Saved People Serve People--Your Next Step, Serve your school

As the new school year approaches, Grace Church has challenged everyone to provide help for teachers who are returning to school.  We want you to serve your school. 

But, how?

First, you contact your local school district where you live. Even though you may not have kids in the district, discover how you can help.  Each school will conduct a back-to-school open house. Visit the school district website to contact a local school secretary who can direct you how you might help teachers in your school. She may refer you to the PTO. Ask for name and contact information. Sometimes, the school district will list contact info for PTO leadership. 

Then, gather your family, friends, Grace Group, people from your ABF, or neighborhood to join you in serving teachers in your school district/local school. 

Ideas to encourage local school teachers:

•  Helping hands:  Offer to assist a teacher to unpack boxes, to put up posters, to cut out things in the homeroom.  Confirm a two hour block to help and schedule it with the teacher.
• Strong muscles: Ask to come for one-hour to move heavy items for the teacher.  Bring a strong friend. And borrow or a furniture dolly or a hand truck to move hefty things for the teacher.
• Thoughtful gift:
• Purchase a gift card. Hand to the teacher within a card writing how grateful you are that they get to teach children/students this coming year. 
• Provide a gift bag. For example, fill a small paper lunch sack with snacks, mini-hand sanitizer, travel lotion, and chocolate of some combination.
• Words of encouragement:
• You can call or text a reading of Philippians 1:3-4.  You can say, “I praise God for you,  _(insert teacher’s name) .  In Philippians 1:3-4 the Bible says, ‘I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.’ I pray that God blesses your every effort to educate children this year. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
• Prayer Card.  You can write a note saying “I am praying for you.”  Then write out the bible verse, Philippians 1:3-4 in the card. Sign it. And bedazzle the card with decoration.

Photo from giftcardkarma.org

You may discover other ways to encourage. If you come up with other ways to offer encouragement, then please let me know. I’ll add them to a list of helping things to do to encourage local school teachers.  

In sum, contact schools/teachers. Gather your group. Encourage teachers.  

So, serve your school. Bring encouragement at the start of the school year.  Fully devoted followers of Christ serve others because saved people serve people.