Follow-up to the Sunday School Emphasis
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According to the calendar, your Sunday School emphasis has just ended. However, the most important work is just beginning – following up with visitors.During the past six weeks, Sunday School class members have been encouraged to REACH out to those they know who are not involved in Sunday School and/or church. In the coming weeks, encourage class members to continue looking for ways to connect those they invited during this emphasis with the Sunday School class.Use the following ideas to stay connected with your visitors:
1. REACH by visiting.• Have each class develop a visitation schedule so more than one person shares this responsibility.
• Before you go, pray that God will bless the visit.
• During the visit, thank the person for visiting your church and invite them to visit again.
• Make your visit short to respect their time.
2. REACH by staying in contact with visitors.• Use the contact information gathered from visitors. Send a follow-up letter from the pastor to every guest, thanking them for their visit during the Sunday School emphasis.
• Create a REACH newsletter as follow-up to this emphasis and send it to each person who attended Sunday School during the emphasis. Highlight the special events of the emphasis and promote upcoming events.
• Be in continual communication with visitors via postal mail, e-mail, and phone calls.
3. REACH by praying for visitors.• Add the visitors to the Sunday School Prospect List. Have each class prayerfully work toward reaching the members on their class's prospect list.
• Regularly contact visitors, asking if there is a need their class can pray for.
4. REACH through inviting them.• Invite those who visited during this Sunday School emphasis to return for special events throughout the year, such as Thanksgiving service, Christmas programs, and Valentine's dinner. Also invite them to Sunday School social events.
• Send visitors personalized postcards of upcoming church events.
5. REACH through connecting the visitors.• When a visitor begins attending Sunday School regularly, enroll them on the Active Responsibility List.
• Provide information to new class members and guests about how they can become involved in the church's ministry opportunities.