How does your church community thank volunteer staff members? I’m talking about those invaluable office volunteers who handle mass mailings and track visitors, the treasurers and financial secretaries, the church library helpers and candlestick polishers, the teachers and choir members.
How does your congregation thank them?
My personal experiences include both the lame and the lovely.
The lame:
– A former Building & Grounds volunteer chairperson was given a framed photograph of the building upon “retiring.” Through non-glare glass and double matting, she would forever remember this ark of an edifice replete with leaky toilets and broken boilers.
– Framed photo of the pastor. No. Kidding.
– Nail Christmas ornament. It almost says, “Yes, it’s Christmas and we remember Jesus’ death as well as Jesus’ birth this season, and we appreciate you, but get back to work on that playground equipment as soon as you can.”
The lovely:
– One exceptional volunteer may as well have been on the paid staff. Actually, he occasionally worked harder than the paid staff, even though he had his own FT job along with car payments, student loans, and rent. We gave him $1000 as a love gift even though our small church “had no money.” We found some. He more than deserved it.
– I know churches that give restaurant gift cards for officers rotating off their boards. Who doesn’t love a night out.
– Poinsettias at Christmas. Roses at Valentine’s Day. Lilies at Easter. Not so original, but nice.
– One year we gave Jesus Walking on Water floaty pens to all the teachers. 1) the teachers loved them and 2) our teachers also walked on water.
A huge part of volunteer management involves thanking those volunteers, but after recruiting them, training them, evaluating them we are – foolishly – too weary to appreciate them. To print their names in the bulletin or offer applause at an event is nice. But we can do better.
Please share:
– What does your church do to appreciate volunteer church staff?
– How do you appreciate church leaders of all kinds?
– What are the best – and worst – gifts for volunteers who go beyond the call of duty to serve?
OR do you adhere to the It’s-Their-Duty-to-Serve-so-Thank-You-Gifts-Are-Unnecessary school of community life? Feel free to confess this.
You, too, can order a Last Supper Musical Pillow (pictured above) for your volunteer choir director here:
A Church for Starving Artists 
we just gave our officers that rotated off a paddywax olive tree candle that was lit in worship as a reminder of the Christ candle we light at each meeting.
LikeLike
Our (very large) church has a tradition of having a Staff Appreciation Day.
Last year we had a Western barbeque at lunch in the church Fellowship Hall that included a Western Swing band. The Personnel Committee was scattered around the room sitting at tables with staff members. We gave out gift cards to everyone on the staff along with a personal note of thanks from the session members.
This year we are having the luncheon off campus at a very nice venue. We are going to surprise the staff with the gift of a day off work to be taken on a day approved by their supervisor. We think that will be a big hit.
Since we have a preschool and those teachers can’t leave the church campus for a luncheon, we are also going to have breakfast for them that morning and of course they will get the additional day off as well.
LikeLike
when people leave us we give them a watercolor of the church, professionally matted and framed and signed by every member of the congregation. It takes about a month to get everyone to sign–we’ve even taken the thing around to people’s houses before. It’s beautiful, actually, and when I’ve visited people who’ve left in their new homes, it’s usually hanging on the wall somewhere.
Of course, we also give gift cards or checks, so that probably helps. lol.
Sunday School teachers are given a gift every year by the Education Team. I’m not sure what they are–it’s different every year–but it’s included flowers/plants, gift cards, or homemade goodies before.
LikeLike
Best gift we gave lay persons who had given up five months of Tuesday evenings to complete fifty hours of training to be lay care givers was a catered meal for them and one other person of their choossing. At the meal we gave movie and popcorn tickets for two. They hadn’t expected it and by the smiles on their faces they more than appreciated the gift. Plus it told their significant others we appreciated the support they gave their loved ones.
LikeLike
So a slow response to this… but I’m curious… After the small group of 5 women who used to provide hospitality burned out, our church has adopted a “team” approach to coffee hours and food related events (all termed hospitality).
What this means is that each month a team of 10-12 household units, coordinated by one of their own members, provides food and setup and clean up. Minimally this is for the sunday morning coffee hours (2 each sunday) and usually 1-2 other major events (a brunch or dinner or special adult ed hour). When it’s your month or you are the leader, it feels like a lot. When it’s not your month you barely notice that this is all going on. The one good thing is that after a year I think everyone will be aware of the effort involved. My role is mostly one of nagging. Reminding the team leaders to call people. Reminding/encouraging people to say ‘yes’ when called.
How do we thank these people? It can’t be too elaborate — we will ultimately end up thanking all of the active church goers. But I keep feeling like this is an invisible ministry. We need leaders and team members to feel appreciated to sustain this approach. As the key coordinator of it all (but not the designer) I’m struggling with how much energy could and should go into thank yous. Do I thank each team leader? What about team members? Right now we do a token list of names in the monthly newsletter. Should we be doing more? What’s an appropriate level of acknowledgement? I had imagined doing handwritten thank yous but the reality is that is overwhelming for one person.
LikeLike
Hello there, I discovered your blog via Google at the same time as looking for a similar matter, your site came up, it seems good. I’ve added to favourites|added to bookmarks.
LikeLike