Leaves are changing, temperatures are dropping, and Christmas is just around the corner. Soon your schedule will be filled with gift-wrapping, Christmas programs, holiday baking, and visiting relatives. Before you get bogged down with the same old holiday habits, take a fresh look at these ideas that will brighten your holiday and open others’ eyes to the love of Christ.

• Park & Ride Pals

With cooler morning temperatures, the wait time at the Park & Ride lot can be pretty miserable. Warm up the day for area commuters by giving away free coffee and donuts at the lot. Add a contact card with information about your church’s worship times and upcoming holiday activities.

• Winter Survival Kit

Harsh winter weather can be hard on our bodies. Combine a few inexpensive winter items into a “winter survival kit.” Items may include lip balm, a pocket-size package of tissues, sample-size tubes of hand lotion, and so on. Place the items in a zipper plastic bag and add a card with your church’s contact information.

• Making Your Mark

When cabin fever sets in this winter, gather the troops together to work on this easy outreach tool. Many unchurched people don’t own an easy-to-read Bible or don’t know where to begin reading the one they have. Make it simple for them by providing marked copies of New Testament Bibles. Inexpensive paperback New Testaments can be purchased in case lots from a variety of sources (www.GodsWord.org, www.IBSDirect.com, www.Bible.com ). Selected passages of the Bible are marked and instructions are placed throughout the text directing the reader through God’s plan for their salvation. (Complete instructions for marking Bibles can be found at www.bibleoutreach.org/verses/prepare.html). This is a great activity for both young and old!

• Basket Connection

Many churches provide food baskets and gifts to area families at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is a wonderful way to show your care and concern for people in your area. This year, think about contacting you local school district for the names of families in need right in your neighborhood. Consider adding school supplies to the baskets and a marked New Testament (see above). Be sure to include a holiday card with information about special holiday events and worship opportunities.

• Tape Giveaway

During the early part of December, send volunteers out with a practical Christmas gift for your church’s neighbors. Put a roll of gift packaging tape and an invitation to your Christmas festivities in a doorknob hanger bag. Choose a neighborhood near your church and add holiday cheer on the doorstep. Everyone can use an extra roll of tape at Christmas time!

• Christmas Fair

Before the holiday hype gets too crazy, host a Christmas Fair at your church for area families. Provide a variety of activities for all ages: simple construction-paper chains in green and red, ornament making and/or decorating, advent wreath or calendar construction, and so on. Start your fair before lunch and top off the event by sharing some delicious soup. If you schedule your fair early in December, offer to take pictures of kids dressed up in biblical garb in a simple manger scene. These pictures make great tuck-ins for family Christmas cards.

• Winter Relaxation

Once school is back in session in January, teachers have a long time to wait before the next break from their classroom demands. Why not pamper the teachers at a nearby school by providing free massages. Many massage therapists have portable massage tables or chairs they can take to school campuses. Make the necessary arrangements with the principal ahead of time and post a sign-up sheet in the teacher workroom for 15 minutes of massage. What a wonderful way to show teachers that you care!

• Valentine Sharing

Share a Valentine treat with the people in your community. Print up a simple business-card sized Valentine card with a Valentine greeting on the front and your contact information on the back. Attach a piece of Valentine candy (good-quality chocolate works best) and distribute your Valentines at area malls or shopping centers just before Valentine’s Day.

Patti Mitschke is a freelance designer, writer, speaker, and computer software guru. Her husband, Ken, is a mission planter in Schertz, Texas (outside of San Antonio). Patti and Ken share many of their ministry responsibilities and work together as a team to nurture and develop their young congregation, Word of Life Fellowship. Patti@WordofLife4u.com

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