The 3 Minute, 83 Cent Investment Families Need 

“Dear Fix-it Felix.”  

This is the opening line from a postcard my son received eight years ago. It was from his Sunday school teacher, Mrs. Joe. My son’s name isn’t Fix-It Felix, but this is what he wanted to be called in his younger days.  

In the years since receiving that postcard, hundreds of pieces of mail have passed through our home. Why does Mrs. Joe’s postcard stand out (and why is it still in a shoebox in my closet)?  

It affirmed that my son was learning about God from a teacher who cared for him personally. Instead of a generic letter sent to 17 kids or a mass email, my son received a hand-written note, addressed to him in his preferred nickname, from the woman we trusted with his soul every Sunday. It communicated not only her attention as a teacher but her genuine love. The postcard excited him but ministered to me.  

Here are four reasons to send postcards to your Sunday school kids this week:  

• Postcards are cheap. Postcard stamps cost 53 cents. Most postcards cost about 20 cents. There may not be a better way to invest in a kid for 83 cents!  

• Postcards are precious. In our increasingly digital world, handwritten notes uniquely express the gift of someone’s personal attention and care. Postcards are a bonus way to build connections with kids in a world that keeps closing doors. They are kept long after another disappointing plastic toy is lost to the depths of a minivan.  Emails and text messages have their place in church ecosystems: volunteer sign-ups, weekly Bible verses, schedule changes, prayer lists, etc. Postcards are a precious medium. They have someone’s handwriting. They can be tucked into a Bible or stuck to a refrigerator. They bring excitement today and encouragement in a year.  

• Postcards are easy. No licking envelopes! All you need is a stamp, a pen, their address, and a postcard. Using the template below, preparing a postcard should take less than three minutes. Postcards are easier to write for lots of kids because they are short and need just three or four well-written sentences.  

• Postcards are effective. Kids love getting mail. They will be thrilled. However, a kid’s mail passes through a parent’s hands first. Postcards are a courteous, vibrant, and obligation-free touchpoint for families. Postcards do not clutter an inbox, demand a response, or ask for donations! When parents see your warm and thoughtful message to their kid, they experience gratitude and connection. Rarely is a parent more grateful than when another adult genuinely cares for their kid. Postcards can make parents feel more connected to your church family. This gesture can increase trust in their church experience, motivate them to attend when they are tempted to stay home, and undergird their own commitment. It is easier to skip worship or consider visiting another church if parents think their kid will not be missed. Our son never missed Mrs. Joe’s class (and often brought donuts for classmates and a coffee for Mrs. Joe).  

Try this easy template for your next postcard:  

1. Greeting. Write the kid’s name (or nickname!) and a reference to the last time you saw him. “Hey Marco! It was so good seeing you last Sunday!” 

2. A personal sentence: “I hope your math test went well!” or “How is your puppy Jellybeans doing?”  

3. Reminder of a Bible truth from Sunday’s lesson: “Just like God helped king David, God helps us too!”  

4. Final encouragement: “I can’t wait to study the book of Jonah with you this Sunday!” or “I am praying your broken arm heals quickly.” 

5. Sign your name. Sign your name clearly. It’s surprising how many parents may not know your name! They will appreciate the reminder, especially if they are new.  

Mrs. Joe was a good Bible teacher but excelled at valuing children as image-bearers of God on the deepest level. I hope and pray she is still welcoming children into the gospel of Christ with her tremendous postcards. Will you join her this week? Fix-It Felix would tell you it’s worth it.