5 Thanksgiving Ideas for Church
If you are in North America, Thanksgiving is nearly here! While it may not be an international holiday or an event on the liturgical calendar, Thanksgiving Day is still a fantastic opportunity for the local church to share the gospel and be a light in its community.
If you are a pastor or church leader looking for fun ideas for Thanksgiving for your people, look no further!
Here are 5 ways your church can embrace a heart of thanksgiving during the month of November and beyond…
Thanksgiving Ideas for Your Church
These Thanksgiving church ideas are the perfect start to any holiday season:
1. Gratitude Board
Your church may already have a bulletin board or wall for people to post prayer requests or other inquiries…but have you tried posting thanks? This is an easy way to give your church members the opportunity to share what they’re thankful for and put the faithfulness of God on full display.
Why We Love This
This costs almost nothing, and most churches already have a bulletin board or wall that they can use to post these declarations of Thanksgiving. This is also the perfect opportunity to share scripture. Watch as displays of gratitude take over!
2. Tour of Thankfulness
Take the Thankful Board to the next level! Recruit a few members from your church who have experienced God’s blessing this year in profound ways. Then schedule a day for other members to swing by their house and visit as the volunteers recount all the ways God has moved in their lives.
Why We Love This
Bringing people together is high on everyone’s list of priorities over the holidays. If building community within your members is something you want, there’s no better way to do that than putting God’s faithfulness at the center.
3. Gift Bags
Want to combine gratitude with evangelism? Have your members meet together to assemble gift bags they can then hand out to their neighbors. These bags can include:
- Canned goods, to make sure their neighbors have what they need for Thanksgiving dinner
- Candy
- Small New Testament Bible
- Fall-scented candles
- A flyer inviting the recipient to your church
- A little note from your church letting the recipient know they are loved and appreciated
Why We Love This
This lets your members get creative and show off your church’s hospitality. You never know who might need a little gift on their doorstep with a message of appreciation this Thanksgiving.
4. Gratitude Report During Service
Make time during each service in November to allow a member to stand on stage and share with the whole congregation something they are thankful for. This is much like sharing a testimony but centered around the theme of gratitude. That way, everyone can share in what God is doing within the rest of the church.
Why We Love This
You can turn your church service into a mini celebration of God's goodness! This is my favorite church Thanksgiving tradition.
5. Letter Writing Campaign
Plan a time for everyone to get together at the church or in a few homes and write letters together. These letters can be for elderly members, shut-ins, people in the hospital, family members, local ministers, anyone! Let the gratitude flow from the pen to the page while your members bond and enjoy each other’s company.
Why We Love This
Everyone recognizes that a handwritten letter or note is very intentional. This is a touching way to reach people during a very busy season.
Bonus: Extend this to your church newsletter!
Give Thanks With These Church Thanksgiving Traditions
No matter who you are, we all need the chance to slow down and account for all the things God has done for us. These ideas are a great way to start the practice of pausing and praising God. Your ministry partners at ChurchTrac will be joining you this year as we celebrate Thanksgiving and thank God for His blessings.