The fall season traditionally launches the season of goodwill and generosity starting with Thanksgiving and culminating at Christmas. With renewed restrictions and ever-increasing uncertainty of what lies ahead, the fatigue and frustration of people are very real. While you may once again be bemoaning the interruption of your church planning calendar, this is the season for forging great church partnerships to reach lost people and serve your community.

Food Drives

If you’ve done fall food drives in the past, consider doing a contactless Drive Thru Food Drive where people pop their trunks and volunteers remove bags of donations. Enlist these and other volunteers to assist at the local food bank to help sort and deliver food afterward. Instead of just meeting needs in your immediate area or city, see if you can also assist another community in need. Connect a pastor of a small rural community or church in another area of your city that is in a high needs location and share what you’ve gathered in your food drive. Advertise your partnership in your promotions and model generosity.   

Thanksgiving Hampers

Instead of gathering people at your church for an in-person meal, provide Thanksgiving hampers with all the fixings for a festive meal that can be delivered to someone’s door. Talk to your local school principal and find out if there might be any families in need who have children attending the school. Coordinate with the school to get a Thanksgiving hamper into the hands of needy families. Work with campus ministries and groups to bless university students who will be staying on campus during Thanksgiving. Connect with community groups who help the marginalized and find out how you can assist. Build relationships and be a blessing as you go. 

Sponsor Dinners

Some organizations will be able to host live-in-person Thanksgiving dinners and will be in need of assistance. Your church could sponsor a certain amount of meals, help cover the cost of some of the supplies for the meal or send a volunteer team to serve. Contact organizations like the Mustard Seed, Father’s House Church Edmonton and others who work daily with the needy and marginalized who you could partner with.

Church Partnerships is about giving, gaining and sharing with other churches to reach lost people, make disciples and serve the community.  

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