Church Admin & Finance

Ideas for Recognizing Birthdays in a Congregation?

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Our church is considering recognizing the birthdays of all our members, not just those over the age of 70. Do other church Administrative Assistants have experience with this and/or suggestions about how to proceed? Some ideas I've received so far include publishing a perpetual birthday calendar or showing a brief slideshow before the service begins to show the upcoming birthdays for the week (no ages will be shown). A simpler option would be to have the birthdays listed in the bulletin the week prior.

Not everyone approaches birthdays with unbridled joy, and others may feel uncomfortable with the extra attention. We wish to build fellowship within our congregation but not make anyone uncomfortable or nervous. Ideas?

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Posted By

Kathy DeKoter

Posted On

February 27, 2017
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First CRC Office on February 27, 2017

Hello Kathy,

Our church regularly publishes the names of those members of our congregation over a specific age who are celebrating their birthdays. One of our members receives that list through our church software and looks after the postings in our newsletter. On occasion, there is a special announcement for a member, for example, someone who is celebrating their 100th birthday.

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Carol Sybenga on February 27, 2017

Hi Kathy - our church has a prayer calendar in which each day (Mon - Fri) we list a person/family that members of our congregation can pray for. On the other side of this calendar, we print a second calendar with names of those who are celebrating a birthday and the specific date. Not everyone submits their names for the birthday calendar, but many do. 

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Kathy DeKoter on February 28, 2017

Thank you for the response and it sounds like the names for the birthday listings are solicitated...each member needs to give his or her approval to be included.  Do you list the ages as well?

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Carol Sybenga on February 28, 2017

Hi Kathy - no, we don't list ages. I don't think everyone would be happy about that. :-) 

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Felix Fernandez on March 7, 2017

We keep it simple in Miami.  We have a birthday cake available in our fellowship hall on the first Sunday of the month.  We invite those who have a birthday in that particular month to gather around the birthday cake for a special prayer of blessing for the new year by a Council member and then they get first dibs on a slice of cake.  If we missed anyone's birthday from our printed list, that's the time for us to update our directory.  Works like a charm and it incorporates anyone who wants to be recongized regardless of age. 

Admin
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Staci Devries on March 7, 2017

I LOVE this idea, Felix. How cool to have a prayer of blessing from your church family as you enter a new year. 

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Crossroads Christian Reformed Church on April 7, 2017

Hi Kathy!

We distribute a monthly serving calendar and on the back of it we have a list of those who have a birthday that month, as well as the couples that are celebrating a wedding anniversary. We indicate if it is a milestone number with a happy face next to the date and a note under the list that says ":-) = "Special" Birthdays (1, 5, 18, 21, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100+)" And then the highlighted anniversaries are 1, 10, 25, 50, 75+

Hope that helps!

Community Builder
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CRC Communications on January 26, 2018

Hello, Kathy!

This response was sent in via email from Mary Coleman:

When you join our church, the month you are born in is your immediate family. We have 12 clubs who worship and fellowship, in meeting, sharing in each others joys and sorrows, fundraising, Bible study. This group provides support in sickness, repass for immediate family members, and much more. On the 2nd Sunday of December every year, we wear our month's club color and sit together in celebration of everyone's birthday for service that day. The name of the club that has raised the most funds for the year goes on a special cup. The service is followed by a special luncheon where we all participate. I serve as the Month Club coordinator over all clubs and assist with several kinds of support when needed. We will be celebrating 50 years this December 2018. It's really a lot of fun and keeps us close as a church family.

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