compassion sunday planning pack

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[1] YOUR GUIDE

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Your guide to Compassion Sunday

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Page 1: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[1]YOUR GUIDE

Page 2: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[2] COMPASSION SUNDAY

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...—1 Peter 1:3, NIV

Page 3: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[1]YOUR GUIDE

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...—1 Peter 1:3, NIV

Page 4: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[2] COMPASSION SUNDAY

Let’s Get started!Welcome to Compassion Sunday 2013! It’s exciting that so many Christians and churches are passionate about seeing God bring a hope and a future to children all around the world—particularly to children and families who are living in poverty and despair.

Thank you for joining a movement for change. Whether this is your first Compassion Sunday or you’re already an experienced campaigner, we hope that your church and your event will see God’s Spirit move to release children from poverty. Through your action we want to see children inspired with hope and provided with a future of life in Him.

Prayer and planning are the keys to making your Compassion Sunday event an inspiring and effective one; this guide will help you with both.

Compassion Sunday is an initiative of Compassion’s Child Advocacy Network (CAN), a movement of people taking action to speak up for children living in poverty. Find out more at www.compassion.com.au/can

For lots more ideas, information and resources, call Compassion Australia on 1300 22 44 53 or visit www.compassionsunday.com.au

Don’t forget to register online at www.compassionsunday.com.au or call 1300 22 44 53.

Page 5: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[3]YOUR GUIDE

What are we hoping for?Every child deserves hope. Every child deserves a future. But poverty has the power to steal a child’s—or a family’s—hope, and resign them to a belief that things will never change.

As God’s family, we know that things are changing. God is bringing hope and healing to the darkest situations; He is restoring broken relationships; He is releasing children from poverty and despair and leading them into a brighter future.

Through presentations, drama, worship and more, Compassion Sunday is your chance to inspire, to share, to encourage your friends, work mates and church in standing against poverty. The work is God’s—but we’re called to act as His hands and feet.

Compassion Sunday will help you and your church:[*] respond to God’s call to help people living in poverty

[*] inspire new child sponsors

[*] encourage those who already sponsor

[*] engage practically and creatively with issues of poverty

[*] deepen prayer, worship and ministry

[*] spark a new sense of mission ... and more!

Most of all, by encouraging your church or gathering to pray and take action, you’ll be helping to give more children the chance of a brighter future through Compassion’s child development programs.

Page 6: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[4] COMPASSION SUNDAY

When is Compassion Sunday?Compassion Sunday officially takes place on Sunday 26 May 2013, but you can choose any date after this in 2013 that works for you and your church or gathering.

If you’d prefer to hold your event on a date before this one, please email [email protected]

Where can I run my event?Compassion Sunday has typically been supported by churches around the country; we encourage you to talk to your church leaders about the possibility of getting your entire congregation involved. But you’re also welcome to hold a Compassion Sunday event with your small group, youth group, with your sporting team or even in your office (as long as your boss doesn’t mind!).

The decision is yours—you can even hold more than one event if you’d like to inspire more people. Just make sure you register all your events and let us know what type of event you’re planning to hold.

When should I talk to my church or group leaders?Once you have read through the guidelines in this Planning Pack, watched the DVD and prayed for God’s leading, you are ready to take the next step and talk with your church leader, group leader or boss. It’s essential that you have your leader’s permission before registering your Compassion Sunday event.

Why do I need to register my Compassion Sunday event?Registering your event is very important! Once you have registered online at www.compassionsunday.com.au or by calling 1300 22 44 53, we can send you a Resource Pack filled with everything you need to make your Compassion Sunday event a powerful and inspiring one.

Registering your event connects you to the thousands of other people who are planning events for Compassion Sunday so don’t forget to register.

Page 7: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[5]YOUR GUIDE

Here are five simple steps that will help you inspire your church, group, family and friends to take action to help bring hope and a brighter future to children living in poverty. The five steps are:

1. review and Pray 2. talk 3. register 4. Prepare 5. Launch

[1] REVIEW AND PRAYAfter you’ve read through this Planning Pack, watched the videos and checked out the Compassion Sunday website, www.compassionsunday.com.au, make sure you commit your Compassion Sunday to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to guide you and draw other people alongside to help you. Pray that He will speak through you so that many people will respond to God’s call to care for those in need by sponsoring a child through Compassion.

Remember, God is the ultimate source of hope—but we are called to help those in need. Pray that God will use your event to bring hope and a future to children who have lost hope because of poverty.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. —Romans 15:13, NIV

It was so easy running my Compassion Sunday event knowing I had support. There were great resources, people to help and call on for advice.”—Lesley, ACT

COMPassION sUNdaY’s FIVe stePs

Page 8: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[6] COMPASSION SUNDAY

[2] TALKHere are some key tips that will help you talk with your leaders, church or friends.

