Christmas Gift Suggestions

Overworked & Under Appreciated
Remembering The Ones That Serve With You

The People You Serve With.

It's that time of year again when life's pace is slightly beyond hectic. The to-do list is stacking up and there's always more to do then there is time to do it. With Christmas program rehearsals, children's bell choir, Rock the Manger Youth night, special message preparation plus the regular schedule of meeting's like counseling appointments, small groups, board meeting's, not to mention the other 40 hours of work you put in somewhere else, you may be feeling kind of stretched right now. It almost makes you feel like screaming. Go ahead. Do it. ARRRGGHH!!! There now, doesn't that feel better?

OK! We've dealt with your issues. Now let's turn our focus onto to something else. Go ahead and take a look at all the other people around you that are working just as hard and may be feeling a bit under-appreciated right about now. Think for a minute about how they have blessed you. Actually stop reading this for a moment and remember how the wonderful people in your church have blessed you through their serving over the last year.

So who did you think about? What can you do for them to show that you appreciate how much they give? Well, one thing you can do right now is pick up the phone and call them to let them know how you feel or maybe send them a card with a genuine "thank you" message hand written on the inside. Whatever it is you think you should do, do it now because the truth is that if someone was to call you in the next minute and tell you how much they appreciate you, you would feel great.

If you feel like going beyond the "call" of duty and want to do something extra special then maybe we can help with that. The people that you serve with are passionate about the church and they are passionate about what they do in the church. You are. That's why you do what you do. If you want to bless them beyond a phone call or a card then give them a gift according to their passion. Give them something that will help them do what they do better. Maybe your pastor would like a headworn mic but the church doesn't have the budget for it. You can get him one. Perhaps your sound person is new but eager to learn how to do his or her job with excellence. Get them the training materials they crave.

We have put some ideas together that will help you choose a gift for the person that you want to bless. Below are just a few of those ideas. Go here for an even bigger list of great gift ideas.

Gifts for your Pastor
Countryman E6i Headset Mic
The E6i is the most popular headworn mic for good reason. Pastors love the way they sound when they wear this mic. It is virtually invisible so its appearance won't detract from the message. The mic moves with your pastor (unlike a lapel mic) so the level of his voice won't fluctuate as he moves his head around. The E6i is comfortable and easy to wear.

M-Audio MicroTrack II Digital Handheld Recorder
Sometimes the greatest ideas for your pastor's messages don't come at the best times. Give them a MicroTrack II and it won't matter when those ideas come. This personal handheld digital recorder is easy to use. Your pastor can even use the MicroTrack II to record podcasts while he's sitting in his favorite chair at home.

Gifts for your Tech Team
Sony MDR-7506 Headphones,
Most of your sound techs would love a pair of these great sounding headphones. Give them these and a few really great CDs to listen too and they will be in audio heaven.

The Ultimate Church Sound Operators Handbook
Whether your sound person is new or has been running sound for years they will appreciate this easy to read, practical book written specifically for church sound techs by a professional church sound tech

Gifts for your Worship Leader
Shure SCL-3 Earbuds
Give your worship leader the gift of better sounding monitor mix. They will love the way the SCL-3s (previously E3) sound. These earbuds were designed to make your worship leader happy. Plus these are great for use with an iPod or other personal audio player.

Zoom H2 Digital Handheld Recorder
This small, portable recorder will allow your worship leader to capture moments of inspiration which can later be turned into beautiful songs of worship. He or she can also use the H2 during music practice in order to record what's going and later share the file with the whole team via email or worship team internet.

Gifts for Musicians/Singers
Beginner worship Keyboard package
Maybe you know someone who has always wanted to play piano but they don't want to go through classical training and maybe don't want to spend the money on a real piano. This package is designed to take a complete beginner and equip them with the knowledge to begin worshiping on their piano.

Audio-Technica AT2010 Cardioid Condenser Vocal Mic
What singer wouldn't love their own microphone? The AT2010 is a great vocal mic and most singers will love the way they sound through it.

Shure KSM9 Vocal Microphone
Really good guitar players have their dream guitars and they are willing to pay lots of money for them. Maybe you know a vocalist who is really serious about singing. If so, they deserve the KSM9. This mic is awesome. It is worth spending the extra money to get a mic this good for someone who loves to sing.

These are just a few gift ideas for the people that you appreciate. If you would like to see more ideas go here.