News
Outside the Box Outreaches
Here are some "outside the box" ways to reach out to your neighborhood children and families: 1. Harvest Party Extended: Let visitors bring back friends each night for 2 or 3 days past the Harvest Party. Tony Borders tried this in Utah last year and had 50 new kids each evening that had NOT been to the regular Harvest party. 2. Library outreach: If your library has a meeting room it is available to non-profits for free or for a very low fee. They only ask that no money be charged, though donations can be requested if needed. If your church has a puppet team use One Way Street’s "Safety Rock" CD to put on a Safety Tips show. Most library crowds are 2nd grade and younger with their parents and a 45 minute show is sufficient. If you’re bringing in a guest speaker from "For His Kidz" ask them to bring along a proper library message that can be used to invite families to the church event as well. OR take your children’s choir to the library to perform their Christmas musical (no room for stage props). 3. When bringing in a special guest get a few copies of their DVD to show at your church cell groups’ homes the week before the event. Then use the DVD’s as prizes for those who invite the most visitors on the day of the event. 4. Teacher Training: Many of "For His Kidz" speakers teach at conventions on a regular basis. Bring them in for a Super Saturday Seminar, followed by a Sunday service. One church we work with planned a Saturday workshop of creative teaching ideas and storytelling techniques that could be used in any classroom and invited school teachers from their church who worked in public as well as Christian schools to come and bring their fellow teachers from school. 5. School Assembly programs. Start a crusade on a Sunday and arrange to provide a free assembly to the school on Monday. Some will even let you provide tickets to your evening event to those students who are interested. Check with your school district to see what wording needs to be on the "tickets". (Ex. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by Elk Grove School District.) If they won’t allow tickets you will still have your Sunday attendees who can invite their friends. 6. Nursing Home Visitation: Put together a small children’s choir to bless local nursing homes with Christmas Songs relating to children. Spend some quality time afterward visiting with the patients. Talk to a local nursing home administrator to see what works into their schedule. 7. Craft Classes: In November sponsor some Saturday craft classes put on by local vendors. Scrapbooking, Cooking, Tole painting, etc. The vendors will appreciate the opportunity and your church attendees and friends can begin making Christmas gifts. 8. Look for projects like "Angel Tree" to have the kids become involved in. These generally stuff a small shoe box with socks, toys, etc. to give to children who are going through some challenging times. 9. Have a "Hobby Show" at church. Encourage families to bring in a display of their hobby to set up in the Fellowship Hall. Model Trains, Woodwork, Crocheting, Puppetry, Crossword Puzzles, Painting, etc. If it goes over really well then ask the people if you can bring their display to the local elementary school to set up on display for a day. 10. It’s too late for this semester, but sponsor a Backpack Day for next semester. Find the poorest section of town and bring in free backpacks filled with school supplies to pass out to the kids. You could also bring in an evangelistic speaker, balloon animals, face painting, etc. Plan for more than supplies you’ll need or advertise how many will be given away. God Bless! Please send in your own "Outside the Box" Outreach ideas for a future newsletter. How has your church reached out into the community?
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E-mail us your ideas and put Outside the Box in the subject area so we can identify your e-mail. This article was written by Tony Borders. Go to Ministries Represented and check out Tony’s info!
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