Summer Ministry Possibilities - "Family Service Squads"!

Summer is the perfect time to minister to children and families, but don't forget . . . it is also the perfect time to involve children and families in serving others! As you plan your summer ministry opportunities, be sure to include some opportunities for serving others . . . you may find they will be the best parts of your entire summer!

Focus your Summer Serving on just one area, or select several opportunities for children and families to serve throughout the summer. Plan a, "Serving Others Kick-Off" and meet with those who want to be part of your Family Service Squads to go over the service opportunities and schedule when, where and what they will do. Think about some of the following service opportunities . . . 

Local Opportunities -

• Community Brighteners - send squads of families into your community to clean a park, paint/repair a playground, or plant flowers.
• Lunch Packers - involve squads of families in packing sack lunches for children in need and work with your school to distribute to children in your community.
• Sweet Treaters - involve squads of families in making cookies, muffins or baskets of fruit and then give them to your community fire fighters and/or police officers - include a note thanking them for their service and letting them know you will be praying for them.
• Backpack Packers - involve squads of families in gathering school supplies to fill backpacks for children in need and then once again work with your local school to give them to children who need them when school begins in the Fall.
• Pantry Party-ers - involve squads of families in assisting with food pantry distribution. Assign some families to the tasks of handing out food and others to select books to read to children and games to play with them while their parents get the food (be sure to follow your church's volunteer screening policies for any who will be working with children)

World-wide Opportunities -

• Car Washers/Cookie Bakers - involve squads of families in activities to raise money for ministries such as Samaritan's Purse and WorldHelp - check my "Put Feet to Their Faith" for an on-going list of ministries you could team your children and families with to make a difference in the world.
• Care Packagers - involve squads of families in preparing care packages to send to the missionaries your church supports.

These are just a few ideas, use some of them or think of your own, but as you plan your summer ministry opportunities, don't forget to involve the children and families in your church in serving others!