Families all over the country are getting ready to trade their beach bags for backpacks. As the sweet smell of sunscreen leaves the air, we are reminded of one thing: No matter the season, parenting is hard work. Those sweet little bundles of joy don’t come with instruction manuals. There isn’t a page you can flip to that tells you the secret to stopping the toddler meltdown (or the preteen one). There isn’t a “helpful tips” section for how to get slime out of hair. There is no cheat sheet on how to interpret silence or feed a bottomless pit.
So how can we, as ministry leaders, support parents in their important work of raising children and leading them to Jesus? How can we serve as partners and cheerleaders for the parents in our contexts? As you think through how you will encourage and equip families during the back-to-school season, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Check the calendar. This goes beyond simply knowing dates. Make sure you know what the typical fall rhythm looks like for the families you serve.
You should definitely make sure you know the start dates for all the schools in your area. But beyond that, check to see what else is going on. Are there any big events coming up at those schools or in the community? Are there big events coming up at your church?
As you plan how you will partner with parents during this back-to-school season, be careful not to overwhelm them. You’ll want to support them and add value to their lives—not to be one more thing they have to attend or a box they have to check.
Assess the needs. What are the needs of the families in your church during this season?
It’s a waste of valuable time to work hard to give somebody something they can’t actually use. If the calendar is packed, consider providing a resource that isn’t tied to a specific time or place. If your entire church is working through a sermon series on prayer, consider offering your families pre-written prayers they can use at home. If your families need community and connection, consider offering some options for them to meet other families in their same stage of life.
Bring the joy. The back-to-school season is often filled with paperwork, school programs, overwhelming details, extra events and more. Find ways to help families experience God’s joy in this season. Help them laugh together, serve together, have fun together, learn from each other and more.
Even the best parents question if they are getting it right. They wonder if they are passing along their faith in a way that will stick. They need a ministry leader like you in their corner to minister to them as they minister to their family. No matter how you decide to partner with them this season, know that you are doing important work that makes a difference.
Ministry ideas for families
Don’t know where to start? We’ve collected some of our favorite back-to-school ideas and listed them here for you. We hope these ideas will spark your creativity as you think through the best fit for your context.
Email encouragement
Take a moment to look up the start dates for the schools that are represented in your ministry context. On the night before those schools start, send an email to parents letting them know you are praying for them and their children as the new school year begins. This could also be a great way to introduce (or re-introduce) yourself to them and let them know how to contact you if they ever need anything.
Backpack notes
Print or purchase postcards with scripture verses on them. Give a few cards to parents and encourage them to write a note to their child to put in their lunchbox or backpack. As an added surprise, you (or their child’s Sunday school teacher) could write a note to the child as additional encouragement.
Guided prayers
Print, email, or text several pre-written prayers for families to pray together over the first few weeks of school. Prayer topics could include teachers, parents, children, friends, school administrators, etc.
In Sunday school, children or students could create a prayer wall and spend the first few weeks praying for their teachers. They could write or draw on the prayer wall.
Service project
Back-to-school can be a busy season. Help families think outside of themselves and find ways to serve others. If your church has a project you work on together, this could be a great time to connect families to that. Additionally, local food pantries are a great place for families to serve together.
Sunday School family picnic
Encourage your Sunday school classes to have family picnics after church. This is a simple and easy way for families in a similar life stage to get to know each other. It can also serve as a great way for those families to get to know their child’s Sunday school teacher for the year. Families could meet at your church or a local park. They can bring a dish to share or pack their own lunch.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Layci Clifford and originally published by the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
