With the return of nice weather, the opportunities to reach out grow as well. This spring, with Easter late in April, it’s important to start early and build momentum – and attendance – right through Easter into summer. The key to building momentum is to bridge each of these special events to the next one with invitations and good communication.

• PROMOTE A NEW SERMON SERIES. Don’t wait until Easter Sunday to launch a special sermon series. Instead look for hot topics and felt needs in your community now and plan a special series around those issues. Invite your neighbors to attend this series by sending a postcard invitation, posting a banner outside your church and asking your members to pass out doorhangers or invitecards to their friends.

Check out the newest Family-friendly movies as a great outreach, like The Grace Card or Soul Surfer movies. Both in theaters before Easter they also both have outreach tools, sermon series and small group materials available to match!

• HOLD A SPRING FAMILY FESTIVAL after church one Sunday. Give out carnival tickets to everyone who comes to your services that morning to use on games as well as free tickets for their whole family for the barbecue (hotdogs and hamburgers) happening at the same time. In addition to an outdoor banner, check with your local newspaper about free listings for special events to help get the word out. Or have 11 x 17 posters custom printed to hang in local businesses!

• GIVE OUT EASTER SUNDAY GIFTS – Easter is already the biggest outreach day of the year. But what if your whole congregation came together to hand out invitations and free gifts to your neighbors during Holy Week. Something as simple as a book, coupons to local businesses and a children’s activity and an invitation to your church left on the door of local houses could have a big impact on your attendance and reach into your community!