What does your church do...

[LaylaMonroe]

What does your church do that you think is cool?

I'm looking to present some new ideas for outreach, evangelism, youth, marketing, conferences, life enrichment, education, and pretty much all the functioning (or should-be functioning) ministries in our church.

I brainstormed earlier (while I was writing my blog - that's not a plug, I really DID brainstorm while writing my blog... lol) and came up with a few ideas that I think are pretty good. And that thread we had a few weeks ago about Thanksgiving and Christmas helped me out a lot, too.

Now, I'm looking for a complete brainstorming list... I want about a hundred ideas to go through and see what we can do next year. What do you do at your church that is really popular with the people?

[Hasmonean1]

Before Pastor Butler left, he led a service where he took questions from entire church via texting.  The questions were put onto the big screen, read, and answered.  I thought that was an innovative thing to do.  It may go over well in a bible study setting for most churches.   This isn't something that is done regularly but it was interesting and different.  Oh yeah, he was able to screen the messages before putting them on the big screen.  (you know folk)

[Fenix]

46 views

2 replies, one of which is practically useless (mine). 

I'm guessing this may mean most churches just do the same old stuff SUnday after Sunday.

 

[SisterT]

Prison Ministry - annual picnics on the grounds of 2 seperate units. We grill food, have DJ playing music, just a chance for them to have godly fun.

Community Prayer & Clean-up --- Led by the youth, we send teams about 5 miles into each direction. They first walk to destination spot praying & praising. We actually stop and pray several times en route. On the walk back, we pick up & trash. Cleaning up the neighborhood Spiritually & physically!

Feed the homeless once a month.

Health fairs - we do about 3 a year. Each has a different emphasis (back to school check-ups & shots, prostrate screening, etc)

Habitat For Humanity - building homes in the community

Tutoring -- Teachers volunteer their service once a week during the school year.

Marketing
1. We have a news cast type of Sunday morning announcements. They are also uploaded to Facebook and our site for those who missed service.
2. When you arrive at the airport the first thing you will see as you head to baggage clains is a huge St. Mark sign welcoming you to our city. Lots of people have come to the service because of that sign.

Our Young adult pastor gives a weekly inspirational message via  video on FB


Is this what you are looking for? I have so much more just tired of typing for now.

[betnich]

Doing Thanksgiving baskets for the needy seems to be going well at our fellowship. Sign-up sheet: one donates stuffing, another cranberries, potatoes, etc. Church buys the turkeys...

[LaylaMonroe]

Prison Ministry - annual picnics on the grounds of 2 seperate units. We grill food, have DJ playing music, just a chance for them to have godly fun.

Community Prayer & Clean-up --- Led by the youth, we send teams about 5 miles into each direction. They first walk to destination spot praying & praising. We actually stop and pray several times en route. On the walk back, we pick up & trash. Cleaning up the neighborhood Spiritually & physically!

Feed the homeless once a month.

Health fairs - we do about 3 a year. Each has a different emphasis (back to school check-ups & shots, prostrate screening, etc)

Habitat For Humanity - building homes in the community

Tutoring -- Teachers volunteer their service once a week during the school year.

Marketing
1. We have a news cast type of Sunday morning announcements. They are also uploaded to Facebook and our site for those who missed service.
2. When you arrive at the airport the first thing you will see as you head to baggage clains is a huge St. Mark sign welcoming you to our city. Lots of people have come to the service because of that sign.

Our Young adult pastor gives a weekly inspirational message via  video on FB


Is this what you are looking for? I have so much more just tired of typing for now.

YES!!!! All of that!

Hasmo and Betnich, yours were helpful, too. Thanks, everybody. Keep them coming.

SisterT, you guys do a lot. I love it. LOVE IT. I can't take another year of this 4 walls business. That ain't God's plan!  (And can you send me a link to the news cast for announcements? I would love to try that one!).  And whenever you feel like typing more, I'm a-lis'nin.

46 views

2 replies, one of which is practically useless (mine). 

I'm guessing this may mean most churches just do the same old stuff SUnday after Sunday.

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[pastor rob]

are young people had a poetry slam that was open to the public. had to be Christ centered or insprational (sp). of course no swearing.

[LaylaMonroe]

are young people had a poetry slam that was open to the public. had to be Christ centered or insprational (sp). of course no swearing.

Ooooooh, that would be nice if I were in NY or ATL... won't work in Selma. LOL!

[csedwards2]

Ooooooh, that would be nice if I were in NY or ATL... won't work in Selma. LOL!

what, too  much swearing

[LaylaMonroe]

what, too  much swearing

No, they're just not cultured like that. They don't think outside the box and even if you think for them, they don't want to venture outside the box. They just don't enjoy stuff like that.

