Seven Ways to Say Thank You
by Nancy M. Spence

Small gifts, notes, and poems can be used to let teachers know how much they are appreciated: Some suggestions are listed below:

• A packet of seed. Attach a note that says, "Thank you for planting seeds of faith."
• Carnations. Ask teachers to wear these flowers. Encourage members of the congregation to offer special greetings and thanks to the teachers.
• Cards. Invite students to create cards for teachers by completing the sentence, "I remember ..." The children relate the feelings they have about the teacher or the concepts they have learned from the teacher. Students may draw a flower and write, "A flower for a great teacher." Students could also make thumbprints and write, "Thumb body appreciates you! Thanks to a great teacher!"
• Prayer bags. Place the names of Sunday school teachers on colorful gift bags. Ask adult Sunday school members to fill the bags with notes that say, "This week, I prayed for you." Have them present the gifts of prayer to the teachers.
• Faith journals. Create a six- to ten- page booklet in which teachers can write their faith stories. Write prompts on each page to help teachers begin the thought process about memories they may want to pass on to their families. Some suggestions for prompts are: "Blessings from God have been evident when ..." "I cry, I laugh, I smile when I remember ..." "The passage of the Bible that means the most to me is ..." "My prayer for children is ..." Bible verses may be added to each page.
• Ice cream sundaes. Obtain gift certificates for ice cream, or create your own that say: "For all the Sundays that you have given, here is a sweet sundae. For story time, craft time, and all the challenges you meet. A sundae for your Sundays is just our way to say thank you for sharing God's love in a special way."

Nancy M. Spence is the director of children's ministries at Roswell United Methodist Church in Roswell, Georgia.

Originally posted in May 1998


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