Celebrating volunteers is a great way to increase volunteer retention. When people are told they’re doing a good job and that what they do is important, they want to keep doing it. Celebration is also a way to show gratitude. Leaders who celebrate volunteers will find it easier to recruit, lead and retain them.

Here are five ways to celebrate your volunteers regularly.

1. Throw a Party

Plan a yearly party to celebrate the hard work of every volunteer. Whether it’s a banquet, a cookout, a special service or even just a breakfast before a weekend service, make it a priority. If the size of your church allows, this party can be for all volunteers. For larger churches, encourage each volunteer area to host its own celebration.

The point is to have fun. Prepare games and activities that everyone will enjoy. It’s also a time to highlight the wins from the past year, renew the vision and enlist new volunteers. But make sure you take time to let everyone know how much you appreciate what they do.

2. Spotlight All-Stars

Put a spotlight on a few key volunteers who are doing a great job. You can do this monthly or weekly at your volunteer meeting, through your social media channels or even from the platform. Have your volunteer leaders give you the names of one or two volunteers who went above and beyond the call of duty.

The important thing to remember is to make every thank you sincere.

3. Reward Great Work

Outside of spotlighting a few, make sure you look for and acknowledge great work all the time. This means showing up in various areas of service and watching for those people who go the extra mile.

When you spot someone who is making a difference, don’t hesitate to point it out. People will be even more dedicated to their work when they know others see and appreciate it.

4. Say “Thank You”

Just tell them thanks for the hard work they do. Grand gestures require planning, coordination and extra time. But it takes only a few seconds to shake a hand and say, “Thank you.” And sometimes that goes further than a big event or major announcement.

You can do this in the hallway as you pass volunteers, while you’re checking in on ministry areas or even from the platform. The important thing to remember is to make every thank you sincere. People can tell when you are giving a heartfelt sign of gratitude and when you’re just saying words.

5. Put It in Writing

There are so many ways to celebrate your volunteers. And in the information age, there are plenty of means to show it. But there’s nothing like an old-fashioned handwritten note. Put your gratitude in writing.

Send out notes regularly to your key volunteers. Be specific regarding the great work you saw or heard about, and then tell them how their volunteer work is helping fulfill the vision of your church.

However you celebrate volunteers, make sure you do it regularly. You may need to keep a note on your calendar to remind you. But when you consistently celebrate, it will create a culture in which people enjoy serving.