Christian Card Ministry

      Christian card ministries or letter writing ministries have been an ordinary part of believer's lives ever since the letters of the apostle Paul were first written to encourage those groups of congregants living in places like Galatia, Jerusalem, and Rome.

      Letter writing and card making are excellent outreach ministries for shy individuals to participate in. There is a place for every person to serve Christ; one does not need to be aggressively pursuing folks on the street or in public forums in order to be a missionary! Folks can communicate God's love to others in the quiet peace of their homes and be just as effective, if not more so. The apostle Paul's letters were often written from his prison cell; a place seemingly hopeless and without influence on the larger world outside. However, we all know that these letters have impacted millions of believers over many centuries. What seems transitory on the surface may in truth be the difference between eternal life or separation from God for many people.
      The primary agenda of a card ministry is to first communicate with church members during the celebration of special events, to encourage people to walk in faith not by sight alone, to sympathize with those members suffering from illness or isolation. It is also a means to further develop intimate, unique relationships with all people connected with that body of believers sending the cards. 
      A card ministry may also be further developed to include people outside the congregation serving in some form of military capacity, prison, hospital, charity or with those who are suffering from isolation due to fragile health. Card ministries can include any form of communication made with government officials, media, other church congregations or missionaries. The possibilities of outreach in such a venture are only limited by the imagination and time constraints of those conducting such a ministry.
      In order to develop a successful card ministry you must first organize a few church members. Listed below are the jobs associated with this goal in mind:

1. You will first need individuals who will collect names and addresses of those whom your congregation will be writing. The compilation of such a listing will grow over time with it's purpose and intention.
2. Secondly, arrange a consistent place and time for those participating in this ministry to meet and discuss the letter writing topics and agenda. This is a very important part of your ministry. It should not be entered into lightly but with sobriety and dedication. Those who are serving in a prayer group should be contacted and asked to consistently pray for the agenda of the card ministry as well.
3. Letter writing is an art form that will leave a lasting impression on many people whom both send and receive communications. In fact, letters and pictures are among the most treasured artifacts of most people on earth. I keep similar tokens from many generations removed among my own things. For this reason, much time and thought will go into the articulation of sentiments, scripture, and general communication included with these cards and letters. Be careful to recruit individuals who are both tactful and artistic in written communications.
4. Penmanship is also a practical consideration to be made in a card ministry. If the recipient cannot read the handwriting of those serving on the card ministry team, then the importance of their cause may be lost altogether.
5. The crafting of handmade cards is an excellent addition to such a ministry. It demonstrates to those receiving the letters that great industry and respect was taken into consideration on their behalf. Establish a small group of volunteers, both young and old, to gather the materials needed to craft cards and to also produce the cards. This may be done well in advance by a larger group or over an extended time period by a few talented individuals. You will need to produce card designs that illustrate topics or themes connected to the letter's content. Some common themes are: weddings, anniversaries, funerals, baptisms, confirmations and first communions. These themes will be dictated by the beliefs and practices of each unique congregation of course. You will also need to produce cards under general topics such as: thanks, encouragement, blessings and everyday greetings. 
6. You will need to enlist reliable individuals to post the letters, preferably a church secretary. Letters may usually be posted for a less expensive bulk rate when identified as a ordinary, non-profit, business transaction belonging to a church ministry. 

       Keep in mind that there are also many individuals within your church who write letters often and who would greatly appreciate access to the cards that your ministry produces in order to further communicate their own agenda. Church elders, deacons, pastors, priests, teachers, musicians, librarians and media specialists may all have need of your ministry's special services on different occasions.

• Church elders often have need of stationary for both formal and informal communications.
• Deacons visit the sick and counsel families assigned to their care. They use cards frequently to communicate with the congregation.
• Musicians send mailings advertizing special events, concerts, and choir performances.
• Teachers encourage students and parents through the mail at times.
• Church staff members send out reminders of meetings, special events, overdue notices etc... every week.

      Don't forget that as our technology develops over time so also does our need for different forms of communication such as: electronic church newsletters and email. 

• A mailbox both physical and on the internet, for your card ministry, should be made accessible to congregation members. 
• Enlist the talents of a church member who knows how to utilize graphic and document software so that you may develop alternative online versions of your cards and letters for 'tech savy' church members. 
• A church archivist may also be consulted during the development of this type of ministry for many reasons. Read more about archivists here.