5 Christmas Outreach Ideas (Almost) Any Church Plant Can Use
- Rather than taking Christmas to families, create a Christmas event and a time of relationship. Invite adopted families in for a formal dinner, gifts, and music.
- Host an international Christmas Party for the new immigrants. Invite people to contribute their local food or food from their country of origin. This event can also include teaching Christmas music and carols and table activities to introduce and educate about Christmas traditions and the Christmas narrative.
- Resource your congregation with gloves, hats, and blankets to use as a gift and witness to their friends or contacts in need.
- Help to resource and network your small groups to do Christmas parties with unsaved and unchurched friends. This can include sharing ideas and networking for mutual gifts (one person has space in home while another might have hospitality gifts) and providing appropriate invitational materials. Never underestimate the value of creating a norm for your church—“Everyone’s doing this kind of party!”
- Take your Christmas Eve service or Program to your community. Many people are required to work on Christmas Eve. Instead of offering services at your site, considering taking your service to these workers. 25 minute worship settings including cookies, hot chocolate, carols, a message and a simple gift can create lasting impressions. Consider the following locations:
-a local firehouse
-in the courtyard of a large shopping corridor
-in the chapel of a local hospital
-in the lobby of a local emergency response call center
If administrators and employers are approving, promote the events as places that families can worship together so that Moms and Dads who would otherwise be working can take in a service together.