Most Mondays, I send thank you notes.
Thanks to a faithful office volunteer, I’m able to write out lots of notes and they get magically mailed off!
Ministry leaders should send at least a couple of real live, in the mail, thank notes nearly every week. I almost always get thanked for sending thank you notes. Of course, that’s not the reason for sending them, but it’s a witness to the fact they make a difference. Thank you notes can help create the kind of culture you want to create. Thank you notes can help encourage those who are serving. And thank you notes can help keep your people focused and motivated. And though thank you emails and texts should abound, it’s the hard copy (typed or handwritten) personal note that lingers and makes a different kind of impact.
The purpose of the notes can vary – it’s doesn’t have to be a huge reason. Here are a list of 21 reasons you can send a thank you note:
Helped you
Think of someone who has helped you lately – and send them a note thanking them.
Just completed a big project
Did a member of your staff or team just complete a big project? Let them know you noticed and appreciated it.
Invited you to something
Were you invited somewhere – to speak or participate? invited to someone’s home?
Gave you something
Were you given a gift? Send a thank you note.
Took extra time
Did you notice someone took extra time on a project or extra care in a ministry role?
Did a great job
Thank someone in your ministry who is doing a great job, something you specifically noticed.
Volunteered for a special event
Did someone take on a special project that you asked them to do?
Attended a meeting or event with you
Did someone attend a meeting with you, travel to a conference, to participate in some other way?
Excelled in something
Has a person on your team excelled in an area?
Learned something new
Who has learned something new lately – send a note thanking them for their willingness to invest time in improvement.
A big request
Did someone honor a big request or do a favor because you asked?
Contributed financially
Has someone contributed financially to a project or to a ministry area?
Offered hospitality
Have you been invited to someone’s home or had someone buy you lunch?
Led the way on a special project
Has someone taken the reins for a special project?
Took initiative
Did someone on your team step up without even being asked? Is there someone you thank for their instincts on leadership or ministry?
Gave you advice
Did you get some good advice from someone?
Started something many years ago and it’s still happening effectively
Is there someone you can honor who began a great work that is still going but they no longer participate?
Next generation
Are you thanking some of the younger ones among you? Is there a student who is faithful, who participates, who has a great attendance record, etc?
People don’t get good mail anymore
Most mailboxes are stuffed with bills and ads. One great reason to send a thank you note is to make someone’s day with an actual personalized letter.
Your own family
Thank your own family after a particularly busy season of work or for any other reason.
Discipline of thinking of others and being grateful
Sending notes helps us consistently think of others which helps us live grateful lives.
I write with church leaders in mind and I would be honored to have you join me by subscribing to the blog. You can take a look at the top posts here. The posts are categorized: pastors, worship leaders, student ministry and kids ministry. In case we’re just meeting, here’s little about my life.
Other Posts:
5 Easy Ways To Thank Your Team
How to Pay Your Volunteer Teams
The Importance of Handwritten Letters
We recently started collecting some quotes broken down in these categories: ministry leadership, worship, next gen, volunteers, parenting and personal life. We’re sharing this file of over 200 quotes with you!
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