I need pastor appreciation ideas, such as decorations for a party and entertainment and events.
Mrs. Callahan from San Antonio, Texas
Have everyone in the congregation write him a note-very personal and appreciated! (03/12/2007)
By Diana
Last year we had our children's department make a candy board and present it to the Pastor during a BBQ fellowship we had for him. He loved it. Replace words with candy bars: Kudos to you; Thank you for sharing with us that Jesus is a Lifesaver, etc.
This year I've asked different people in the church to take pictures throughout the year of Pastor serving: preaching, praying for people, pulling weeds on church work day, etc. At Costco you can get small posters for about $2.00. I want to get a bunch of these from the pictures and decorate the church with them. I'm not sure if we'll have another BBQ or maybe go to a local restaurant. (04/07/2007)
By Darlene
At my church, we take up a Pastor's Appreciation offering every 2nd Sunday of the month to add to our fund! And then every year on the 1st Sunday in June we have PASTOR APPRECIATION SUNDAY - where we shower our pastor, his wife, and their son with gifts and present them with the total amount that we have taken up over that year.
Our pastor loves home-cooked food, too. So we have a big church-potluck and everyone cooks his favorite food - home cooked.
:) He's always tremendously grateful. We normally give anywhere them $1200-$1500 annually. Which is awesome because he does not take a salary. (05/11/2007)
By Channing Francis
This will be my third year organizing the Pastor Appreciation Service. We do it the second Sunday of October. The first year my son & I performed a cute skit about the Pastor and church members gave short speeches telling why they appreciated him. The second year the Youth group put on a play for him and also read poems. We had his 15 year old son give a short Bible reading. This year we are blessed with lady who sews really well. So she is going to make a quilt which we will hang on a dowel, so he can hang it in his office. After she gets it made we are going to have our church members pick a square and write a note using fabric paint.
By Terry
I've taken a blank October calendar and asked members to volunteer to sign up for a "day" leaving a contact telephone number. I call and remind them the day before that tomorrow is their "day" to make the pastor feel special. The members can do anything they want from gifts and cards to money or acts of kindness or service. The pastor has no idea what is going to happen the next day! He was overwhelmed! (09/29/2007)
By TPK from GA
I'm making a book for our pastor. I'm handing out card stock paper to each member that wants to decorate a page. Each one is responsible for doing their own page, even our toddlers can scribble. Then the pages will be laminated and the book will be bound. This will give him a little piece of everyone. (10/03/2007)
By Tracy
As a wife of a Pastor I can say that you do not have to spend an abundance of money to show your pastor appreciation. First thing that speaks volumes to your pastor is your support to him. - Faithfully attending every service and participate in what's going on will help give him that inspiration that he needs. Remember that empty pews speaks negatively to your pastor. Secondly....simply say "Thank you" regularly. How would you feel if you reported to your job every day and your boss never expressed that you did a good job? That's how a pastor feels when he gets no feedback on his sermons....he constantly wonders if he's doing a good job. Thirdly cut the criticism.....many people are quick to criticize, but slow to encourage. Realize that there are MANY things that happen within a church community that you don't know about, and because you don't see what he does, your small criticism digs much deeper than what you realize.
