Church Anniversary? Pastoral Installation? Pastoral Anniversary? Other major church celebration?
Following are 10 ideas to help commemorate such a special time.
1. Start with spiritual renewal. A matchless way to set the tone for a special church occasion.
2. Glance back. Strengthen the faith and resolve of your people by helping them remember where they’ve been, why they’ve been there and what they’ve done while they’ve been there. Reflect and remember.
3. Pause. Think and talk about what is happening now. This is a great way to set the stage for what’s to come. Sometimes people need to zoom in on what is happening in their immediate context before they’re ready to receive grandiose ideas about the future.
4. Focus forward. Cast huge vision for the next major phase of your ministry. There is no more natural time to do so. An anniversary that is properly celebrated goes full cycle and begs some questions about the future. You should at least attempt to answer them.
5. Encourage your internal team and supporters. Those who helped you get to this point will appreciate you appreciating them. It’s what gracious men and women of character do.
6. Give back to your external community. Celebrate with class by giving back. Look for creative ways to pour into your community, either locally or nationally. They will not forget.
7. Go multi-site. If you’ve been considering going multi-site, an anniversary represents a natural bridge to talk about it and to get the ball rolling.
8. Unveil a master plan or build a new building. Some ministries shape their entire anniversary celebration around a new or remodeled facility, a land purchase or a comprehensive plan for their campus.
9. Initiate a financial development campaign. An anniversary allows you to address some of those topics that warrant a special touch and a distinct level of sensitivity—like money.
10. Launch a new ministry emphasis. It just makes sense to start something new when you’ve just completed a substantive milestone. Capitalize on the good will associated with your previous success. Momentum breeds momentum.