sharing ideas to stir compassion and action

Preparation and planning is key, otherwise it is so easy to just do the tasks at hand, overlook the basics and excute your plan for Christmas despite not really having a plan. At least three months before Christmas a team needs to be gathered to start planning Christmas, where concepts are developed so that you can begin to plan and schedule putting those ideas into practice.

1. What is your prayer or hope for Christmas this year?
To bring the good news of great joy to all of Kirribilli and celebrate: There is hope for God is with us, the Saviour of the world has been born; he is Christ Jesus the Lord and mighty to save.

2.What are some things you can do to see your hopes happen?
If you want to bring the good news to you local community you need to think about creating opportunities for the gospel to be preached: Christmas Services, Outdoor Carols Service, Caroling, Letterbox dropping gospel track.

3. So who are you trying to reach?
It is important to think about who you intend your audience is. Your advertising, content, activities, time, days, style of your events will differ depending on who your intended demographic is. In Kirribilli we have very few children in our local area so instead of spending lots of our budget in trying to attract families by providing jumping castles, clowns, kindy farm, and the works, we have opted to spend less on kids by providing face painting and some kids showbags. Knowing our demographic is SINKs & DINKS aged 25-40 we can direct most of our energy and resources in attracting them: Hiring good staging, lights, sound… marketing an image that speaks to them… providing quality showbags… tailoring the content of the outdoor service more to adults than to children.

4. What is your desired results? What do you want to see happen as a result to your event?
Do you want visitors to your Christmas events to sign up to the next New Christian type course; ask them to build connections with the church; to check out your website; to make the community aware of your other church activities throughout the year???

5. Does your plan fit your budget?
It’s important to know before you plan to have a rough estimate of the money your church has available for Christmas, but don’t be limited by your budget. If you church isn’t that well off or struggles to find enough money for your big ideas… see if you can find local support (be careful you don’t compromise the gospel platforms); ask a few people at chruch to think about giving specifically or do a collection a November service to ask you congregations to give gernously to the Christmas outreach events.

6. Who is going to develop the big idea?
You need to find people and motivate/empower them to serve and shape a lot of the activities around their gifts and skills, plus ask them what their non-Christian friends would want come and do that. These people need to love the plans and best way for that to happen is for them to develop them themselves. This will ensure seeing them motivate others to help execute the plans.