Hosting great church events helps to bring your community together. Whether you’re raising funds for a recent natural disaster or having a movie night on the lawn, everything has steps! These steps to get there are easy, and we’ve gathered everything you need to know in one place.
You’ll find our 5 easy steps to hosting a church event as well as a few ideas to lead you in the right direction for any event you have coming up!
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Table of contents
1. The Objective of any Church Event
There are so many reasons why a church would want to host an event. Figuring out these reasons will give you more clarity about the church event ideas to choose from. It could be a holiday or an anniversary event for your church. Church activities have a long history within churches and are always fun!
Here is a helpful guide of fun church event ideas to help keep and attract new members. With each idea, a good starting point is sending an event invitation letter to generate interest in your activity. After any activity, a post-event survey is another great option to fine-tune and improve your event offerings continually.
Here are a few more reasons why churches host events:
- To raise funds
- To promote the faith
- To serve the community
- To involve the youth
- To attract new church members
- To bring back old members
- To improve in-person attendance
2. The Community’s Needs
As much as a church event is about your church, it is even more about your church members and the local community. How do you make visitors feel welcome at church? Considering your community’s needs while developing church event ideas is a significant step toward ensuring high engagement.
Does the community need a fun get-together after a challenging year? Will the community appreciate a fundraising event for a particular cause? Will inviting a guest speaker help them feel closer to the faith?
No matter your community’s needs are, with just the right planning and execution, you can incorporate them into a great event. Remember to base your objective on these community needs.
3. Set SMART Goals
Now that you have the purpose of your future events, you can start planning and executing those ideas. Begin by setting SMART goals. Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART).
This framework will allow you to create realistic expectations and provides a clear path for event execution. It also gives you criteria to measure the event with as you recap.
Example of a SMART Goal for a Church event:
Specific: We want to raise $10,000 to build a new parking lot, so we will host a Spring Carnival.
Measurable: We want to raise this money in 6 months in time to pave the new parking lot before Christmas (the busiest season).
Attainable: We have previously been able to raise funds for a project by hosting community gatherings.
Relevant: Our parking lot is overfilled every week and we no longer have room for our congregation to safely park.
Time-Based: We will begin planning for the Spring Carnival in 2 weeks. We will also begin the search for companies that can pave parking lots.
4. Create a Detailed Plan
This should include the date, time, location, budget, and a list of tasks that need to be completed. The plan should also identify who is responsible for each task and when they need to complete it. The more detailed you are in what needs to be accomplished, the better! Here are a few ideas to get you in the right mindset:
- Food
- Decorations
- Prizes
- Activities and games
- Seating (banquet chairs or folding chairs)
- Products for sale (if a fundraiser)
- Entertainment (band, speaker, etc.)
- Other furniture (tables, stage, podium or lectern, etc.)
5. Assemble a Team
Successful church events need more than one person to execute them. And no one should do anything by themselves or else they’ll be overwhelmed. It can be difficult to delegate, but the positives of assembling a team for your church events greatly outweigh the negatives. There are many benefits to assembling a team to plan and execute your church events:
- Reduces individual workload.
- Brings different skill sets.
- Provides an opportunity for deeper connection.
- Gives ownership to others.
12 Church Event Ideas
Now that you’ve got the basics for how to start planning for your church event, here are a few great ideas for any event throughout the year!
Back to School Church Event Ideas
Some kids are excited about the back to school season and others can be nervous and it’s not only children – parents can also feel the same way.
Back-to-school is a great time for the church to teach kids to pray and look forward to the future. It’s vital to make this prayer evening or event practical for parents and kids who might be hurrying to find last-minute school supplies. Host a back-to-school prayer night to start kids out in prayer.
1. Host a Back-to-School Blessing for All
Gather the children together and give them a blessing. Give time to show your teachers how much you appreciate them. It’s a wonderful idea to get to know the people who spend five days a week with your children.
In addition to teachers, why not invite bus drivers, principals and people who work in the cafeteria? Schools are made up of so many amazing people that work hard all year long. Start the school year right with God and prayer!
2. Give Out Back to School Supply Goodie Bags
Many families are feeling the financial pinch, especially those who have more than one child. It would be great to hand out goodie bags filled with school supplies at your back-to-school blessing event. Even small boxes of pens and pencils, erasers and paper that don’t cost much would be helpful.
Another alternative to a goodie bag is to host a “fill up a backpack” event where your community pays a certain amount to fill a backpack for different school ages. These backpacks can be donated to schools in the area and will really help those in need.
3. Hold a Prayer Breakfast For Back-to-School
Host a back-to-school breakfast event for your children’s congregation to give them hope for the new school year. A back-to-school breakfast feast for kids and parents is the perfect time for a pancake breakfast. Ask a special guest to give the children words of encouragement for the coming school year during breakfast!
Church Christmas Event Ideas
There’s no denying that Christmas is one of the year’s most festive times in both the religious and secular realms. The secular world places emphasis on present shopping and family gatherings rather than Christ’s birth to this world.
However, there are many opportunities for your church to engage with your local community and remind them of the reason for the season. Here are some Christmas church involvement ideas that your church might hold to reach out to the community.
