Two years ago, I wrote a blog post that has gotten lots of hits, Revolutionary Sunday School Invitations (Postcards). I decided it was time to update the post with some additional links. As I said then, mail is less personal than a phone call which is less personal than a face-to-face visit. But each can be effective.
How can we make mail more effective? Well, ask yourself this question: do people today enjoy getting mail? It depends. We all receive too much junk mail–credit card offers, insurance solicitations, store circulars, etc. But we all seem to enjoy the rare personal mail we receive. So, how can we make Sunday School cards and letters more personal? Here are updated suggestions:
- Handwrite the note. Keep it short.
- If possible, handwrite the address (rather than type).
- Add personal comments, prayer requests (nonconfidential), shared memories, etc.
- Make it timely. Send right after a guest visits or a regular attender is absent. Send before a birthday or anniversary; send right after a medical procedure or a special recognition.
- Don’t say the same thing every time. Persons from youngest to oldest can tell.
- Invite to class fellowships/projects, special days, your home, and special lessons.
- Choose postcards with specific messages or pictures that match the personality of the child, youth, or adult.
- Take a seasonal pictures of the class, make them into postcards, and send them to absentees and guests (they really are not that costly).
- Send postcards when on vacation. They always seem to bring a smile, and it means a lot to be thought about when you are away.
- Have class members to sign the card (maybe picture side).
- Have class members send multiple cards with pesonal notes.
- Get multiple class members to send cards and letters.
Where can you find Sunday School invitations? Many Christian bookstores sell Sunday School postcards. But there are an amazing number of great choices on the web that can save you money, travel time, and gas. If you are looking on the web, the best phrase to plug into a search engine (like Google) is “Sunday School postcards.” There are lots to choose from, but look for the quality and message that you like. You will find some postcards printed that are printed and some that you send electronically (over the web).
Here are a few websites:
- http://www.postcards.org/postcards/cards/1025/
- http://gospelpublishing.com/store/startcat.cfm?cat=iPOSTCARDS
- http://www.gospelpublishing.com/store/startitem.cfm?item=116633&cat=iCHLDCRDST&mastercat=&path=iCHLDCRDST
- http://www.sundayschoolhelp.com/sss02221.htm
- http://www.daniellesplace.com/CARDS/index.cfm
- http://evangelsupply.com/sunday-school-ek1-7.html
- http://online.nph.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?10418&productID=383101
- http://www.kidssundayschool.com/Main/Resources/Cards/cardindex.php
- http://www.cokesbury.com/closeouts.aspx?subSection=49&pid=06113X
- http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=439919
- http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?N=1029426&Ne=10000
- http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/nph/innerpage.jsp?c=NPH-CR&cs=POSTC&sc=NA&ss=NA&nid=lcol
- http://www.tias.com/6692/PictPage/1922867715.html
- http://www.servantevangelism.com/cards/
For more information about invitations, check out Christmas Invitation to Sunday School and Invitation to Sunday School. Even when you personalize your postcards, don’t forget the even more personal contacts through phone calls and face-to-face contact. Be genuine. Be transparent. Care. Pray. Be revolutionary!
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