As part of a loving church family, you may have been on the receiving end of many thoughtful acts of kindness.
Whether you are receiving encouragement during a difficult time, or someone has made a point of encouraging you in everyday life with kind words, saying thank you to your church family is the right thing to do.
These examples of a thank you note to church family for prayers and other acts of kindness and generosity can help you in writing a thoughtful thank you note to your church family.
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Thank You Note to Church Family for Prayers and Other Gifts: 10 Examples
There are several ways to say thank you to your church family. If you are the pastor or another staff member, it might be convenient to address the congregation directly, or include a printed short message in a bulletin or newsletter.
Other members of the church family might be able to address a smaller group of people in person, or update their prayer request and end with “We thank you for your prayers.”
These sample letters can be used word for word, filling in the blanks appropriately where needed. Or you can use these sample notes to inspire your own letter.
Most of these will be written from the point of view of a pastor or staff member; please adapt them to fit your situation.
General Thank You Note to Church Family
This note is good for almost any situation where you have been through a difficult time. It should be adapted with a few pertinent details.
Dear friends,
I am so thankful for each and every one of you as I recently went through [problem, crisis, or other situation.]
With each text, phone call, card, meal, and more, we felt loved and supported by these acts of kindness.
Your encouragement means so much to me. Romans 15:2 tells us that “Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.” As I went through this difficult time, you each were edifying me and building me up in Christ with your acts of service.
Thank you for praying me through this difficult time. May God bless you today.
In Him, [Your Name]
General Thank You Note to Church Family, with limited information
There may be times where you need to write a thank you note to a group of people or to a person, but the situation is too sensitive or painful to put on paper or in a text. Other times, you can be in a place where you can’t share details because it isn’t your story to tell.
The best thing to do in those situations is to keep your note short and to the point. You can acknowledge the gift or kindness someone has given you, without going into further detail.
Dear Fellow Church Members,
I have felt your encouragement and unwavering support, and I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your thoughtfulness and your prayers.
Proverbs 17:17a says that “A friend loves at all times.” I am very blessed by your kindness to me, my dear friends.
May God bless you all today.
[Your Name]
Thank You Note to Church Family Following Surgery or Other Health Concern
If you’ve had surgery, treatment, or gone through a health crisis in your life, you can need a lot of support. This can extend to prayers, meals brought over, covering for a responsibility you have at church or elsewhere, and much, much more.
This can also be the case when you act as a caregiver for family members with a health issue.
When you are able, writing a thank you note is a lovely way to show sincere gratitude for the prayers and acts of service you have received.
Dear Friends at [church name],
Many of you know about the difficult time our family has had lately with [my illness, my child’s health, my spouse’s treatment, etc.]
This time in our lives has been challenging. The Lord has been gracious to us in many ways! We count you, your prayers, and your help as blessings from the Lord. Thank you so much for ministering to us in these ways.
I especially want to thank you for [to a large group, list some general tasks; to an individual, be specific.] These things done for us on the behalf of the church family make life a little easier for us right now.
Hebrews 13:16 says that “But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” You have lived out this verse in our lives, and for that we are thankful!
God bless you,
[Name]
Thank You Note to Church Family with Testimony/Report
One type of thank you note that can be especially meaningful to the people who receive it is one that includes a testimony or report of how it made a difference in your life.
This doesn’t have to be a dramatic or life-changing testimony. Small acts of kindness can make such a big difference when you are discouraged.
It can be a huge blessing to the person who helped you to know that the good thing they did made a meaningful impact in your life.
This type of note is more difficult to demonstrate in the “fill in the blank” approach; here, we will use the example of a group of people from the church family who prayed for the pastor, as well as providing meals to a pastor’s family during recovery from the pastor’s surgery.
Dear friends,
As I continue to recover from surgery, I am reflecting on 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.”
The recovery from surgery is going well, but has been more difficult than I anticipated. There are many more adjustments we’ve had to make, and doctors we’ve had to see, than we planned.
My family here at home has been so supportive. I am thankful for their patience and their hard work as they help me with so many things.
And I am so thankful for my church family! Your prayers mean so much to me, and do make a difference. We believe that the scheduling of the surgery was an answer to prayer; we did not think I would be able to have it for several months.
Your meals have helped us so much as well. There are a lot of details to manage as we try to figure out how to follow the post-surgery instructions for recovery, and having dinners provided to us has made our days just enough easier.
