Outreach Church Communications and Marketing

10 Fun Church Outreach Ideas For Fall

Feeling festive? Embrace the fall season with these fun church outreach ideas.

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Summer is fading, school is starting, and people are getting back into regular routines. Chances are you’ll start to see seats in your church fill back up as families return from summer vacations and reestablish a Sunday rhythm. Greater attendance means you’ll have more people to help you with fall outreach! Fall is the perfect time of year to get out and make meaningful connections in your community, so here is a list of church activities for you!

Here’s a list of 10 fall church outreach ideas to help your church engage with your community, and grow!

1. Serve first responders on Labor Day

Local first responders are on the front lines of our communities. As they serve people in crisis, they often put their own lives in danger to keep our communities safe and healthy. Many of them won’t get to enjoy a day off on Labor Day, so this is a great opportunity for your church to show appreciation for the vital work first responders do.

Gather a group together to bring snacks, baked goods, or lunch to first responders. If you’re only able to drop food off, include some handwritten thank you notes. If you’re able, hang around and talk with first responders and express your gratitude in person!

This is a simple, easy way to bless people who work hard to keep our communities safe. In fact, consider gathering people in your church to do something similar for first responders on every holiday.

2. Encourage teachers in local schools

The start of a new school year can be both exciting and stressful as kids, families, and teachers settle into new routines. This is a great time to show teachers how much your church appreciates the important work they do.

An easy way to do this is by dropping off breakfast — coffee, donuts, fruit, etc. — at local schools. If you can get a list of the teachers in each school, have your church staff or volunteers write them each a thank you note. This is a nice gesture at the start of each semester. If your church is able, sponsoring a breakfast once per month is a great way to consistently show teachers they’re appreciated.

3. Host tailgate parties before high school or college football games

If high school or college football is big in your town, tailgate parties are a great way to get out and connect with a wide range of people in your community. Depending on available space, you can either tailgate outside the football stadium, or host the party at your church beforehand.

Either way, free food, games, and music are a great way to draw people in and connect. You can have a tent set up with your church’s logo and have staff or volunteers wear church t-shirts so people will know who to connect with if they’re interested in learning more about your church.

4. Work concessions at school sports games

Schools tend to rely on volunteers to staff concessions stands during games, and the responsibility often falls on parents of players. Volunteering to run the concession stand frees up parents to watch the game and support their players. It also gives volunteers from your church the chance to connect with students, parents, and community members.

On a similar note, if there are games going on in public parks and fields that might not have concessions, set up your own stand with some free treats for parents and kids alike!

5. Join National Back To Church Sunday

Back To Church Sunday happens every year in September. It’s a chance for your church to join with thousands of other churches across America to intentionally get out in your communities and invite people back to church.

Why join the movement? Tailoring an entire Sunday to newcomers can help your church members feel more confident about inviting them to church. You can even empower your congregation to get out and invite with materials that help them start conversations about faith!

6. Offer free leaf raking services

Many people in your community may be unable to keep up with the extra yard maintenance that comes with fall leaves. Elderly people, those who are ill or injured, or single parents —  all could likely use a helping hand with raking leaves.

Recruit a team at your church to commit to volunteering for this several times throughout the season. You can of course start with helping anyone in your church that needs assistance, but you can also ask for church members to submit names of friends or neighbors they know to be in need.

Have volunteers wear t-shirts with your church logo as they perform the lawn maintenance. Dropping off fall baked goods at each house is an extra special touch, and gives your volunteers the chance to connect a little more with people they’re serving.

7. Create a community pumpkin patch

If you have space at your church, creating a community pumpkin patch is a fun way to embrace the season. Pumpkin picking is a delight for children, and their parents will likely be eager to bring them to an affordable fall activity. You can offer pumpkins for free, but also leave a jar out for donations.

If you want to go the extra mile, consider throwing an opening day party for the pumpkin patch. Face painting, fall-themed games, and pumpkin flavored snacks all add to the seasonal fun. You could even host an outdoor concert with a local musician to really get the party going!

8. Stock a local food pantry

Host a food drive at your church to benefit a local food pantry. Find out if there are specific types of food the pantry has special need for. Then over the course of several weeks, ask your church to bring in nonperishable food on the food pantry’s list. Choose a day to deliver the food and recruit volunteers as necessary to help.

Many churches focus on contributing to food pantries in the fall and winter, which is great! There’s a strong need for food in the colder months, especially around the holidays. However, food pantries often see a decrease in donations at other times of year when they still could use help to meet the needs of their communities. Consider sponsoring a local food pantry and committing to regular donations throughout the year.

9. Host a community Thanksgiving meal

Hosting a community Thanksgiving meal is a great way to reach out to those in your church and community who may otherwise be alone for the holidays. Consider who in your community may be far from home and family and unable to travel: military members, college students, elderly folks, etc. Encourage church members to invite friends, neighbors, and coworkers — anyone that could use some fellowship over a meal.

Recruit volunteers from your church to help. You can divide up the day in shifts or teams to keep things organized and make it easier for people’s schedules. Set up, meal prep, serving, clean up — each of these could use its own team.

10. Throw a Fall Family Movie Night

A fall movie night is a great way to offer families a fun outing as the days grow dark earlier and nights become chilly. All you need is a projector, a family friendly movie (complete with movie license), and snacks. Try adding a fall theme to your food — think caramel popcorn and hot apple cider for extra festivity.

Tell your church members about the event a few weeks in advance and encourage them to invite people from their communities. You can even advertise the movie night at other fall events or outreach opportunities (like your tailgate parties or as a follow-up for newcomers from Back To Church Sunday).

We hope this list of fall church outreach ideas helps inspire you to get creative as you embrace your community this fall! 

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