A baby learns to walk before she learns to run. She starts with a wiggle, then a crawl, then standing. It’s the natural cycle of learning and processing things in stages––progressively working to get better at something over time before you tackle the next task.
But when you work in the church, there always seems to be something “next.” You’re busy even in your slow season, and your plate gets overwhelmed when you try to think too far ahead.So why would we suggest that you start planning for Easter before Christmas has even passed? We’ve got 5 reasons why we actually think it’s a time to be encouraged, not overwhelmed, and to start coming up with easter ideas for church.
1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (For Attendance!)
63% of Americans think Christmas should include a visit to church––and 47% of Americans agree enough to actually visit a church at Christmas. You have so many visitors during this season. And while we hope you’re already capturing their attention and getting some contact information, (with things like visitor cards), you don’t want to let this opportunity slip away.
You probably already follow up with visitors by phone or email, but start to think ahead to when you might have another opportunity to bring them in for a major holiday service. If they enjoyed their experience at your church during Christmas, they’re likely curious what your Easter service is like. You already know how important their church welcome is, so it’s essential to encourage that without being too “pushy.” Easter gives them another “easy” opportunity to join your community.
2. New Visitors Know Best
Speaking of these new visitors––they know themselves better than you do. They know if they’re “Christmas-n-Easter Christians” or if they’re looking for a deeper connection. They may already be thinking about how the next time they’re at a celebration will be at Easter. This means you have a window of time where you’re on their mind. If they have a positive experience with this visit, they may already be thinking, “I could see myself coming here at Easter!” or even, “Maybe I’ll come next week, too.”
This is a great opportunity to bridge the gap between Christmas and Easter. What are some ways you can build connection throughout January, February, and into March? If your trajectory already includes Easter, you can meet new visitors where they’re at and learn how to engage with them in a way that’s natural and comfortable for them. How can you help new visitors feel excited to come back––at any time?
3. You Could Launch a New Church Website By Easter
December could be the perfect time to start your church website redesign if you want it to be finished in time for Easter. Depending on the type and scope of website you need, you can launch your online ministry in a beautiful new design that your members will love (not to mention how it will serve all of those new visitors!). Think of your church website launch as an Easter gift to yourselves. You planned carefully, dreamed big, and now have a fantastic tool for bringing your people closer together and moving toward the future of ministry.
Even if you don't have time for a total and complete overhaul, you can still actively work to prepare now for the two busiest visitor times of your year. This might entail redesigning just a few main pages, and completing the rest in the weeks or months following Easter. Think of it as a game, “How welcoming can you make your church website before the next wave of new visitors?”
4. Easter’s On Its Way
If you haven’t checked the calendar yet, you might want to take a second look: Easter falls early this year. You have exactly three months between Christmas and Easter, as it falls on March 27th. This should be all-the-more reason to muster a little springtime prep before the date sneaks up on your staff!
Even if you don’t find time in December to start planning your Easter celebrations, try to have an Easter prep meeting on the calendar as early as possible. This will give you an opportunity to review your Christmas services while they are still fresh and allow you to make notes about things to do differently at Easter.
5. Take Advantage of Your Momentum
Last but not least, you’re on a roll with your Christmas preparation. You have big, bulky tasks to do––and a small time frame to get it done. We’re not saying you need to bring every Easter to-do onto your list already, but perhaps you can take advantage of some of this gusto to do some pre-planning for the springtime. For example:
You’re in the process of finalizing your order of Christmas visitor cards (like every other church around the world). It always seems like you get a little stressed hoping you got your order in on time, so why not send in a request for some Easter design brainstorming while you’re communicating with your designer or printer? While you’re at it, put a date on your calendar not too far after the new year so you know you’ll be proactive about finalizing your Easter plans.
Repeat this process at other task “cross-roads” during Christmas planning. Things like reserving spaces, ordering print materials, or getting catering proposals often happen months in advance; you’re just setting your future self up for success!
