Ideas for Church Volunteer Appreciation

Your church’s volunteers may have a hand in everything from Sunday services to event planning, youth ministry, and more. If you can’t imagine what life would be like without them, make sure to show your appreciation to church volunteers.

Kind Words

To show volunteers that you appreciate their hard work and dedication, you don’t need to spend an exorbitant amount on gifts. Regularly saying thank you is very impactful, whether that’s through a face-to-face conversation, a phone call, or a personalized note. If you know that a volunteer’s birthday is coming up, get them a card, including a thoughtful message.

Collect letters from community members that your volunteer group has helped and let everyone read through them at their next meeting.

Public Recognition

Church announcements provide a fantastic opportunity to call out the recent efforts of volunteers. If the church has AV equipment, create a video or slideshow of the volunteer, including their story and testimonials from people who’ve worked with them. When honoring an entire volunteer group, designate a place for them to sit together and be recognized during the service.

Your church’s website is another place where you can give recognition. Post a story about a volunteer’s contributions at a recent event with a photo of them. Similarly, you could make a post on social media or send an email out to members of your congregation.

A Gathering that Celebrates the Volunteers

You could plan a breakfast or dinner that’s dedicated to your volunteers or make a whole day of it. Invite family members to your volunteer appreciation day and fill it with decorations, food, and fun. Additionally, if there are local organizations your volunteers have helped, invite representatives from the organizations and offer them an opportunity to show their appreciation too. Here are some tips for successful event planning. 

If you need seating for your event, we carry a great selection of lightweight folding chairs and tables as well as banquet chairs.

An alternate idea is planning a night out to the movies, a play, or a local sporting event for your volunteers. By also covering babysitting for the evening, you can ensure they’ll be able to relax and have fun.

Gifts

If you decide to get church volunteer appreciation gifts, find a way to personalize them for each individual. That might involve getting their feedback on recognition ideas or printing their name on a shirt. Some gift ideas include:

• Collecting contributions from your congregation to make gift baskets
• Sending flowers and/or chocolates
• Gift cards for local restaurants and businesses
• Seasonal items, like sunscreen and sunglasses or hand warmers and scarves

Church Swag

Matching t-shirts, caps, tote bags, water bottles, or coffee mugs will help a volunteer group feel like a unified team. This memento reminds people of their time volunteering and is also useful to them.

As an experienced church chair company, the team at ChurchPlaza knows it’s likely that volunteers are a crucial part of your organization. We hope these tips help you show your volunteers that they’re very much appreciated. Taking the time to thank them will help them connect with the church and feel proud of the work they’re doing. Plus, recognizing your current team members may even help you recruit new volunteers for your church.