One of the best ways to create awareness of Bible translation and literacy in which Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada engages is to hold an event or a fundraiser in your congregation or for your group.
Deciding what type of event you arrange is completely up to you. We suggest that you set some goals as to what you would like to achieve and share this early with LBTC so we might provide resources that reflect your goals. We offer speakers, presentations, displays materials and worship resources for a well-rounded event.
Some ideas for events include:
Sunday Worship/Fellowship – This kind of event is arranged through the pastor with the help of congregational members or committees. Here are some ideas of what it could include:
- a presentation - either a visit by a LBTC speaker or a media presentation (CD, VCR or PowerPoint). The length will accommodate your time
- LBTC could assist with worship service, Bible study and Sunday School
- a fellowship time of coffee and snacks
- a light meal following the service
- question and answer time
- other fun activities that will engage your members in the work of Bible translation
Events and activities beyond your congregation – If a group of volunteers working with their pastor(s) are interested in holding a bigger event to invite area churches this is a great opportunity for LBTC to tell its story to a larger group of people. Many of the ideas above could be used but this sort of event might work better on an evening through the week or on a Saturday. It could also be tied in with some other reason to be together like a children’s fun day, open house monthly prayer meetings, etc.
Conventions – Organizing committees often require speakers for meal time or at times when the convention proceeding recess. LBTC staff gladly offer their services as speakers and will set up displays. Certain conventions may also include seminars or training sessions with which LBTC staff might assist.
Teaching mission-related or language-based seminars for school and seminaries – LBTC currently has a specialist skilled at presenting a class or day-long seminars on this topic.
To share your event ideas and discuss how LBTC might be involved, contact LBTC.
Planning a Major LBTC Fundraiser
Here is some great ideas and a time frame for planning a much larger event. One event coordinator shared her in-depth plan after her church held a successful congregational awareness event to introduce and promote the mission and work of LBTC. She also recruited many volunteers to make this large event work. While her congregation is large, her suggestions are certainly quite applicable when planning multi-congregational or regional-type events.
Eight Months Before
Seek approval of/advise pastors and church council of the concept and tentative plans. This is especially important if times of church services need to be changed.
Contact LBTC to arrange a guest speaker and confirm an appropriate date with him/her for the event.
Book rooms to be used in the church for the event and the day before, for cooking and setting up.
Remind church office staff to contact outside groups who use the facilities you are booking, so they can cancel or relocate their programs (e.g. volleyball on Fri. evening, and dance on Sat. afternoon, etc.)
Present council with motions concerning offering collected for LBTC. Request that a portion of the offering for that day, for example the loose offering, be presented to LBTC.
As a meal will be provided, contact potential organizers.
Six Months Before
Coordinate with various committees who may be affected or may be able to link into the event so they can also prepare. For example, contact the Sunday school & day nursery,
worship and music, stewardship/volunteer coordinator.
Discuss plans for incorporating mission theme into worship with pastor. Include the organist and choir director in plans, especially for offering suggestions on type of music that would be appropriate.
Ask Sunday school to present special missions emphasis in the classroom during adult event.
For display areas in the church like cabinets or bulletin boards, book this space for the month before the event and start planning what will be included to create interest in the event.
Three Months Before
Contact a head cook and start planning the menu, decorations and volunteers. Consider set up, serving at the event, and clean up. The menu could include ethnic dishes and always include a Canadian dish for those who are less adventurous.
Begin teaser advertising in church bulletins and newspaper. This might take the form of a message or a display ad (like in a newspaper with a border around it) or as a personal invitation to church members.
Ask the Nursery School to include information in their upcoming newsletter(s) about the event
Two Months Before
Prepare and display posters.
Collect items to be used for decorations for the main venue area, display cabinets and church entry areas (e.g. displays, centre pieces, tablecloths, etc.). Assign helpers to work on this.
Recruit volunteers for the event:
To assist with cooking and food prep before event and at the event
To provide directions and information to guests (e.g. explain the origin of food, items on buffet, what the dishes are, how to approach the buffet in an orderly fashion, mentioning when dessert is ready, going up for seconds, etc.)
To setting tables/decorating (done the day before)
To clean up
To wash table cloths and other linens, and returning them to the church kitchen
To take notes and write an article about the event to submit to the Church Messenger, Eastern Synod Lutheran Periodical and The Canada Lutheran
To set up audio-visual and sound system (for set-up day and during the event)
To welcome, introduce and thank the speaker
To thank the cooks and helpers
Arrange to donate leftover food. Contact potential soup kitchens or other organizations regarding what they accept and how they wish it to be kept (e.g. refrigerated or frozen) until picked up/dropped off.
Month Before
Send home notices of the event with Sunday school and nursery school students, highlighting details of the event for both adults and children.
Continue advertising.
Prepare or obtain special envelopes for donations to the featured mission - this will allow for possible tax receipts for donors.
The cook may begin to shop for food, watching for specials. This person must keep the bills and submit them to the church treasurer for reimbursement. If he/she obtains an advance of cash, the bills plus the unspent cash is to be turned in the the treasurer.
Contact local newspaper with short article on event. (We notified the Faith page in The Record and received free promotion) Don’t forget to follow up with a telephone call to confirm information was received and when it will be printed.
To help attain an estimate of the number of attendees for food preparation and table/chair set up, hand out free tickets to those planning to attend prior to the event. The cut-off should be in advance of when the cook needs a final count.
Plan how you will collect the freewill offering to assist with the cost of the dinner (e.g. a basket with sign near the coffee for donations or a basket on each table).
Contact the guest speaker and invite them to join you the day of the setup to arrange equipment and screens, the LBTC display, etc.
Week Before
Contact the custodian with a layout of the room, so that he/she can set up the tables and chairs, don’t forget to ask for tables for the beverages and buffet. Discuss with him/her what time it would be best to set up, so that it is convenient for everyone involved to decorate the room, and not be in his/her way.
Place a reminder phone call to the person from the property committee who will be turning up the heat in the fellowship.
Day Before
Set up the room.
Put table clothes, centre pieces, utensils and napkins on tables.
Put glasses, punch bowls, cups, mugs and coffee maker ready to go, on beverage table.
Decorate the room.
In the past food has been prepared while the room was being set up and decorated.
Event Day
Enjoy it!
After the Event
Evaluate the event from all aspects and keep a record of numbers, offering and other observations for future reference.
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