FCCC Minister Appreciation Day 2021

Minister Appreciation Day -> October 10, 2021 (Fundraising Deadline - October 8, 2021)

Pssst… this is a surprise! Please don’t share this with anyone on the ministry staff!!!!

Hello FCCC family! Are you ready to bless those who spend their lives blessing us?

In 2021 of all years, it is important to count our blessings! One way that God has consistently blessed our church over the past year is by calling an amazing ministry staff to serve at First Colony Church of Christ. Minister Appreciation Day (okay, technically it’s called “Pastor” Appreciation Day) is our opportunity, as a congregation, to make sure that our ministers know that they are loved.

While being a minister can be extremely fulfilling, it can also be emotionally taxing, thankless, and lonely. Ministers have an extremely high burn-out rate. Thus, we want to make sure that our ministers know that they are appreciated, respected, and loved.

Accordingly, we ask that you join us in providing gifts of love for our ministry staff.

So, what’s the plan? I’m glad you asked.

We hope to provide each of our 12 ministers with an appreciation gift on Minister Appreciation Day (October 10, 2021). Depending on the level of giving by the congregation, the gift will grow and grow and grow.

The plan this year is to provide a special night out for the our special ministers. Our initial goal is to raise $1,400.00 and give each Minister a $100 gift card to Taste of Texas alongside some Tiff’s Treats cookies. If we exceed our $1,400 goal, the ministers ‘special night’ will get better. Depending on the amounts raised, the women might get a Mani/Pedi, and the guys might get a gift a special something.

From there the options are endless. When the giving grows, we will move into some fun items.

Going into year four of celebrating Minister Appreciation Day, we have attempted to answer some of the frequently asked questions below.

FAQs

When do I need to get my contribution in by?

The sooner the better! We have a plan, but the sooner we get a realistic amount of funds we are working with, the easier it will be to plan. That being said, we have set an official cut-off date of October 8, 2021, to allow us one week to get the gifts together. That is Next Friday!

Is each minister going to get the same value of gift?

YES! While we will seek to personalize the gifts to the best of our ability, we plan to ensure that each of the minister’s gifts are exactly the same value.

Who are the ministers receiving a gift?

This is always one of the hardest things to determine. There are so many people on staff that we absolutely love, and some of their jobs are more “ministerial” than others. This year, we are going to do the same thing we have done in the past. We will follow the church’s lead and recognize the official “Ministers” See FCCC Website. That means we will be providing gifts to the following people:

o Ronnie Norman – Senior Minister

o Rocky Hudson – Staff Elder

o Corey Waters – Children’s Minister

o Grant Wright – Outreach Minister

o Jenna Davis – Student Minister

o Joel Smith – Children’s Minister

o Kevin Porter – Student Minister

o Kyle Strickland – Minister of Acapella Worship and Adult Education

o Missy Edgmon – Women’s Minister

o Nancy Kornegay – Children’s Minister

o Richard Bowling – Worship Minister

o Shane Gate – Pastoral Care and Foster Creek Minister.

Why is the goal set at $1,400?

We never want to presume what people will give. $100 per minister sounded like a good round number for the gift card, and $200 for the cookies. If we don’t get there, and we are sitting at $50 per minister, then praise the Lord. If this thing takes off and $9,000 is donated, then everyone will get a gift valued at $500 dollars. The size of the gift is 100% up to you!

Why did you use GoFundMe?

We see GoFundMe as a form of easy accountability. Everyone will be able to see how much was raised and have an appropriate level of expectation regarding the gifts. If we did it more “privately”, and without a GoFundMe fee, then it could lead to a concern over whether the money reached its intended target. This way, if we raise $1,400.00, you can expect each minister to receive a gift of about $120.

Doesn’t GoFundMe take a fee?

Yes. The fee is 2.9% and $0.30 cents per transaction. That means that if we hit our initial goal of $1,400.00, the fee will be around $40. The Speights family will gladly cover that expense.

Can I give anonymously?

Sure, it is an option in the GoFundMe settings.

Will the ministers know if I gave?

The cards will simply be signed “from your loving congregation”, or something equally as sappy. However, the ministers will be made aware of the GoFundMe, so there is a chance that will review and go through the donors. You are welcome to list your name or be anonymous.

Is there a minimum or maximum donation?

Nope. Any and all contributions are loved and appreciated.

Will I get to see the gift?

Yes! We will update the GoFundMe page, and post a picture and description of the gifts on social media.

How long has FCCC been celebrating Minister Appreciation Day?

We don’t know if it predates our involvement, but this is year four in which our connection group has coordinated Minister Appreciation Day. So far, each year has looked different, and we are excited to get more and more church members involved as the appreciation expands.

If you have any other questions, or you would like to participate more directly, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Aja and Landon Speights at [email redacted].