I started writing notes to students years ago, and found some success with it. it gave me a midweek connection with students, and it was like sending ministry to their houses, something tangible that even their parents could see. some students absolutely loved it- others didn't seem to care much. sometimes I sent letters to students that needed some encouragement- or were there for the first time- but in recent years I've upped that game- and right now at least, I send a handwritten note to every single student (that fills out a card) every single week. is it expensive? it is. is it time consuming? oh yes. does every student care? some really do- and their parents love it too. others, I can't really tell. one student told me that she has kept every one- and receiving a green envelope in the mailbox was the highlight of her week.
some people have been curious about my correspondence with the middle school students at church- and so I thought I'd share how the whole process goes.
it all begins with these "prayer cards." they sit on the chairs in the youth room, and while I'm talking through the announcements, they fill them out and turn them in. a local print shop prints these for me. I don't use them for attendance- only for praying for the students and sending them letters. the students know that if they give me a prayer card, that I'll send them mail.
I learn quite a bit from these cards. they tell me the schools that we're reaching, the grades that we're reaching, the zip codes we're reaching, and they help me to associate names with faces. right now, we're reaching a lot of 6th graders- and a lot of students from the almaden area. I also learn the best candy flavors! right now this group is really into blue candy, and really NOT into orange candy.
on the back of the cards, students write prayer requests or a note to me. some are serious, some are silly, some say thank you, some tell me what's going on in their world, but most of them leave this area blank.
the cards get all gathered up and go to my office. I pray for each name on each card. on Thursday mornings I meet with some other youth workers, and we also pray for the students by name.
then I get the green envelopes out. green is our signature color, and when a student sees a green envelope in their mailbox- they know its from me.
each envelope gets a stamp on the front, and a stamp on the back.
be awesome today is our motto- its also on the postcards I send. the same print shop that makes the prayer cards makes the postcards.
each envelope is hand addressed and gets a 70 cent stamp. I have to pay extra because of the stuff I put in the envelopes- more on that later- you have to be careful to write out the address clearly, or the mailman will send it back. I get so annoyed when I go to all of this trouble to send someone a note, only to get it sent back. I am shocked at how many middle school students do not know how to spell their street address or know their zip code.
then there is the notes- I try to make them as personal as I can. I tell students that I enjoyed the conversation that we shared at church, or that they did good at the game, or that they contributed something significant to the sermon time. I comment on whatever they mentioned on the back of their card. I tell them that I am praying for them. if it was their first time, I tell them that I hope they come again soon. but for many of them, its something pretty standard:
some weeks I send over 100 letters. my handwriting can get pretty sloppy as I get to the bottom of the list- but I try to write as clearly as possible.
then I stuff the envelope with something fun. right now I'm using airheads candy- because they are thin. the post office will only let you use a letter that is less than 1/4 inch thick. in the past I have put in stickers; and I used to put in green glitter; but a lot of parents got pretty mad about the mess it made. I also put in little announcement cards. I advertise my camps, events, and give the students memory cards for the serieses that we do. these days every bit of advertising that I do needs to fit into a 4X6 envelope.
then- after its been written, stamped, and stuffed, it all goes to the post office- and I imagine all of my green envelopes going all over the city, sending out little bits of encouragement and blessing carried to homes by the mail man.
I'm an introvert, and I like doing projects by myself- and I enjoy this process. its a way to connect with students that's thoughtful and in a way that fits my temperament. I don't expect every youth worker to send out 100 letters every week, but we could all do better to send more mail. everyone loves mail- not just students, but volunteers and parents too. its good to have a stash of stationary on hand to send out a note when you think of it. I get so many comments from parents saying, "you sent my kid a letter in the mail! they love it! thank you!" and that's a good thing for the student- and its good for me too.
like I said, its expensive. there is a cost to the envelopes, the postcards, the prayer cards, the stamps, and the candy. it is time consuming. it takes several hours- but its mellow time that can be done while watching tv or listening to music. there is a sacrifice- but its worth it. and as long as I can afford it, and can pull it off, I'm going to keep doing it. if there is any "secret" to my "success," I would say this is it.
so do me a favor- write someone a note today. they will be delighted- and the blessing will come back to you too.
God is love.
-rev-rob
