We know how much work, prayer, and dedication you invest in your weekly church services.
But what if one of the best avenues for meaningful conversations, lasting relationships, and church growth was through fun, engaging events for your congregation and the greater community?
Churchwide activities are a great way to utilize your church building to its fullest and help people get connected with your church. However, thinking of the perfect event can be overwhelming. But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! You can use any of the following creative ideas for your next church event.
Creative Activities for Your Church
1. Sunday Brunch
Before church, serve coffee, tea, donuts, and other tasty breakfast items. Your congregation can invite their friends, family, and neighbors to join them for brunch and the service!
2. Date Night
One night per month, or on special holidays like Valentine’s Day, provide complimentary childcare service for parents, so they can drop their kids off and enjoy a night out together.
3. Spring Cleaning
Create a list of general maintenance needs, like painting, cleaning, and gardening, and invite your church members to sign-up to complete a specific task. You’ll all have the chance to work together to tidy your church home, and you can serve lunch afterward for a job well done.
4. Premarital Seminar
Suppose your congregation is filled with several engaged couples, or your church is planted in a community with young people. In that case, you may consider hosting pre-marriage counseling classes or a newlywed seminar to help them prepare for marriage.
5. Mission Fair
Organize an event that shines the spotlight on your church’s local and international mission opportunities. You can invite vocational missionaries your church supports to share their stories and encourage those interested in going on a mission trip to attend.
6. Picnic Lunch
Invite your congregation to stay and enjoy a picnic lunch after your Sunday service. You can provide food or instruct each person to bring a dish to share potluck-style with others. You can also encourage your members to invite friends and family to church on the picnic day.
7. Easter Egg Hunt
Host an egg hunt complete with candy-filled eggs, live music, games, and other fun activities for kids the weekend before Easter. At this event, you can invite newcomers to join you for your Easter services the following weekend!
8. Children’s Service
Give your children’s ministry the chance to take over your service. They can lead worship, read scriptures, and even perform a fun skit before your sermon. Plus, they can spend weeks leading up to the service practicing to create anticipation for their time to shine.
9. Serve Day
Encourage your congregation to form teams and find a community outreach opportunity that interests them, like serving at a homeless shelter or volunteering at a food bank. Then, every group can scatter so that your church can serve in different places around the community, all on the same day!
10. Baptism Sunday
Invite those in your congregation and community who would like to be baptized to attend on a special baptism Sunday. Have plenty of information readily available for newcomers who’d like to get plugged into your church.
11. Welcome Committee
Organize a group from your congregation to deliver “goodie bags” to newcomers in your community, complete with coupons to local businesses, baked goods, a devotional book, and information about your church.
12. Outdoor Concert
Invite your entire community to an outdoor concert on your church’s lawn, featuring either your worship band or a local Christian band.
13. Movie Night
Rent a giant projection screen to show a movie on the lawn. You can show a seasonal film, like a Christmas movie in December, and serve hot chocolate and cookies. Or you can find a children’s movie to host a family-friendly movie night with popcorn and soda.
14. Vacation Bible School
Choose a week to host Vacation Bible School (VBS), complete with songs, snacks, games, skits, crafts, and other activities to entertain kids. Then on Sunday, give the children the chance to perform VBS songs during your service. They’ll bring their parents with them, providing an excellent avenue for families to get connected with your church.
15. Summer Camp
Plan a summer camp for your middle school and high school students and invite students from your community to join. You can even plan a family camp for your entire congregation, complete with campfires, games, worship, and more!
16. Teacher Appreciation
During the last week of school, recognize all the teachers in your congregation. You can honor them with a special lunch or breakfast or provide students with flowers, candy, and other gifts to give to the teachers during the service.
17. Worship Service
Allow your worship team to lead your congregation in a special worship service. This event can replace one of your regular service times, or you can host a distinctive worship night.
18. Prayer Service
Like the worship service, host a prayer service focused on praying for our nation, community, mission partners, and specific needs within your congregation. You can encourage people to break into small groups to pray for each other at the end of the service.
19. Fall Festival
In October, invite your entire community to a fall festival. You can organize a costume contest, rent carnival games and food trucks, and offer candy to kids. This event is an excellent opportunity to introduce new families to your church—especially those with young children!
20. Christmas Candlelight Service
Invite your community to a family-friendly candlelight service featuring carols and the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. You can serve cookies, hot chocolate, and other treats during the service. And don’t forget to decorate your church with Christmas lights!
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