Easter is the biggest day of the year for most churches—and one of the best opportunities for your church to reach its community. But making the most of Easter requires more than a great service; it’s about creating opportunities to connect with both regular attendees and first-time visitors in meaningful ways.

Here are five ways your church can maximize its Easter planning efforts to engage your community and make a lasting impact.

1. Start Planning Early

The earlier you start planning for Easter, the better prepared your church will be to make a big impact. Here’s why early planning matters:

  • More Time to Promote: Give your church members and leaders ample time to promote Easter events through social media, email, and community outreach.
  • Better Volunteer Coordination: Easter services often require more volunteers. When you start recruiting early, you have a higher likelihood of ensuring all roles are filled.
  • Room for Creativity: Early planning allows for creative ideas to emerge without the pressure of last-minute deadlines.

Want to take it to another level? Create a dedicated Easter planning team that meets regularly to ensure everything stays on track and gets done.

2. Focus on Community Outreach

Easter is a natural time for people to visit your church, even if they don’t regularly attend. Your church can take advantage of this by focusing on outreach efforts that invite the community to join you.

Consider these outreach ideas:

  • Host an Egg Hunt: This family-friendly event can draw people to your church before Easter Sunday.
  • Create Invitation Cards: Encourage church members to invite friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. Giving them something to use as an invite increases the likelihood of them inviting people and of people accepting the invite.
  • Partner with Local Events: Participate in local school, business, or city-wide events to spread the word about your Easter services.

Want to take it to another level? Creating shareable invitation tools, such as printed flyers or cards and digital graphics allows church members an easier opportunity to invite others.

3. Create a Welcoming First-Time Visitor Experience

First impressions matter—especially on Easter Sunday when many people may be visiting your church for the first time. Make their experience unforgettable by planning for every step of their visit.

Here’s how to create a welcoming environment:

  • Parking Team: Have volunteers ready to greet visitors in the parking lot.
  • Welcome Team: Place greeters at every entrance to offer a warm welcome.
  • Kids Ministry Check-In: Ensure your kids’ check-in process is quick and easy for families.
  • Follow-Up System: Plan a follow-up strategy to connect with first-time visitors after Easter.

Want to take it to another level? Provide first-time visitors with a welcome packet that includes information about your church and a small gift. And, again, have a follow-up plan.

4. Use Easter as a Launchpad for New Ministries

Don’t let Easter be a one-time event. Use it as a springboard to introduce new ministries or programs that keep visitors coming back.

Here are some ideas:

  • Small Groups: Launch new small groups the week after Easter to encourage ongoing connections.
  • Community Service Projects: Announce upcoming service opportunities to show your church’s heart for the community.
  • Kids and Youth Programs: Highlight upcoming events for children and teens to engage families.

Want to take it to another level? Promote these follow-up opportunities during the Easter service and during your follow-up to provide easy ways for people to get involved.

5. Leverage Digital Outreach

In today’s digital age, your Easter planning must include an online component. Use your church’s digital presence to spread the word and engage with your community leading up to Easter.

Here’s how to leverage digital outreach:

  • Social Media Campaign: Create shareable graphics and videos to promote your Easter services.
  • Event Landing Page: Build a dedicated Easter event page on your church website with all the details. Make the address easy to remember like yourchurch.com/easter.
  • Email Invitations: Send regular emails to your congregation and encourage them to forward the invite to friends.

Want to take it to another level? Use digital ads on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to extend your reach beyond your regular followers.

Final Thoughts: Make Easter Count

Easter isn’t just another Sunday; it’s a powerful opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel with your community. By starting early, focusing on outreach, creating a welcoming environment, launching new ministries, and maximizing your digital presence, your church can make Easter truly impactful.

Want more guidance? Let’s build something original, together.