CHuRCH oR GRouP LEADERS

With your event covered in prayer, it’s time to meet with your church or group leaders to ask for their permission and support to host a Compassion Sunday event. Share your passion with them; explain why you think a Compassion Sunday event could inspire your church or group to take action on behalf of children and families living in poverty.

So that you can explain how Compassion Sunday works and answer any questions they may have, it’s important to familiarise yourself with this guide, as well as Part 2: Church Leader’s Guide to Compassion Sunday, and the Compassion Sunday website www.compassionsunday.com.au before meeting with them. It’s helpful to give the Church Leader’s Guide to your leader so they can refer to it at any time.

Your leaders might be familiar with Compassion, but if not, information about Compassion and our key distinctives for ministry are in the Church Leader’s Guide . Your pastor or leader can also find more information at www.compassionsunday.com.au

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For more information visit www.compassionsunday.com.au or call 1300 22 44 53.

Page 9: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[7]YOUR GUIDE

Compassion Sunday 2012 was awesome. I love that we can share God’s heart for the poor with our church. This is something every Christian should support.”—Natalie, NSW

Although the official date for Compassion Sunday is 26 May 2013, let your pastor or leader know that you can schedule a date after that if it will better suit your church or group. Resources are available if you would like to run your event before the official date; please email [email protected]

When holding the event in your church, your pastor’s support will substantially increase the impact of your event. Ask if your pastor would be willing to link your presentation to a planned sermon about caring for those in need. There are lots of ideas that could be featured in the service, including video clips, songs and hymns, a PowerPoint presentation, bulletin insert announcements, and even sermon outlines, in your Church Leader’s Guide to Compassion Sunday.

Once you have your leader’s agreement to go ahead with your event, don’t forget to set the date and thank them for giving you their support.

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Page 10: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[8] COMPASSION SUNDAY

[2] TALK continued...CHuRCH FAMILY, FRIENDS oR WoRK MATES

Now that you’ve got the green light from your leader, you’re ready to get everyone 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!

Arrange for announcements to be made leading up to your Compassion Sunday event. The Compassion Sunday DVD included in this Planning Pack has short and powerful video clips that can be shown before your event. Also included on the DVD is a PowerPoint presentation and “What is Compassion Sunday?” clip.

Put notices in your church bulletin or newsletter. You can find suggested text and logos at www.compassionsunday.com.au

Put up the Compassion Sunday posters wherever you can (downloadable at www.compassionsunday.com.au or included in your Resource Pack).

Post an entry about your Compassion Sunday event on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networks you belong to. If your church or group has a page on a social network, you might also like to post an announcement there.

Keep talking about your event—nothing beats word of mouth!

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COMPassION sUNdaY’s FIVe stePs

Don’t forget to tag ‘Compassion Australia’ on Facebook, follow ‘@CompassionAu’ on Twitter and use the hashtag ‘#CompassionSunday’ whenever you talk about your Compassion Sunday event online to add your church’s voice to this national event!

Page 11: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[9]YOUR GUIDE

[3] REGISTERAs soon as you have agreed on a date with your leader, it’s time to register your event so we can send you a Resource Pack. You can register online at www.compassionsunday.com.au or call 1300 22 44 53. Registrations close on Monday 6 May 2013 for any events held on Sunday 26 May, but will reopen again after this date.

Once you have registered, you will be sent a customised Compassion Sunday Resource Pack prior to your event and approximately one week before your scheduled event Child Sponsorship Forms will be posted to you. Compassion Sunday resources will include:

Child sponsorship forms which contain photos and information about specific children who are waiting for sponsors and will only be available to sponsor at your event

Brochures and posters to promote your event

T-shirt to wear at your event, if you don’t already have one

Instruction Guide with information to answer any questions you have

And any extra resources you request when you register

For a list of all resources, see pages 14-15 in this booklet.

If you have questions, or if you haven’t received your Resource Pack seven days prior to your event, please call us on 1300 22 44 53. We are ready and waiting to help!

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Page 12: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[10]COMPASSION SUNDAY

[4] PREPARE Planning all the different parts of your event is essential to its success. As you prepare, 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! Other Compassion supporters, your Missions Coordinator, your friends or colleagues might be keen to help you. If you would like extra support, contact your local Compassion CAN Relationship Manager by emailing [email protected]

YouR PRESENTATIoN

Your Compassion Sunday event can be a short presentation with your group, or it can be an entire church service—it’s up to you! Part 3 of this pack, Your Compassion Sunday Presentation, includes everything you need to give an engaging and inspiring presentation.

Pray about which of the following elements are best suited to you and your audience:

Presentation scripts and ideas

Sermon outlines

Facts on poverty

Suggested scriptures and worship music

Activities for children, and much more...

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COMPassION sUNdaY’s FIVe stePs

Page 13: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[11]YOUR GUIDE

Compassion Sunday was an easy way to talk in my church about children in poverty and what people can do to bring about change. People were inspired and wanted to sponsor a child after my presentation. I was really encouraged by the response.” —Claudia, VIC

YouR DISPLAY

Plan in advance to have a sign-up table set up and think about how you will decorate it and what you will display. If you have a large audience, you might need more than one table.

