As a summer full of missions opportunities, relaxing vacations, and beet-red shoulders comes to a close, it’s time to jump into the swing of school and some exciting opportunities to engage the mission field of your local campuses.
Here are some ideas for serving your community in the back-to-school season.
Back-to-School Fair
Help parents and kids in your community celebrate the new school year by hosting a fun event at your church. Set up stations around your church parking lot or campus—face painting, photo booth, ring toss, cupcake walk, craft table. (Check out Pinterest for more ideas!)
Invite the teachers, coaches, and principals from local schools to be your celebrity guests. Serve hot dogs and cotton candy to give it a real carnival feel.
Teacher Appreciation Day
Provide baked goods, fruit, snacks, and coffee in the teachers’ lounge of a local school. Write notes of encouragement to the teachers for a great school year.
Ask the principal of the school if you can place a prayer request box in the teachers’ lounge so you can pray for teachers all year. Another idea is to cater lunch on an in-service training day.
Adopt a Student
Is your church in a college town? Encourage church families or small groups to “adopt” a student at the beginning of each semester.
Give them a tour of the town and point out popular local spots. Invite them for meals or special holiday celebrations. Students usually appreciate a free meal and a place to do laundry.
College Day
Work with college ministries to organize a college day at your church. Decorate with the school colors, invite and honor college guests, and host a free pizza lunch where students can meet members of your church and leaders of the on-campus Christian groups.
School Day, Moms Pray
Host a tea for moms just after they drop their kids off for school. Seat them by school or child’s grade level for fellowship.
Pray for the moms and the children. Provide a list of church activities and worship times.
Meet-the-Teacher Sunday
Kids invite their schoolteacher, principal, cafeteria worker, etc., and sit by them in worship. Pray for them during church and honor them with a brief milk and cookies fellowship afterward.
