect them to perform.

Do not treat them like children. In fact, I tell the students that if anyone treats them like a kid, I want to know about it. We promise them that we will treat them like the smart, responsible students that they are (or want to be) and we will expect their very best in return. We are rarely disappointed in their ability to meet our expectations.

Find more youth outreach ideas »