How to Create a Family Ministry Bucket List

Families should serve God, your church, your community and each other.  A great way to make sure you are doing just that is to create a list of mission, ministry or serving activities you can do together as a group.  A family ministry ‘bucket list” that you can hang on the fridge as a reminder.

Why Build a Family Ministry Bucket List?

A bucket list consists of things you want to do in a lifetime, or year, or in this case, before your child turns 21 or leaves home, etc.

The concept has been around a while, but your children may not have heard of it, so it is worth an explanation so they grasp the concept.  It’s fun and exciting to for them to be a part of the creation of a bucket list.

Not only will the items on the bucket list help other people, but it will create, build and preserve some wonderful family memories.

You Will Need

• Paper and pens or pencils
• A plastic sand bucket, or other container
• Pens or Markers
• Index cards or popsicle sticks

How To Create A Bucket List

The first think to do is have a family meeting and discuss what a bucket list is all the possible ways your family could serve.  God, the church, the world, the community, and each other.  Let everyone throw in their ideas.  You will probably be surprised at the creativity your kids bring to the discussion.

Then everyone gets a piece of paper (or stick) and they write down their top 7 things they would like to add to the mission list.

The only rule is that everyone participates and all ideas are considered.

Some ideas include:

• Collecting trash from roadways
• Running a community Bible school (VBS)
• Making Chemo Bags for cancer patients
• Volunteering at an Animal Shelter
• Making blessing sacks to give out in the community
• Making craft kits (for VBS) or Christmas ornaments to send to missionaries to use in their outreaches.
• Going on mission day trips in your community
• Making craft kits (for VBS) or Christmas ornaments to send to missionaries to use in their outreaches.
• Working at a soup kitchen
• Run a community movie night for families.
• Organize and provide games and activities for kids in a needy community
• Volunteer at a nursing home
• Gather books for sick children
• Deliver books and stuffed animals to children in a hospital
• Go on a week-long mission trip as a family
• Make a list of people to bake goodies for, perhaps widows or shutins in your neighborhood

Finishing Your List

After everyone is finished with their list, it is time to read them out loud and decide which goes on the family list.  Take turns sharing ideas and as each person reads their list, they have the opportunity to provide reasons the family should include each item on the bucket list.

You may find that some of the items listed are better for individuals.

Everyone should have a say in the items that are included and if there is one specific activity that someone has a dislike for, perhaps take that into consideration when choosing family activities to serve.

Set a limit on the total items you want on the bucket list for now. Create a master list merging duplicate items and making sure every family member’s ideas are included.

Once you have your list, then you will want to organize, prioritize and decide which ideas will become a reality.   If you have more ideas than you want on your list, make a “backup list.”  As your family works through some of the missions on your bucket list, then you can add additional.

Once you have agreed on a bucket list of items.  List each item on an index card (or stick).  Kids can decorate the cards if they wish.

Put the cards in the bucket.  Kids can also decorate the bucket.

Serve

Now select your first mission or service project.

You may also want to determine as a family how often you want to do a ministry, mission or project.  It may be once a week or month during the school year but three times a week in the summer.   Whatever works for your family is the right amount, but you want it to be often enough that kids keep serving on their minds.

Talk about how you will be serving and who you will serve the evening before at dinner or at breakfast before you leave.

It is important to plan ahead so everyone knows what to expect and how to dress.

To remember your missions and service projects, remember to take a camera along to capture your family in service together.

After Each Project

As you complete each ministry project, gather around your bucket and discuss what you enjoyed and how you felt performing the project together as a family.   Write a brief note about the service on the back of the card and include the date you served.  You might also take a family video with each one contributing from their experience.  (This is helpful if you decide to create a scrapbook of your service or in the future if you just want to reminisce.  I know a family that goes through their bucket to remember what they have done with their family on New Year's Eve each year.)

Display Your Bucket

Keep the master list in a prominent place for all family members to see.  You can also keep your bucket of completed projects in a central location.  You will often find family members dipping into the bucket to read the memories.

It is important to serve together as a family.  Your children will learn there is more to life than the next video game or money.   They will learn that ministry is important, to help others, to care about a picture bigger than themselves.

Remember this is your family’s commitment to serve God together.   It will also be time spent together and a great way to create family memories.