I'm still working on my 2010-2011 goal of creating our thumbprint, so I asked what they thought about doing a midnight musical after Watch Night Service... NOBODY in Selma has one, yet the people at my church don't want to be the first to do it. Why? Because "ain't nobody gon come."

Same thing with poetry. Nobody would be interested.

[SirTJ]

We do a lot of things with the youth. A few weeks ago, we had a festival for Halloween (well, not FOR halloween, but as a counter-act to halloween). Earlier this year, we sponsored a trip to White Waters. We collect clothes and toys for a orphanage. Hosted vacation Bible school earlier this year. In other words, just a lot of youth-driven activities.

The ladies of the church also hang out and have like "Ladies Night" at the movies or something. And the Pastor, along with members, visit the sick and shut-in.

[csedwards2]

got a small but growing church, but they take up an offering every week for a family in need in the house. They encourage everyone to put $10 in that offering and then at the end of the month, if you have a need, you put your name in a bucket whether you are a member or not, and whatever they've collected for the month goes to that family. Man Ive seen 2 first time visitors get it since July. Its exciting and since we're taking care of a need in the house, there usually is a testimony about it. And the newcomers usually come back.

[T-Block]

We have a youth Pow Wow saturday every 4th saturday at our church. We do different fun activities and stuff with all the youth of the church. One time we had them fix their own spaghetti dinner. It was very interesting!

[LaylaMonroe]

OMG CSE, I love that!!!! Wow!

I don't know if they'd go for that at my church, but I'm sure going to put it on the list. I love that idea. Do they just draw a name from the bucket or is there a selection process? Do you see the same people repeatedly putting their names in? Do they select/draw the name during service?

Thanks, guys. I'm loving these ideas. So far, all of them will go on my list.

[phbrown]

Just your normal

Chlothes drive
Thanksgiving food giveaway
Get together for kids on Oct. 31st
Vacation Bible School


Next week,
We will start giving out CD's of the service to those who were sick and could not make it.

[SisterT]

Here's our News braodcast from Nov 7th, that was shown during all 3 Sunday services:

WSMC News from November 7, 2010

Also, in our annual report there is Highlights of some of the things we did throught the year. You may get ideas from that. Here's the link to our 2009 Annual report:

http://www.smark.org/content/images/PDFS/AR2009.pdf

[nessalynn77]

Here's our News braodcast from Nov 7th, that was shown during all 3 Sunday services:

WSMC News from November 7, 2010

Also, in our annual report there is Highlights of some of the things we did throught the year. You may get ideas from that. Here's the link to our 2009 Annual report:

http://www.smark.org/content/images/PDFS/AR2009.pdf

I still have my copy of the annual report you gave me... that was some top notch stuff... and I actually started doing video announcements after visiting your church.

[SisterT]

... and I actually started doing video announcements after visiting your church.

That's cool. I went to a church that use a different setting for each segment. I think that helps to keep attention of the congregation. A lot of people don't pay attention to ours. I believe it is necessaary to give the announcements a different look so that people won't lose interest and in an A.D.D. world, focus.

[LaylaMonroe]

Here's our News braodcast from Nov 7th, that was shown during all 3 Sunday services:

WSMC News from November 7, 2010

Also, in our annual report there is Highlights of some of the things we did throught the year. You may get ideas from that. Here's the link to our 2009 Annual report:

http://www.smark.org/content/images/PDFS/AR2009.pdf

Whoa... I love it. Thanks so much for sharing that. I just sent both links to my assistant. My pastor is traveling this week, but I'm going to share it with him when he returns.

I still have my copy of the annual report you gave me... that was some top notch stuff... and I actually started doing video announcements after visiting your church.

I prayed the Lord would send me "another me" and He did just that. Now, I'm about to start praying He sends me someone who knows how to do this kinda stuff. I'm so excited!!!

Question(s): When do you record the announcements? How long does it typically take to edit it and all that? (I know it varies).

[nessalynn77]

Whoa... I love it. Thanks so much for sharing that. I just sent both links to my assistant. My pastor is traveling this week, but I'm going to share it with him when he returns.

I prayed the Lord would send me "another me" and He did just that. Now, I'm about to start praying He sends me someone who knows how to do this kinda stuff. I'm so excited!!!

Question(s): When do you record the announcements? How long does it typically take to edit it and all that? (I know it varies).

Sister T's church has a dedicated staff for this kind of thing.  In my case, it was just me.  I tried to get them to get announcements to me by Wednesday, but most of the time I ended up recording and editing everything on Saturday.  Now mind you, I didn't do the visible anchor person like St. Mark's.  I used graphics and music and narrated the information from behind the scenes, more like West Angeles' announcements.  The standard every week stuff I saved as a block that could be inserted every week.  I tried to record each additional announcement as it's own block (wmv file), so that I could shuffle them around or move them in and out as needed.  So week to week, I think I got it down to about 1 - 2.5 hrs total unless there were a bunch of new announcements.