The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us. Calendars fill quickly, to-do lists stretch long, and it can feel like the rhythm of life accelerates when we really want to be slowing down. Gratitude has the power to slow us down and re-center us on the Lord’s faithfulness.
Here are some simple, meaningful ways your church can cultivate habits of gratitude that last well beyond the holidays.
Daily rhythms of gratitude
We often make gratitude more complicated than it needs to be. In reality, it’s about small, steady practices that shape our perspective over time.
One of the simplest places to begin is in prayer. Invite your congregation to start and end each day by offering a short prayer of thanksgiving. Even a sentence or two naming specific blessings can begin to shift how people see their circumstances and their relationships.
Another meaningful practice is journaling. Encourage families, small groups, or even entire ministries to keep a gratitude journal together. This could be as simple as a notebook passed around the dinner table or a shared digital note where everyone contributes.
Over time, the collection becomes a powerful record of God’s goodness—something to revisit during seasons when encouragement is needed most.
Technology can also serve this habit of thankfulness. Through your church app or Pushpay’s communication tools, you can send daily or weekly reminders that nudge people to pause and reflect on what they’re grateful for. These gentle prompts can spark new rhythms of gratitude in the middle of busy schedules, helping members anchor their hearts in God’s provision.
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One of the most tangible ways to practice thankfulness is through giving. When people give out of gratitude, they practice demonstrating the reality that everything we have is a gift from God.
Digital giving made simple: Show your congregation how quick and secure it is to give through Pushpay’s text, app, or web options.
Covering processing fees as a gift: Some givers may not know they can choose to cover the cost of transaction fees so that 100% of their donation supports ministry. This small act is an overlooked way to express generosity.
Creative giving options: For those with unique assets, Pushpay supports stock and cryptocurrency donations, as well as non-cash gifts. These gifts often open doors for generosity people hadn’t considered before.
Gratitude in community life
Thankfulness grows stronger when it’s shared. During your church’s holiday gatherings, you have the opportunity to make gratitude a collective experience, not just an individual one.
By weaving intentional moments of thanksgiving into your events, you can help your community see and celebrate God’s goodness together.
One way to do this is through thank-you campaigns. Use your church app or email lists to publicly recognize volunteers, ministry teams, or faithful donors. A simple word of acknowledgment can go further than we realize. It reassures people that their contributions matter and strengthens their connection to the mission of the church.
You can also elevate gratitude by sharing stories of impact. Testimonies of how generosity has blessed others, whether a family within your congregation or a mission partner serving across the globe, help people see that their giving and their gratitude are making a real difference. These stories put faces and names to the impact, turning thankfulness into something tangible.
Finally, create space for group gratitude practices. In small groups, Sunday classes, or ministry team meetings, set aside time for each person to share something they’re thankful for.
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Gratitude can ripple out into the community in powerful ways. Holiday traditions are the perfect time to point your thankfulness outward.
Community service projects: Organize food drives, toy collections, or support for local shelters. Pair these projects with intentional conversations about gratitude as the “why” behind service.
Dedicated giving funds: With Pushpay’s Giving software, it’s easy to set up giving tabs for holiday outreach like Thanksgiving meals or Christmas initiatives. When people see a direct path from their gift to a community need, generosity multiplies.
Global generosity: Encourage your church to support international missions or relief efforts. Specific opportunities—like disaster relief or missionary partnerships—help congregants tie their gratitude to a cause beyond their neighborhood.
Tools that make gratitude sustainable
The right systems can help thankfulness last longer than a single season.
ChurchStaq: With an all-in-one platform, you can centralize giving, communication, and reporting so thankfulness initiatives don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Pushpay Insights: Use data to identify and personally thank recurring donors, new givers, or those who re-engage after a long break. Insights help ensure no act of generosity goes unnoticed.
Automated donor thank-yous: Pushpay allows you to set up personalized emails or app messages that send automatically when someone gives. These touchpoints nurture a culture where gratitude is both given and received.
The discipline of gratitude
The beauty of practicing thankfulness during the holidays is that it doesn’t have to end when the decorations come down. Small, daily habits of gratitude can shape the spiritual lives of your people and the health of your church year-round.
This season, consider choosing one new gratitude practice for your church to lean into, whether it’s a digital habit, a community project, or a communication rhythm. Gratitude has a way of multiplying, and when it takes root, it can transform not only your church but also the community you serve.
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Jonathan Louvis
Jon is the SEO Marketing Manager at Pushpay. Most recently, he worked as the Communications Director for his local church in Ohio. Having worked in the Church, he’s able to bring a unique perspective to his role at Pushpay. When he’s not busy creating content, you can find him spending time with his wife, two sons, and dog, or indulging his love of fantasy football. Jon holds a B.S in Marketing Management and an M.B.A from Western Governors University.
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