By Amy Revels
Our theme was fruit of the spirit we select 9 member out of the church to speak on each fruit how our pastor has touch their life we decorate each table with fruits. This was done in a Banquet setting. (10/03/2007)
By Gertrude Price
What about combining all these great ideas on a sign up sheet and have everyone sign up for the way they chose to show appreciation and have them spaced out throughout the month so the Pastors are blessed on a regular basis during the month or through the entire year. Thanks for the ideas on this site! God bless all our Pastors! (10/03/2007)
By Susan
I have been a pastors daughter for over 25 years and have seen many wonderful expressions of thanks. Whatever you do don't forget the pastors wife, for she carries the load also. One example my parents really appreciate is a dear lady at our church at different times throughout the year will sneak and leave snacks, cards, gifts, the newspaper, ect.. at their front door. If caught in the act she will giggle and say "It must be pastor appreciation month." Anyone would love to open their front door in the morning and have a pleasant surprise waiting for them. Most of all BE SUPPORTIVE and be a low maintenance saint. (10/16/2007)
By Busy Bee
Give flowers to pastors lady as appreciation for taking a big role of help in pastors life, for all of us to be able to receive what is on his heart due to what God is wanting us to receive (10/19/2007)
By elsaa
We had a gift card tree last year at our Pastor appreciation and our pastor and family loved it. Don't forget to get cards for the children as well as the Pastor and his wife. (02/29/2008)
By Cathy
We had a black carpet event. Everyone wore their best gowns and suits. The pastor was escorted in by a member and his wife. We showed different slides of the pastor as he was on his journey as a pastor. Accomplishment that he had achieved. We had many speakers that limited their gratitude to 3 minutes. It was wonderful, it was a BALL! (04/22/2008)
By Latrice
THIS IS YOUR LIFE. For our pastors 25th anniversary we put on a skit that spanned his life (prior to and up to his call to preach). The chairperson over the event had to go to his old neighborhood and previous church members (including his wife) and find out about different events in his life that lead to him accepting the role as pastor of our church.
The skit included church members, acting, directing, creating props, costumes and singing (he liked Gladys Knight). We referenced when he left for the Navy, his meeting and marriage to our first lady, her teaching Sunday school and having 4 children, a family camping trip when a Bear chased him, the day he received his call to preach and the day he accepted the pastors position.
The complete skit took about an hour and it was very entertaining. Our pastor laughed during the skit but cried tears of joy as he wondered how did they know about all of that! It was a great success for him and the church...one we will never forget. (04/23/2008)
By Janice
I planned our PAD last year and it was awesome. First we added the element of surprise! We were somehow able to keep the date from our Pastor without anyone giving our secret away. Next, we got a special speaker whom she never would have guessed to come in and do the sermon. Our children sang a special song, our drama team mimed three songs including Thank You, her son and daughter-in-law came from out of town to lead praise and worship, we had a candlelight ceremony, and hosted a banquet after service, where we gave her a new laptop, bible library, printer, and all the fixins! We also gave her husband several gifts (he loves to fish). The children made things for them as well. Also, before service, we passed out special bulletins with PAD offering envelopes in case someone wanted to do a monetary gift. Then to wrap it up, we had everyone sign up for a day for the next 30 days to let her and her family know how much they were appreciated. It was BEAUTIFUL!! And all that for a church of about 50!! Anyone can have an awesome Pastor's Appreciation Day if they really pray and put their mind to it. I love doing things like this, and I enjoy sharing ideas. (04/25/2008)
By Melissa from SC
An air of excitement comes over the congregation each year for the Pastor's Anniversary. We did a trip around the world, where we provided gift certificates to different restaurants. "We're sending you on a trip around the world, first class in your own car, a gas card has been provided. your first stop will be the International House of Pancakes, where you can dine on Belgium Waffles. Your next stop you'll be having lunch in...now cruise over to.....for dinner. You get the idea.
One year we did everything monogram and gave our first lady a beautiful locket with her favorite scripture engraved (just the book, chapter and verse).
Last year our theme was serving like the Savior and each auxiliary president presented him with a gift (money) on a silver chargers. Each person had on a white chef apron with white napkin draped across their arm, then each approached him, bowed and said something about service and he removed the gift from the tray. Really, really cute. Remember it is not so much about the gift, but the presentation of the gift. (05/18/2008)
By M and M
I have been doing pa day for years at our church. My favorite was a man and wife team. He is a chalk artist and she a ventriloquist. He draws while we listen to music and a sermon and roasted the paster after our pot luck dinner. It was great fun. the chalk art will hang in his office. (06/30/2008)
By barb
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