How do we make low-key, friendly contact with people outside the church and initiate conversations that will lead to Jesus? One survey suggested that half the adult population of the UK have no contact whatsoever with a church, which means they are beyond the reach of the invitations we normally distribute either in person, or online.
One church in Birmingham struck on a brilliantly innovative idea to help them meet new people, in a positive way. In the run-up to Christmas, they set up a free gift-wrapping service in the centre of their city!
They assembled:
- A small team of cheerful volunteers
- A few tables
- A sound system with festive tunes
- A mile of wrapping paper
- A few hundred metres of ribbon and hundreds of bows
- A large box of Sellotape
- Hundreds of gift labels
- Scissors
- Some “Free Gift Wrapping” signs
They got permission from the local council, informed the police and on the Saturday before Christmas, got to work. Their aim was to bless as many people as possible and answer any questions that people had. As word got out that there was a free gift-wrapping service going on, it became really popular.
The majority of reactions were very positive too.
Shopkeepers (including the ones they bought the stationary supplies from) were encouraging. Many high streets are struggling, and any kind of community ‘value-add’ to the shopping experience is always welcomed.
Shoppers too were delighted that they were being offered a hand. Hearing that the gift-wrapping service was being done by a church, they assumed that it was a fundraiser for restoring a cathedral, and that the ubiquitous thermometer-style fundraising display would soon be working its way up the bell-tower!
On discovering that this church wanted to give to them, rather than get something from them, several shoppers were stunned and said: “Really, why?” “God has blessed us, and we want to bless you”, the volunteers said. That naturally led to conversations about the real meaning of Christmas—about a “God who gave his one and only son”.
For some church members, their best conversations about Jesus in years—and the most invitations they gave out to people to church—all came about because of a free Christmas present wrapping service!
How can your church bless strangers at Christmas?
Pray: Lord, please make us a blessing to those around us this Christmas! Amen.
Previously: Launchpad # 49 Host a Course like Alpha or Christianity Explored
