Letter Writing - New Outreach Opportunities! [Affiliate]

Letter Writing -Lost Art Becomes New Outreach Opportunity!

Do you remember when email first came out and a cheery voice would announce "You've Got Mail"? Can you imagine the cacophony that would create today? Now it's rare to get anything other than bills in the mail, and most of our correspondence is done through email. What a window of opportunity for outreach! Curious about how this idea came to me?

FTC Disclosure: I'm pleased to have been selected by Day Spring as an affiliate through Share A Sale. I've been a fan of Day Spring Cards years, and now if readers make a purchase through my links, it helps put groceries on our table.
Ideas arrive in many different ways.

Letter Writing Outreach

Ministry Tools- Letter Writing

Lately, I've been frustrated with being ordered to bed rest for so long.  Have you ever felt like your wings were clipped? I so enjoyed praying with people in our community, and taking part in praise and worship.
Yesterday, when I opened an envelope and discovered Johnson and Johnson had blessed me with some free product coupons,  the Good Lord popped an "aha" idea into my head. It definitely couldn't have been my own brainstorm, I'm like Winnie the Pooh these days - a bear of little brain. You see, I was so delighted to receive something in the mail that wasn't a request for donations, a bill or an ad.  If you're so thrilled about this little blessing, imagine how happy other people would be to receive a cheery note and a little surprise in the mail. popped into my head.

I thought of a gentleman at Omemee Christian Outreach who has been blessing people with letters for many years, sharing the Love of Christ with others.

Whom would I write to? I started making a list.

Letter Writing Outreach - Whom to Write

Who needs a word of encouragement? Heck in these days who doesn't need a word of encouragement?

• Relatives
• Friends
• Government officials - they could use some encouragement
• Clergy
• Nurses
• Doctors
• Volunteer Fire fighters
• Kids away from home - Students in University, college - I remember getting a letter from our postmaster when I was on a youth exchange and feeling homesick. It really perked me up!
• Fans of my coupon blog 
• People using the food bank.

Letter Writing Outreach - What to Write?

It doesn't need to be a super long letter I thought. What will I write to people?  Being a bear of little brain, I needed some inspiration, so I pulled out my Day Spring Cards. Lots of ideas! Then I thought I'd browse the Day Spring  online store - What a great surprise!
Christmas Cards are on sale Mix and match Buy 2 get 1 free! PLUS DaySpring a HUGE selection of clearance items, and bulk order deals  too -perfect for a letter writing outreach. Here are a few of the boxed cards that caught my eye:

Christian Cards Value Pack 48 for 9.99

Christmas Blessings Cards -Features Skaters -Day Spring

Christmas Wishes For Special People- Thanks for being in My Life Cards

Christmas Love for Family Cards

Christmas - His Love-Beautiful Verse and Cards

Christmas Cards- Special Friends 

Each of the boxes of Christmas cards above are 9.99 for 18 cards, so using the deal it's about 33 cents a card! There is a sale on everyday cards for a limited time too: Everyday Boxed Cards- 2 for $10!
Which cards would you choose for a letter writing outreach campaign?

Letter Writing - Biblical Connections

Learning about letters in the Bible. The Bible is full of letters and epistles. Today I learned a letter is written to one person or family, whereas an epistle is meant to be read publicly. Though many of the epistles in the New Testament do have characteristics found in personal letters, since they are of interest to all Christians, they are seen as epistles today. However, I think it is important to bear in mind that some of these letters were giving specific advice to specific congregations.  One Bible lesson on the letters of the Bible can be found at http://www.cathtruth.com/catholicbible/letters.htm

Letters in the New Testament contrast with the letters in the First Testament in several ways, to me the most notable difference is the purpose. The 21 letters or epistles in the New Testaments are letters of encouragement. Fourteen of the letters were written by Paul to individual groups, and seven were written to the church at large. Do you have a favourite letter in the Bible?

My favourite is one of Pauls' letters to the Corinthians in which he explains the importance of  love. Are you familiar with it?

Download your Free Printable - 1 Corinthians 13:13 The Greatest of These is Love

when the Bible was being written, not everyone was able to read and write, so letters would have been very welcome, and prized, just as an encouraging note we send today, may be much more  treasured than a deluge of emails. Who will you surprise today?

Now my next challenge will be getting stamps and getting the letters to the mail box!

Thanks for reading!
Let's keep in touch! Subscribe to My Christian Contemplations by Email - It's free!
May God Bless you as you bless others,
Suzanne