15 Ways to Support the Pioneers in Your Congregation That You’ve Probably Never Thought Of
There is something so beautiful about having many pioneers in a congregation. They are out there in all weather, in every kind of territory, producing beautiful spiritual blooms year after year. And they make it look almost effortless, which is, of course, part of the problem. Because it isn’t effortless, not even a little.
Pioneering is full-time spiritual work done on a part-time budget, often with a small side job tucked in around the edges, and always with a lot of effort, but great joy. Sometimes though, if you pay attention and look closely enough, you can see the signs that they might need a little more in the way of encouragement or support underneath all that joy.
And the pioneers themselves are, of course, hopeless at asking. They are too busy asking after everyone else. So this is for the rest of us, the friends who would love to do something, but who maybe just need a few ideas to start. Here are fifteen of them:
1. Stock the congregation fridge for them
If your Kingdom Hall has a fridge, oh, what a gift this is. Keep it quietly stocked with water bottles, juice boxes, string cheese, fruit, granola bars, those little hummus and pretzel cups, anything a pioneer can grab on their way out the door for a long day in service. Pop a sweet little sign on it that says something like please help yourself, pioneers. They will. And it will mean more than you know.
2. Be their ride. Or, better, let them be yours
Gas prices are doing what gas prices do – always going up. Pioneers are quietly putting hundreds of extra miles on their cars every month, and that mileage adds up in ways most of us never have to think about. Offer to drive for the whole car group on a Saturday. Or invite a pioneer to ride along with you for a change. Letting them sit in the passenger seat for a morning, just chatting and witnessing without having to think about the route or the tank, is such an underrated little gift.
3. Slip them a gift card now and then
Think sometihing practical, like a gas card, a grocery gift card, a card to the coffee shop you know they frequent near the territory. It’s not a grand gesture, but it does say “I’m thinking of you. Thank you for what you do for Jehovah.” and “We appreciate your fine example.”
4. Pack them a service bag lunch
Some pioneers spend a startling amount of money eating out simply because there is no time to go home between morning service and afternoon return visits. If you know someone is doing a long day, text them the night before and offer to drop off a packed lunch at the Hall. A real sandwich, some fruit, a treat, a cold drink. Everyone delights at a thoughtfully packed lunch. If you really want to go the extra mile, you can offer to pack them lunches for a whole week.
5. Take a turn making the plan
The hidden tax of pioneering is the planning. Always being the one who texts everyone, has the territory, plans the service days. Sometimes the kindest thing a friend can offer is, I’ve got the plan today, just show up. Even one Saturday a month of not having to organize a thing is a real exhale.
6. Be their once a month ministry partner
Set a standing date, on the same day each month, to do service together. Make sure it’s a real date on the calendar, not floating somewhere in the realm of we should really get out together sometime. It can be a struggle sometimes to constantly have to find people to work with, and a reliable monthly partner is worth their weight in gold.
While you’re at it, suggest something a little different now and then. Letter writing on a rainy afternoon, public witnessing at the park, informal at the farmer’s market. Both your hearts will thank you and your day in service will certainly be an exciting one.
7. Send a sincere note for no reason at all
Not for their pioneer anniversary, not at the end of the service year, not at any of the predictable moments. Give them something small in encouraging on what could be just a random Tuesday. It can say “I was thinking about how much your example encourages me. Thank you for being so faithful.” Don’t let our precious pioneers go long stretches without anyone telling them they are seen. A little card from a friend on a random Tuesday can sit on a fridge and encourage them for many years.
8. Help with their car
Not the most glamorous part of pioneering, I know. Brakes, oil changes, and sometimes a dashboard light that has been on for, oh, three months. If you know cars, this is something especially precious to offer. If you don’t, offering to pay for a trusted mechanic also counts. A pioneer whose car is in good shape is a pioneer who can keep showing up, and so much of pioneering rides, very literally, on the car.
9. Offer to Babysit (or Pet-sit, or House-sit)
If a pioneer in your congregation has children, or a dog, or aging parents at home, the simple gift of “I’ve got it, go pioneer in peace” is one of the kindest things you can offer. The idea is to free them up so they can be fully present in their ministry.
10. Pray for them by name
Pray for the specific pioneers in your congregation by name. For their joy, for their stamina, for their finances, for that one Bible study they have been working with for so long, and for the days when getting out the door might be harder than usual. The friends who pray for the pioneers are supporting through their prayers to Jehovah, and this is beautiful.
Our pioneers are some of the most precious friends in the congregation. They spend hours encouraging the rest of us and helping new ones meet our God, Jehovah.
Maybe make it a fun little goal this week to pick one of these for one specific pioneer you can picture right now. Who comes to mind? Maybe that’s Jehovah directing you to the person who needs it the most.
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Pioneer Life
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