It’s time to start thinking of pastor appreciation gift ideas!
Every October during Minister Appreciation Month I find myself searching for frugal and creative options. Gifts that will actually be used or are meaningful and that I can purchase on my budget.
Even if it’s not October, birthdays, Christmas, and work anniversaries come around every year and are great time to pull out some of these pastor appreciation gift ideas!
As you think of gifts for pastors, remember that simple is okay. You can do something meaningful on your budget. The pastors will appreciate you thinking of them and taking the time to do it.
Last week my sister shared 10 Ways to Encourage Your Pastor (those are great free pastor appreciation ideas too) and today she’s back to give us some pastor appreciation gift ideas that are free and some that require finances.
Be sure to read this post for ideas on what to give your pastor’s wife and kids.
Pastor Appreciation Gift Ideas:
Guest Post by Andrea
Pastor appreciation ideas that don’t require finances.
1. Give him your time. Volunteer to spend a Saturday at his home to help with around the house projects: mowing, painting, fall clean up, window washing – you name it! (These are never ending at our house!) If you are handy with tools help him renovate part of his home. If you are handy with cars give his car an oil change and tune up.
2. Plan a potluck/picnic in honor of your pastor. Plan to serve his favorite food (steak, anyone?). Tell the pastor’s family they don’t have to bring anything!
3. Don’t rely on your pastor to reach your community. Do your part! Bring your friends! Invite them to small groups, services, picnics and special events. Invite your friends for dinner or a game night and invite your pastor over to meet them.
4. In the same way, don’t rely on your pastor to care for those in your church. Visit someone in the hospital, send flowers to someone who had a baby, make a meal for a family who is going through sickness. Call a family who missed church.
5. Wash and service his car for him! (Or give him full service car wash certificates.) We constantly use our family cars for ministry – picking up and dropping off people for services, Bible studies and kids programs. We LOVE to have a clean car but don’t always have time to keep up with it. Unfortunately many people have had to sit in Goldfish and Cheerio crumbs!
6. Do a church service day, if you own your facility. Everyone show up to help organize/clean/spring clean. Sometimes pastors have a lot of pressure on them to care for the facility but little time to follow through. (Please do this in conjunction with something more personal – even a heartfelt note.)
7. Check with your local Christian bookstore or radio station to see if they are doing a giveaway for pastors during October: nominate them!
8. Sit in the front row during services!
9. There are many food gift ideas you can do. Invite your pastor’s family over for supper, drop a meal off at their house. Make a pan of cinnamon rolls or a giant cookie cake for their family.
Or make a batch of Chex Mix with this Pastor Appreciation printable!
Pastor appreciation gift ideas that require finances
1. Gift cards are always a good idea. (Clothing stores, restaurants, movie theater, coffee shop, grocery store)
2. Personalized T-shirt, coffee mug, bumper sticker, etc. “Best Pastor” or “We Love Our Pastor” from the congregation or your family.
3. Ask his wife for a list of his favorite things. (Chocolate, soda, candy, fishing gear, coffee, baseball caps, etc.) Put together a gift basket from the congregation!
3. Hobby-related gifts (i.e. golf clubs for the golfer)
4. Photography session (if you’re not a photographer, consider gifting him and his family with a certificate for a free session with a photographer)
5. Take him out (or give him tickets) to a sporting event, dinner theater or orchestra.
6. Consider giving him a paid sabbatical or an all-expense paid vacation. (Have everyone in your church put money in for this and see what you can afford to send them on.)
7. Cash. Sometimes it’s best just to give him cash. He may have needs that you are not aware of!
What are your favorite gifts for pastors? If you are in ministry, what are the favorite gifts you’ve been given?
There are gift ideas for your Pastor’s wife and children in this post.
Don’t forget about the free Chex Mix Pastor Appreciation printable!
Check out the post on ways to encourage your pastor for this printable:
Originally published October 14, 2014. Updated September 10, 2020.
Hey Deanna, I really like your posts here on how to support and to thank a pastor, or any clergy. They are so important in our life’s and sacrifice so much for us; I love your ideas of how to encourage, show appreciation and let them know they are appreciated. Fabulous posts! Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Thanks, Carrie! They really do a lot and can help so many people. I’m “lucky” to have a sister married to a pastor to help with this series and have great fun and practical ideas that they’ll really enjoy.
Thank you, our church is so full of wonderful people, I am disabled and am dying, so there is not a lot I can do this drives me nuts as I am only 51, and I want to help but cant, how ever I am taking my Pastor and his wife out for dinner real soon here both for good company and to go over things we need to know when the time comes, you know things like do you call the Pastor when I go in for my 5 day visits here and there, enough of that stuff, thank you so much for doing this and on such a good subject, It makes my heart happy to see this kind of this on the net. GOD bless you and your family always
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Penny! So glad you are part of such a wonderful church. I’m sure your pastor and his wife appreciate you taking the time to discuss and communicate with them and will enjoy your company as well! I’m thankful my sister took the time to write these posts for me as a pastor’s wife.
These are great ideas. I appreciate the reminder to demonstrate love & care to the pastor and his family!
Thanks, Carol! I liked that reminder as well. Glad my sister wrote these posts for all of us.