So you want to do something really extraordinary for your volunteers; recognize them for their generous spirit, and let them know how much you appreciate their ministry. Great! But before you hire a band, fill the balloons to drop from the ceiling, and check with a caterer, you might want to rethink your plans. A big event, though appropriate at times, may not always the best idea—especially when the holiday season becomes hectic.

Remember that, for the most part, volunteers sign on for the joy of giving. They don’t expect (and sometimes don’t want) glory or recognition. And yet, you certainly want to show them how much you appreciate their efforts. It can be a challenge, but here are a few ideas for showing gratitude in a way that connects with your volunteers—without the bass drums.

Set up a volunteer appreciation team. This has the side benefit of involving the greater church community and showing them how important volunteers are to the church. Team members can divide up the year and creatively express their thankfulness in fun and simple ways with tangible items like treats, small gifts, or cards.

Need some other ideas to spark the team’s thinking? You could use the church bulletin or a bulletin board to highlight individual volunteers. Include a short paragraph on their volunteer service, a picture, and family and outside activity information. Teachers appreciate a surprise chalkboard or white board message, letting them know how much you value them. This is great for the students to see as well!

Here’s a Sunday suggestion: Make a list of all church volunteers. Cut this list into small strips, so there’s one name on each piece. Pass these out to the congregation after services and invite everyone to pray for the person whose name they receive.

Don’t forget email. This tool lets you easily connect with large numbers, specific groups, or individuals. Email a request to parents of your Sunday school classes to have their children design thank you cards for their teachers. Have them bring them on a designated class day. Or ask church members to email words of encouragement, thanks, and support for hospitality workers, greeters, or groundskeepers. Organize these into scrapbooks and give one to each volunteer. Post your volunteer list on the church Web site and ask browsers to include these people in their prayers.

This holiday season, try keeping things simple. It was certainly that way in the stable when the Lord came into the world. And besides, there will be plenty of opportunities before the year is over to crash the cymbals and bang the tambourines!

Molly Wright has served as director of religious education at St. Thomas More Newman Center in Columbia, Missouri, for 10 years.

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