Display the child sponsorships forms and brochures on your sign-up table on the day of your event. Your Resource Pack will include an Instruction Guide with suggestions about how to arrange your table.

Make sure you have plenty of pens available—and that they work!

Have a look at the child sponsorship forms before your event, especially the sign-up form, so that you can answer questions about how to fill it out on the day. Your Instruction Guide will also include more information on completing these forms.

Make sure any audio-visual equipment you need is available and check that it’s working properly on the day of your presentation.

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Page 14: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[12]COMPassION sUNdaY

[5] LAuNCHBefore your presentation on Compassion Sunday, meet with everyone who is helping you and ask God to bless your efforts. Pray that God will prompt people to respond to your message of hope, and that He will use your presentation to help many children living in poverty. And then relax! You are sharing from your own experience about a life-changing ministry to your friends, family, church or group—nothing to worry about.

Once you’ve delivered your presentation, Compassion Sunday really begins. Now is your chance to talk personally to all the people inspired to take action for children and families living in poverty.

Read through the Instruction Guide that comes with your Compassion Sunday Resource Pack. It includes lots of important information to help you run a successful event.

Go to the sign-up table immediately after your church service or group meeting ends.

Be positive and confident. You have a wonderful opportunity to share with people, so remember to engage with them. Just be yourself and let your passion shine through.

If you have others assisting you at the table, make sure you have briefed them to answer basic questions and help people complete the sign-up forms. The Instruction Guide explains how to fill out child sponsorship forms and return them to Compassion Australia.

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Page 15: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[13]YOUR GUIDE

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For more information visit www.compassionsunday.com.au or call 1300 22 44 53.

You may get a rush of people at your table needing attention all at once. If that happens, it helps to hold up a child sponsorship form, speak loudly enough for everyone to hear you, and give instructions to help the entire group know how to sign up.

If someone has a question that you are unable to answer, refer them to the Compassion website, www.compassion.com.au, give them one of the brochures that we supply in your Resource Pack, or suggest they call and speak with a Compassion staff on 1300 22 44 53.

If possible, leave your table display up for a week or until your next meeting. Some people may wish to think and pray about sponsoring before making a commitment.

With your church or group leader’s permission, provide an update the following week or at your next meeting to thank your congregation or group and share the results with them.

Page 16: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

COMPassION sUNdaY resOUrCesWe want to help you make your Compassion Sunday event as simple, fun and effective as possible. With that in mind, we will create a Resource Pack that best supports your event based on the information you provide when you register your event. We will send your Resource Pack to you one month before your event, and the child sponsorship forms should arrive one week before your big day.

Compassion Sunday resources include:

Child sponsorship forms These forms are the most important resource you will receive. Each child sponsorship form includes photos and information of a child waiting to be sponsored.

Compassion brochures These brochures will explain the ministry of Compassion and our four child development programs.

T-shirt Wear your Fairtrade Compassion t-shirt. It’s a great way to be recognised as a Compassion Sunday representative on the day of your presentation and beyond. If you don’t have a Compassion t-shirt make sure you let us know when you register.

Posters Let your church or group know about Compassion Sunday. Put these A3 posters up before your presentation to help generate excitement before the big day. Posters can also be downloaded from the website so you can start promoting your event early.

Instruction Guide This includes information about how to fill out the child sponsorship forms and how to mail them back to Compassion safely and securely.

[14]COMPassION sUNdaY

Page 17: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[15]YOUr GUIde

Children’s Ministry Resource Include even the smallest members of your church family in your event 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.

It will take up to four weeks to process all new child sponsorships once the forms have been returned to Compassion Australia—so keep an eye out for the final tally!

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Children’s Ministry Activity Book

Page 18: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[16]COMPASSION SUNDAY

tHaNK YOU FOr BeING a Part OF

Page 19: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[17]YOUR GUIDE

Page 20: Compassion Sunday Planning Pack

[18]COMPASSION SUNDAY

[reVIew aNd PraY]Pray for Compassion Sunday and your event planning.

[taLK]Talk to your church or group leader to ask permission to join Compassion Sunday, then tell your group, friends or church

family all about your event.

[reGIster]Register at www.compassionsunday.com.au

so we know you’re part of the day.

[PrePare]Prepare your presentation and event using

the resources in this pack and invite others to help.

[LaUNCH]Launch Compassion Sunday in your church or group with your passionate

presentation and an engaging display. You’re part of a movement that will see God bring hope and a future to children living in poverty.

CoMPASSIoN AuSTRALIAPO Box 1, Hunter Region MC NSW 2310

Phone: 1300 22 44 53 Fax: 02 4935 5099Email: [email protected]

ABN 67 001 692 566www.compassionsunday.com.au

Compassion Sunday is an initiative of

CSBK

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CoMPASSIoN SuNDAY’S FIVE STEPS