The Ultimate Church Christmas Planning Checklist: Communication, Outreach, and Follow-Up Tips
Updated November 2025
It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning for Christmas
Christmas is one of the biggest outreach opportunities of the year, right alongside Easter. Families are open to attending church, hearts are soft, and your community is looking for hope. With so many moving parts - creative elements, volunteers, communications, and follow-up, early planning helps your church create a warm, welcoming experience for every guest.
Here’s your comprehensive Church Christmas Planning Checklist to help you prepare, communicate clearly, and follow up effectively this season.
1. Prepare for the Season Spiritually and Strategically
Before the first invite goes out or stage light turns on, gather your team and set the focus for the season.
Checklist:
- Pray together and clarify your vision for Christmas services.
- Decide on your sermon series or theme (e.g., The Light Has Come or Hope Is Here).
- Map out your calendar for services, rehearsals, and outreach events.
- Confirm your budget for décor, marketing, and community outreach.
- Review last year’s attendance and follow-up results to identify what worked best.
👉 Tip: Schedule automated reminders and planning notes using Automated Workflows to keep your staff and volunteers aligned throughout the season.
2. Plan Meaningful and Guest-Friendly Services
Christmas guests often include first-timers or those returning to church after years away. Design your services with them in mind.
Checklist:
- Offer multiple service times and make them easy to find on your website.
- Create a warm welcome moment and clearly explain each part of the service.
- Use storytelling, music, and visuals to make the message memorable.
- Include a clear invitation to come back after Christmas.
- Prepare digital and printed Connect Cards for collecting guest info.
If you haven’t already, consider adding the Plan a Visit feature to your website. It allows guests to pre-register, helps your team prepare for families (especially with kids), and makes guests feel expected and cared for before they ever walk through your doors.
3. Coordinate Volunteers and Teams
Your Christmas impact depends on your people. The earlier you plan, the smoother your services will run.
Checklist:
- Recruit volunteers early for greeters, parking, kids’ ministry, and hospitality.
- Use text messages to confirm availability and send reminders before events.
- Schedule shifts and send automated check-ins using Automated Workflows.
- Create a dedicated texting group for volunteers so communication stays organized.
- Send appreciation messages or short devotionals to encourage your team.
Using Church Text Messaging helps ensure everyone gets updates instantly without cluttered group chats or missed emails.
4. Invite Your Community to Christmas Services
A personal invitation is still the most powerful outreach tool. Empower your congregation to extend simple, meaningful invites.
Checklist:
- Order printed Invite Cards for in-person sharing.
- Create digital versions to send via text, email, or social media.
- Include a QR code that links directly to your Plan a Visit form.
- Launch a text keyword campaign (like “TEXT CHRISTMAS to [your number]”) to share service details.
- Encourage members to post their own invitations online using graphics your team provides.
If you’d like to make this process easier, explore our Guest Follow-Up feature. It works perfectly with digital invitations and helps track every guest interaction automatically.
5. Communicate Clearly Leading Up to Christmas
With so many moving parts from rehearsals, toy drives, to community events, it’s easy for details to get lost. Consistent, clear communication is key.
Checklist:
- Send text updates for rehearsal times, serving schedules, and reminders.
- Email weekly updates summarizing key dates and needs.
- Use text templates to save time while keeping your tone personal.
- Keep everyone informed through Church Text Messaging groups or keywords for each ministry area.
- Share encouragement or devotionals to keep the focus on the “why” behind all the preparation.
Texts are read within minutes, so they’re perfect for last-minute reminders and keeping your team united.
6. Prepare for First-Time Guests
Christmas often draws guests who haven’t attended church in months—or ever. Make sure they feel welcome and know how to take their next step.
Checklist:
- Place your connect cards (or digital QR version) in seats and welcome areas.
- Use a friendly follow-up script to greet and thank guests after the service.
- Offer a small gift—like a candle, ornament, or devotional—as a tangible reminder.
- Add each new contact into your follow-up workflow for continued connection.
- Schedule a “New Year Invitation” message to encourage them back in January.
With Guest Follow-Up and automated workflows, you can ensure every guest receives a thoughtful message series over the following weeks—without adding more to your to-do list.
7. Follow Up After Christmas
The work isn’t over once the candles are blown out. The weeks after Christmas are the perfect time to nurture relationships and re-engage those who attended.
Checklist:
- Send thank-you texts and emails to all attendees.
- Invite guests to your New Year sermon series or small groups.
- Share photos or a recap video from Christmas Eve.
- Reach out personally to those who filled out prayer requests or connect cards.
- Evaluate what worked this year and document improvements for next year.
Want to automate this process? The Automated Workflows feature can schedule every follow-up step—from the first thank-you text to the final re-engagement message.
8. Celebrate What God Has Done
Finally, pause to celebrate how God worked through your team, your guests, and your community this Christmas.
Checklist:
- Debrief with your staff and volunteers to share wins and stories.
- Send appreciation texts or emails to thank your teams.
- Record key stats: attendance, first-time guests, and salvations.
- Pray over your follow-up efforts and upcoming outreach opportunities.
Remember, your investment in clear communication and guest follow-up helps ensure the impact of Christmas lasts long beyond December 25.
Make This a Christmas to Remember
With your invite cards ready, automated workflows set up, and text messages pre-scheduled, you’re ready to make this season one of meaningful connection. By combining intentional planning with communication tools like Text In Church, you’ll stay organized, welcome guests warmly, and follow up consistently.
Let’s make this Christmas one to remember—for your church family, your guests, and your community.
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