4. Plan a Christmas Seasonal Market
With the help of a Christmas market, you’ll take full advantage of the holiday spirit of giving to bring new people into your church’s fellowship. People in your church can give you gently used items that are still in good shape, which you can then sell and give new life to with someone who can put them to good use. A Christmas market always attracts many people because after all, who doesn’t like a bargain?
Meals and baked items are always in demand and can be sold as part of the market. This event is an excellent way for your church to raise money and simultaneously reach out to the community. Ask small businesses for help and have them participate in giveaways to draw more people in!
5. Host an “Adopt a Family” Gift Collection Drive
At this time of year, many households face challenges. Christmas gives more financial stress to families due to the pressure of buying presents and preparing food for loved ones.
Having a gift collection drive at your church is a great way to help families in need. Get the congregation to “adopt” a family and provide them with:
- Staple food items
- Christmas gifts
- Store gift cards
While helping those in need should be the primary goal of this event, having your church be a source of comfort and support is another positive aspect.
A good idea is to include a church business card or some other branded material with the presents. The point isn’t to flaunt your generosity, but rather to let people know that your church cares about them spiritually as much as materially.
Halloween Church Event Ideas
Halloween has origins outside the church, but it’s now widely regarded as a cultural event celebrated with innocent traditions such as:
- Apple bobbing competitions
- Trick-or-treating
- Dressing up in costumes
Having said that, many churches will want to host their own Halloween or fall-themed event, allowing church members to celebrate the holiday without the spookier elements.
6. Car-to-Car Trick-or-Treating (AKA: Trunk-or-Treat)
Car-to-car trick-or-treating is a whole lot of fun and a safer alternative to typical trick-or-treating. Instead of walking from home to home, children go from car to car in a church’s parking lot. Make sure everyone can find something they like. The kids will love getting dressed up and getting their favorite candy.
For the adults and teens, you could serve hot cider and make a fire pit with chairs around a portable fire. Yes, even in a parking lot! Have an outdoor movie screen that plays clean fall-themed movies to really bring that atmosphere up!
7. Organize a “Collect Home Essentials” Drive
It’s not just about the candy at Halloween; plenty of people could use your help with toiletries and personal care items. Hold a drive to collect home essential donations for the homeless in conjunction with a nearby shelter. Together, your congregation’s efforts to aid the homeless can have a big impact! Collect items such as:
- Dry food
- Toiletries
- Personal care items
- Canned food
- Gift cards
- Household cleaning goods
Easter Event Ideas for Church
8. The All-Time Favorite: Easter Egg Hunt
Egg hunts are a great tradition for celebrating Easter. Add some flair to your egg hunt by providing participants with:
- Baskets to carry their loot
- A designated location for children under the age of five where eggs will be more visible
- A photo booth to capture the joy on everyone’s faces
Searching and finding eggs can be an exhausting job! Why not have an area dedicated to food and drink, not just for the participating children, but also for the adults?
9. Host an Easter Farmers’ Market
Organizing a farmers’ market can help bring people together while supporting local businesses and crafters. Offer different Easter-themed treats and goods such as:
- Chocolate eggs
- Bunny cakes and muffins
- Traditional Easter goodies to be sold at the stalls
Instead of money as an entrance fee, you could ask for an Easter egg donation. The easter eggs collected in place of a fee could be distributed among the needy families in your community. This could also be a fun idea for a fundraising event.
Outdoor Church Event Ideas
Here are a few great ideas for things to do at your next outdoor church outing if you’re looking for new ways to bring your congregation closer together.
During the summer, it’s fun to try something new with your church family. People want to have fun, so why not give them some new, fun and interesting things to do that will help them get to know each other and have a good time? Here are some exciting outdoor options for your church community to take part in:
10. Church Hiking Trail Day Trip
One of the greatest things about hiking is that you can start out without any experience or pricey equipment. All you need is time, an adventurous spirit and some advance planning. Hiking outings on nearby hiking trails are always a blast.
A hiking trail in the fresh crisp air could be just what you need to lift your spirits when you’re feeling down. Are you ready to tackle the trail? Remember to keep the following suggestions in mind:
- Choose your hiking trail to suit everyone
- Wear the right shoes
- When going on a hike, safety is the number one priority
- Wearing various layers will keep you comfortable when the weather changes
- Bring water, snacks, matches or a lighter, a flashlight, a pocket knife and, of course, the all-essential first aid kit
- Follow the instructions of your hiking leader
11. Organize an Outdoor Movie Evening
Church movie nights or youth group movie nights can be a way for your church to reach out to the community. It doesn’t matter whether show an animated movie for kids or a movie with a religious theme.
A church movie night helps bring the community together and can help people learn about the church and the support that your church offers. It also allows current members to get to know each other and enjoy a great night under the stars!
There are a lot of movies with strong moral messages and wonderful stories, which can be a sermon in their own way. Your church’s parking lot or lawn are great places to hold an outdoor movie night.
12. Car Wash Fundraiser for Youth
You just need your church members, signs and cleaning supplies for this simple fundraising idea. It can become a staple of your fundraising strategy going forward. Car washes are also a great way for everyone to get to know each other better. Team building helps people in the congregation stay motivated.
Follow Up After the Event
After your event takes place, follow up with a thank you for attending message so participants feel welcome and want to participate in future fundraising events. Also, be sure to evaluate what parts of the event worked and what could use improvement. A post-event report is an excellent tool in this process.
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