Include the Pastor

There is no better person than the pastor to get the whole church excited about Sunday school. Be sure to keep him informed of special events. Ask him to participate. Keep him in touch with the students so they will learn to love him too.

Bumper Stickers

Have bumper stickers made up that advertise your Sunday school. Then encourage people with cars to use their bumpers to provide you with some advertising around town! Also supply bike stickers that will give the younger kids a chance to get involved.

A Project

Want to get those who don’t attend Sunday school involved? Consider a project! Plan one that has potential for involvement from all age groups, and make sure the whole church hears about it! Give everyone an opportunity to help with encouragement and prayer, if not with active participation.

If you come up with a super project, the secular press may also be interested in it. Call the editor of the feature, family, or women’s page. Tell the editor what the Sunday school is doing, and ask if the paper would be interested in doing a feature.

Bulletin Board Promotion

Call attention to the Sunday school by using bulletin boards. Feature the quarter theme, current topics of study, motivational slogans, or photos of your Sunday school activities. All parents love to see their own kids! Consider posting news of seasonal programs, staff and student achievements, and graphs or charts showing goals and the progress toward attaining them.

Put up a “Parent Board” display giving ideas for parents to do at home with their children that would reinforce what their youngsters are learning in Sunday school.

Have a “Best Slogan for Sunday School” board. Anyone can write their slogans on the board. At a stated time, one is chosen as the best and a prize is awarded.

Put up a “Thank You” board. Encourage students of all ages to write notes to the teachers who have been most helpful to them through the years. This should be a real source of inspiration to the teachers.

Allow your primaries to illustrate a thought, such as “What I Like Best About Sunday School,” and post their drawings.

Publish

Does your church publish a newsletter or a bulletin? Use it to report what is happening in Sunday school! Feature the names of students receiving special awards, those who have helped on a project, or who are taking part in seasonal programs. This gives you an opportunity to send that newsletter or bulletin to the parents, drawing attention to the special mention of their child.

You might want to mention the quarter or unit theme for each age level. Give attendance figures. Feature a teacher or worker. Share projects from different age levels. You can also utilize the newsletter or bulletin as a chance to publicize upcoming Sunday school activities.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Do you have someone in your congregation who takes good videos? Consider putting together a presentation showing the activities of your Sunday school. This can be a great promotional device if you plan a follow-up of a “Let’s Get Acquainted” meeting with parents of your students. Thinking they may see their children in the video will be a real attendance incentive.