As stores have filled up with pink and red treats, it can only mean one thing! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. This season is a wonderful time to thank your volunteers for all they do. I mean, is there ever a bad time for volunteer appreciation? (Trick question! The answer is no!)

Saying thank you intentionally, often, and personally is a massive encouragement to your volunteers. And of course, you want to encourage volunteers—they’re the heartbeat of your ministry! I know that’s so true for me and my ministry too. Valentine’s Day is an especially great time to say thanks as your volunteers are showing and telling the LOVE of Jesus to the children of your congregation.

Volunteers do holy and hard work, the fruit of which spans generations.

One of the most meaningful thank you gifts, in my experience as both a volunteer and a ministry leader, is a handwritten, personal note. This is especially true of notes that highlight specific moments. A great tip for being able to remember significant moments is to keep a notes file open on your phone to capture significant immediately after you witness or experience them!

Celebrating your volunteers’ wins is a fabulous way to honor them and let them know they are seen and appreciated. No matter how else you decide to honor your volunteers this Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend writing those notes.

Volunteers do holy and hard work, the fruit of which spans generations.

Without further ado, here are some more ideas to celebrate your volunteers.

Portrait of smiling little girl working with plasticine in art and craft class

Thank Volunteers this Valentine’s Day

  • I love a classic candy basket. A sweet treat is an easy way to communicate “thank you!!” This article has some cute ideas to put together baskets at different budget points—including a great idea for a coffee themed basket!
  • This article talks about crafts kids can do. Many of these would be easy to make yourself or have kids within your ministry make and gift to your volunteers! I think the ideas revolving around God’s love are so cute.

If you are able, have kids create an element of the thank you, whether writing notes, decorating bookmarks, or making a craft. You could even stitch together a video of kids saying thank you and sharing it on your church’s social media.

Inviting the children of your ministry to participate in thanking volunteers offers them an opportunity to build into the ministry that serves them so well. It’s a win-win really!

More Ideas for Celebrating Volunteers

  • If you’ve recently come into a wealth of mason jars, they make an excellent vehicle for valentines’ gifts! See here for ideas.
  • These thank you notes source relevant Bible verses to encourage any volunteer!
  • This article shares 100 ideas (WHAT?!?!) for volunteer thank you gifts. Most of these prompts come with printables, so much of the work—besides dropping by the store—is done for you.
  • These Christian Valentines cards are great options. The pizza-themed cards would be super fun to send in the mail to invite volunteers for an after-church pizza party social.
  • Speaking of, here’s a variety of food-themed thank-you gifts. I love the bundt cake idea. Nothing Bundt Cakes, as well as many other bakeries, offer gluten free bundt cakes to make sure all your volunteers can have a sweet, thank you treat. Making sure that your volunteers get a sweet treat is an incredible gesture to make them feel appreciated.

Saying Thank You

Another way to communicate thanks is to equip volunteers by offering resources. In addition to a sweet treat, distributing a book and resourcing your volunteers—whether with a compelling read pertaining to children’s ministry or a book all about personal spiritual development—is a great way to care for them!

I hope you found inspiration from these ideas of ways to thank your volunteers this coming Valentine season. Whether decorating a table and having a bagel spread available for your volunteers or mailing letters and grocery store gift cards to their homes, there are so many ways to extend care and appreciation to your volunteers.

Have fun with it! Any chance we get to thank the people who help make children’s ministry possible is an opportunity to re-energize and excite volunteers. It is an opportunity to thank God for providing for His church and celebrate all the beautiful things happening within your ministry.

Even more so, I’m so thankful for the volunteers—within my context, and across the globe—who have poured their time, talent, and love into reaching children. What a gift to be part of this community!

Ministry volunteer cards montage

Volunteer Thank You Cards

Volunteers bring energy and heart to your ministry. They give of themselves freely and intentionally—so it’s important to say THANK YOU as often as you can. Download these 5 cards and give all the warm fuzzies away!
Free Cards
Ministry volunteer cards montage

Volunteer Thank You Cards

Volunteers bring energy and heart to your ministry. They give of themselves freely and intentionally—so it’s important to say THANK YOU as often as you can. Download these 5 cards and give all the warm fuzzies away!
Free Cards
Ministry volunteer cards montage

Volunteer Thank You Cards

Volunteers bring energy and heart to your ministry. They give of themselves freely and intentionally—so it’s important to say THANK YOU as often as you can. Download these 5 cards and give all the warm fuzzies away!
Free Cards