How do you plan a big Compassion Sunday that will change the lives of children living in poverty? Here are five simple steps that will have your church inspired to take world transforming action!

COMPASSION SUNDAY’S BIG FIVE

[PRAY]

After you’ve read through your Planning Pack, make sure you commit your Compassion Sunday event to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to guide you and draw other people alongside to help you. Pray that He will to speak through you so that many people will respond to God’s call to care for the poor by sponsoring a child through Compassion.

[TALK]

WITH YOUR CHURCH LEADER

With your event covered in prayer, it’s time to meet with your pastor or church leader to ask for their permission and support to host a Compassion Sunday event in your church. Share your passion for sharing God’s heart for the poor and seeking justice for children living in poverty through sponsorship.

So that you can explain how Compassion Sunday works and answer any questions they may have, it’s important to familiarise yourself with book 2 in your Planning Pack For Your Church Leader, before meeting with your pastor.

WITH YOUR CHURCH FAMILY

Now that you’ve got the green light from your church leader, you’re ready to get your church excited about Compassion Sunday. Your enthusiasm and passion will be contagious, so make sure your church family—and all your other family and friends—know your event is coming up and how excited you are about it!

[REGISTER]

As soon as you have agreed on a date with your church leader, it’s time to register your event so we can send you your Resource Pack. You can register online here.

Registrations close on Monday, 2 April 2012.

Once you have registered, you will be sent a customised Compassion Sunday Resource Pack approximately two weeks before your scheduled event.

[PREPARE]

Planning all the different parts of your event will be essential to its success. As you work through book 3 in your planning pack Your Compassion Sunday Presentation, don’t forget to invite other people to help you organise and launch your Compassion Sunday event—it will make it easier and more fun!

This year, when you register your Compassion Sunday event online, you will have the option of requesting any or all of these NEW extra resources to be included in your Resource Pack:

• Children’s Ministry Resource

Include even the smallest members of your church family in the big day with a children’s ministry resource to learn what the Bible says about poverty.

• Child Sponsorship Letter Writing Kit

If your church is already filled with Compassion child sponsors, this resource will help you share about the importance of letter-writing and includes fun and practical ways to get your church family putting their hearts and pens to paper!

• Gifts of Compassion Pack

Another option if your church already has lots of Compassion child sponsors is to raise funds for Critical Interventions on Compassion Sunday. This pack includes everything you need to tell your church about how Gifts of Compassion can change children’s lives.

[LAUNCH]

Before the service on Compassion Sunday, meet with everyone who is helping you and ask God to bless your efforts. Pray that God will prompt people to become supporters and pray that He will use your presentation to help many of the world’s poorest children. And then relax! You are sharing from your own experience about a life-changing ministry to your church family, who loves you.

Once you’ve delivered your presentation and the service is over, Compassion Sunday really begins! Now is your chance to talk personally to all the people inspired to take action to transform the lives of children living in poverty.

For more detailed information and big ideas to help you plan your Compassion Sunday event, check out book 1 of your Planning Pack Your Guide to Compassion Sunday .