How To Create A Win With Families In Your Ministry

Let me tell you about a fantastic initiative that started out as a last minute Plan B! I really had the idea to do this pizza delivery for kids because I communicated conflicting things to my parents and leaders on Wednesday nights for the summer months. I sent a calendar out at the beginning of last school year and listed out the dates we would be meeting into summer as well as summer events for families. Well, I didn’t re-communicate that our End of the School Year Party was not the end, but just an event to celebrate the end of school.

Lack Of Communication Causes Confusion

So fast forward to Memorial Day Weekend; I’m talking with my wife and a couple of my leaders about the coming Wednesday night and how excited I was to pump the kids up for VBS in a few weeks. They were all puzzled at my excitement and all responded, “I thought we were done for the summer until the special events that were planned.” I went into a quick panic, and my wife began to tell me, she and other leaders were telling all the parents the same thing. I dropped the ball.

Fast Pivot

Well, I took a fast pivot and devised a plan to save the summer! This whole year my theme for my ministry has been Family Engagement. I designed a graphic that took about 2 minutes, drafted an email to my parents and reminded them about the family summer events, including VBS, and just my love for them and their kids. At the end of the email I posted a link for them to sign up for a free pizza delivered by me to their home. In the form I had three different dates with four spots available for each date.

I sent the email to parents at 10:15 PM on Tuesday night and posted it on Facebook moments after. I thought to myself, “We’ll see what happens.” Within minutes I had two spots reserved, and before 7:00 AM the next day all spots were reserved. In the registration process I asked for their address and phone numbers and made them required fields.

I confirmed with the parents that it was okay for me to deliver the pizza and made arrangements with them to see if they had any special instructions on getting into their neighborhood. I then simply placed the pizza order.

Getting the Details Right

Then the hard work of mapping out my stops began. I opened up the maps app on my phone and began typing in the addresses by adding each additional stop. After placing the addresses in the maps app, I was able to move them around to find the quickest routes between homes.

I picked up the pizzas and headed to my first delivery and texted the parents to let them know I was on my way to their home. As I drove up to the first home, all the kids were playing outside and were confused why I was there pulling into their driveway. Parked, got out of my truck and asked if there were any kids who ordered an EPIC Fist Bump and Pizza.

I gave them the pizza, a small kids ministry branded magnet, chatted for a few moments, took a few pictures and told them how grateful I am that I get to be their pastor. I basically repeated the same process with each delivery; sending the text message, fist bump, and so on.

Follow Up With Parents

After making all the deliveries I went home to eat pizza with my family. Well into the night, I received text messages, and social media posts from parents raving about me coming to deliver the pizza and visiting for a few moments. Every parent told me that their kid had not stopped talking about it for hours. One kid even invited her neighbor over to eat pizza with her and talked about how cool it was.

Replicating The Initiative

With so much success in such a short time, I am already looking at replicating this process and allocating more opportunities and budget to make this more successful for this year and also expanding it for next year.

Such as, during Christmas break when we aren’t meeting at church for mid-week activities; myself, and the rest of the kid’s staff are going to deliver Christmas cookies and sing carols. We are going to take a whole day and dedicate it to engaging with families where they are.

Here are some steps and tips to replicate and expand this success at your church:

Step-by-Step Plan for Successful Family Engagement through Pizza Delivery

1. Identify Goals and Budget

Goal: Enhance family engagement, reinforce community bonds, and maintain connection with the children and their families during the summer.
Budget: Allocate funds for pizza, delivery materials (magnets, etc.), and other potential activities like Christmas cookies.

2. Plan and Communicate

Calendar and Communication: Create a clear and detailed summer calendar highlighting all events and dates, including the special delivery days.
Email and Social Media: Send out emails and post on social media well in advance. Use graphics and engaging language to get families excited.

3. Sign-Up Process

Online Form: Use an online form (e.g., Google Forms) to collect sign-ups. Ensure fields for address, phone number, preferred delivery date, and any special instructions are included.
Limited Spots: Create a sense of urgency by limiting the number of delivery slots.

4. Confirm and Prepare

Confirm Details: Reach out to parents to confirm delivery details and any special instructions.
Map Routes: Use the map app on your phone to plan the most efficient routes for deliveries.

5. Delivery Day Execution

Order Pizzas: Place pizza orders in advance for timely pickup.
Communicate with Families: Send text messages to families when you’re on your way.
Personal Touch: Make the deliveries special by engaging with the kids, giving out small kid ministry branded items, and taking pictures.

6. Post-Delivery Engagement

Follow-Up: Send thank-you notes or follow-up emails to the families expressing gratitude for their participation.
Social Media: Share photos and stories from the deliveries on social media to encourage more engagement.

Expanding the Initiative

1. Additional Delivery Events

Seasonal Deliveries: Plan similar events during other times of the year, such as Christmas cookie deliveries and caroling.
Themes and Variations: Create different themes for each delivery (e.g., summer fun packs, back-to-school supplies).

2. Increased Engagement Opportunities

More Slots: Increase the number of available delivery slots to accommodate more families.
Volunteer Involvement: Involve more volunteers from your team to help with deliveries and planning.

3. Enhanced Communication

Regular Updates: Send out regular updates about upcoming events and deliveries.
Feedback Loop: Collect feedback from families after each delivery to improve future events.

Example Email Template

Subject: Exciting Summer Surprise: Pizza Delivery for Your Family!

Dear [Parent’s Name],

I hope this email finds you well! As we dive into summer, I wanted to remind you of the fun family events we have planned, including our much-anticipated VBS in a few weeks.

To kick off the summer fun, I am thrilled to offer a special surprise: a free pizza delivery to your home! I’d love to visit your family, deliver a delicious pizza, and spend a few moments with your amazing kids.

How to Sign Up:

Click on this [Link] and fill out your details.
Choose from one of the available dates and time slots.
Submit your form and wait for a confirmation from us.

Available Dates:

[Date 1]
[Date 2]
[Date 3]

Hurry, spots are limited and filling up fast! I can’t wait to see your family and share some summer joy.

Thank you for being a part of our church community. Your family means the world to us, and we’re excited to make this summer memorable together.

Blessings,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Contact Information]

Conclusion

This pizza delivery initiative is a brilliant way to connect with families and demonstrate your care and commitment. By planning, communicating effectively, and following up, you can create memorable experiences that strengthen your children’s ministry and church community. Keep building on your successes and continue finding innovative ways to engage with families in your church.