We’ve been able to take a moment to catch our breath instead of having to think through dinner for the night. And the meals have been so tasty!
Thank you also for understanding when I needed to rest, and wasn’t able to visit with you. I would have loved to spend time with all of you, but my body needs so much rest right now.
Your prayer and acts of kindness have been a great example of how a church family can show great love to each other. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in ministering to me and my family in this way.
May the Lord bless you,
Pastor.
Prayer Request Update Thank You Note
Some requests we pray for can be intense or have a lot of potential to impact a life. We often reach out to our church family to pray for these requests. It can be good to send a thank you note or include one in a prayer request list or bulletin once you have an update.
If the matter is sensitive, be careful about how much information you include. Often, we are praying about matters that ultimately aren’t our story to tell. This is where it might be more appropriate to offer a verbal thank you to a person.
If your prayer request update is able to be shared freely, then consider the following sample letter.
Dear friends,
We are so grateful for your prayers about [situation]. It has encouraged us as we have been facing this hard time.
James 5:16b reminds us that “The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.” My dear church family, I have seen the effectiveness of your prayers in this situation.
I knew I could trust you to pray for [circumstance], and it blessed me to know you were praying. Lately, we have seen [this change in circumstance].
It may have gone a little different than how we pictured it going, but we have seen God working out His will for this situation.
We’ve also experienced His peace about however He ultimately chooses to answer this. He has been teaching us a lot along the way, and we are grateful for how God is using this situation to refine us.
We humbly ask that you continue to pray for this prayer request. We are so thankful for your prayers.
Please let us know how we can pray for you, too!
In Him, [Name]
Thank You Note to Church Family After Funeral Service
Losing someone dear to you is a heartbreaking time. Often, a church family will rally around a church member or pastor whose loved one has died.
Sending a thank you note to the church congregation or to individual people after this time is a sweet way to show your gratitude for their thoughtfulness.
This example letter will use the scenario of someone whose father has passed away.
Dear friends,
I want to thank you for the prayers, love, and kindness I received when my father went on to be with the Lord.
He was a great father, a wonderful husband, a true friend, and an example of a loving and hardworking man. Many of you have met him over the years, and I hope you were able to see what an amazing man he was.
During this time, I was blessed with many texts, notes, phone calls, and voicemails that let me know I was being prayed for.
The meals that were brought over to the house so we didn’t have to think about cooking were so helpful, especially as we made the arrangements.
And I am grateful for the assistance that was offered for the funeral, plus the meal afterwards. We had so many things to think about, and it was very kind of you to help with these details.
Psalm 147:3 tells us, “He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.” Continue to pray for me and my family as we carry on in our grieving, that we would cling to the Lord as we work through our grief.
The comfort and strength that the Lord provides through these prayers is a great blessing to us in our time of need.
God be with you,
[Name]
Special Occasion Thank You Note
Often, the church family is thoughtful about remembering special occasions like a birthday, a wedding anniversary, or the anniversary of the date a pastor started at the church.
When a special milestone is acknowledged by the church family, it is good to be thankful to those involved by sending a thank you note.
Dear friends,
We are overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness in your recent recognition of [milestone]. How sweet of you to commemorate the occasion with [the gift, event, or other recognition].
This milestone is so special to us because [reason]. It was very meaningful to share this occasion with you. Thank you for your sweet well-wishes, and for the prayers for us over the years.
We have many new special memories because of your celebration of [this milestone]. We are grateful to you for blessing us in this way!
Thanks again,
[Name]
Volunteer or Service Thank You Note
Most churches could not do even half of what they do without faithful volunteers. These volunteers should not be taken for granted. Instead, they should be equipped and encouraged in their roles.
A simple way to encourage them is a short thank you note or text. If you can make this part of a regular routine, you can spread encouragement to so many people!
Do you have five minutes before the next appointment or video call? Send a quick note.
Remember how that person helped you exactly when you need it? Write a short text to them.
This short sample note can be sent to a variety of volunteers who have used their skills and talents in service to the Lord.
Dear friend,
I want to thank you for taking the time to volunteer in [this area]. You have blessed so many with your great work through this ministry!
I see the difference it makes in [example of how it helps the church, a group of people, or a person.] You go above and beyond in your efforts. Thank you for the time and skill you put into this ministry.
We thank God for you!
God bless you, [Name].
Thank You Note to Church Family for Financial Support or Monetary Gift
There are different times in the lives of a pastor, staff member, or church family member where a financial gift will make a significant difference in their life.
When a gift like that is given, take the time to write a thank you note. Don’t let too much time go by. Even if much time has passed, send a belated note anyway.
Personalize the letter for the situation. The sample letter will be to an individual; adapt it if you need to use it for a group of people or the whole church family.
Dear friend,
Thank you so much for thinking of me and sending such a generous gift. You have blessed me and my family.
We have been concerned about paying for [scenario], and your financial gift has alleviated this burden. Thank you for being an answer to our prayers! And thank you for praying for us.
We are blessed by your generous and thoughtful gift. May our Heavenly Father bless you and your family!
With a thankful heart,
[Name]
Short Thank You Phrases for Letters or Texts
If none of these situations apply, or you don’t want to use a whole sample letter, these short thank you phrases can help you craft a letter or text of your own. Some you may recognize from earlier letters, and some are new for this list of thank you phrases.
- Thank you for remembering me in your prayers.
- Your thoughtfulness means the world to me. Thanks for praying.
- Your faithful prayers have made a difference in my life.
- Your prayers are a blessing to me and my entire family.
- I am so thankful for the prayers of my church community.
- “I thank my God whenever I remember you.” Philippians 1:3
- Your prayers helped comfort me during this difficult time.
- We are encouraged so much by your prayers as we struggle through these challenges.
- “I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 1:4
- Thank you for your prayers, gifts, and other blessings that you have supported us with through this difficult time.
- Your kind gesture made a huge impact on my day. Thank you!
- Your prayers are a sweet act of kindness to me and my family!
- People’s lives are changed because of your prayers. Thank you for consistently praying for me and my family.
3 Tips on Sending Thank You Messages to Church Family
- Keep a list of who you want to thank. If you are going through a crisis, adjusting to a new health condition, or entering a more complicated phase in life, it can be hard to remember who you want to send heartfelt thanks to.
If sending text messages would be “enough” of a thank you to that person – this often can depend on a person’s age, but also the magnitude of their kindness – then try to stay current with thank you text messages if you can.
Otherwise, try to keep a list in your phone or on paper in a central place, so that you can catch up on writing thank you notes when you are able.
- Include a small Bible verse card with your note. This is a small thoughtful touch you can add to your thank you notes, especially if you tend to write shorter notes.
This is what I have on hand to write thank you notes: postage stamps, these simple cards from Walmart, Share a Blessing Bible Verse Cards, and Share a Verse Scripture Cards.
There may be better options for the Bible verse cards out there. Not every Bible verse card in these packs is the right choice to put in a thank you card. I did explore some printable Bible verses on Etsy like this one, but haven’t found the “perfect” Bible verse pack to recommend.
- Give yourself grace, and ask others to do the same. If you are going through a challenging time right now, most people won’t expect you to be prompt with your thank you notes or messages.
As mentioned before, if you can get a broader thank you note or message out to the church family through the bulletin, a prayer request update, or a trusted friend, then that might be your best strategy until you can get individual written thank you notes out to the people you know would be hurt or offended.
People should not do things for others for the gratitude they receive. But Jesus observed how people would not give thanks for even life-changing miracles when He healed the people with leprosy (Luke 17:11-19).
Give your thanks to people, and if it is much delayed, add “Thank you for your understanding to the delay of this note as I [fill in the blank]. It has been a difficult time.” A short note can go a long way in helping people feel appreciated.
We hope this blog post has been helpful in providing you with some ideas for how to write a thank you letter to your church family. Remember to keep it simple, be sincere, and express your gratitude in a way that is meaningful to you.
Whether you are a church pastor, youth minister, church member, board member, or another valued person in the church family or a small group, these helpful sample letters from Church Ministry Help can be useful for composing the perfect letter or text message with your heartfelt gratitude.
Be a blessing to those who have blessed you!
And don’t forget to give yourself grace if you’re not able to get a thank you note out right away. The most important thing is that you show your sincere appreciation for the prayers and support of your church family.
Thank you for reading! If you liked this, you may also like Prayer Before Sermon and Inspirational Words for Pastor Appreciation.