Guidelines for Participating in Service Challenge:

Each participant will complete between three and eight different service projects prior to convention.

• Each service project should require at least ONE HOUR of the participants time, unless otherwise stated in the service projects listed below. If a project is extended beyond the minimum guidelines, it still counts as one project and cannot be recorded as a separate project. For example: you babysit 6 times for a total of 12 hours, it counts as one project.
• This is SERVICE, requiring preparation and service time.  It is not just an impromptu “good deed.”
• Select from the list of suggested service activities given below under resources. Participants are also encouraged to create projects that serve to meet the needs of individuals, builds up the church, or improves the community (see #20 under the grades 3-6 list and #25 under the grades 7-12 list). Be creative.
• Serving is a year-round project; therefore, all projects submitted must be completed by LTCSW pre-convention deadline. Any projects completed after this deadline are eligible for next year’s LTCSW Service Challenge.
• The church coordinator must sign the certification form to verify that each project complies with the Service Project guidelines.

 

Award Requirements:

Service Challenge is not a judged event. Awards to participants will be given according to the following criteria.

• Gold: 8 service projects
• Silver: 5 service projects
• Bronze: 3 service projects
• Failure to submit according to the rules and/or submission guidelines could result in a reduced rating being given.

 

Submission Protocol:

Submissions of Service Challenge entries should follow these guidelines.

• Service Challenge entries should be submitted to the Service Challenge event director.
• Submissions can be made via the REGISTRATION page uplink, or by email/postal mail to the event director.
• Click on the event director’s name posted at the top of this page, or visit the CONTACT US page, for information on how to submit materials to the event director.
• Submissions must include a Pre-Convention Cover Sheet (listing all Service Challenge participants from the church) and a copy of the Service Challenge Award Certification Form for each participant from the church registered in the event.
• All required materials must be submitted on or before the pre-convention submissions deadline (postal submissions must be post-marked on or before this date).
• Do not send entries in a manner that require signature receipt.
• The event coordinator will send confirmation of receipt of the submission to the church coordinator.
• If applicable to the participant(s), a LTCSW Special Needs or Concerns Form should be submitted to the LTCSW Special Needs Coordinator by the registration deadline.

 

Resources:

Select from these suggested service projects and activities.

Grades 3-6

1. Write and mail a minimum of 4 “sympathy” or “thinking of you” cards to appropriate individuals or families.
2. Write and mail a minimum of 4 notes of encouragement to shut-ins, sick, elderly, etc.
3. Bring a minimum of 3 different friends to church.
4. Spend a minimum of 1 hour picking up trash in your community.
5. Choose a minimum of 5 articles of clothing from personal wardrobe and donate to an organization that will be distributed to needy families.
6. Skip a meal and donate equivalent amount of money that would have been spent on that meal to an organization that feeds hungry people.
7. Write and mail letters or send emails to a minimum of 3 missionaries encouraging them in their work.
8. Help a shut-in from your local church with chores at their home. (Rake leaves, mow yard, shovel snow, pull weeds, wash dishes, etc.)
9. Work on a recycling project (aluminum cans, plastic, etc.) for a minimum of one month and donate the money to a non-profit organization.
10. Help prepare and/or clean up communion trays for a minimum of 4 weeks.
11. Bake and deliver a food item to an appropriate person.  (Example: Elderly, sick, shut-in, someone grieving, etc.)
12. With the help of an adult, visit with the elderly at a nursing home.
13. With the help of an adult, sing with a group of youth at a nursing home.
14. Help serve in a Food Kitchen (or Feed My Starving Children) with someone you know.
15. Donate a minimum of 2 hours helping a VBS teacher or other member to work on class materials or other church projects.
16. Help a neighbor wash their car from beginning to end.
17. Donate a minimum of 2 hours assisting in the cleaning of the church building or church facilities.
18. Paint or color pictures for a minimum of 3 children in a local hospital.  Deliver them.
19. Write and mail a minimum of 4 holiday cards to children in a children’s home.
20. Other—create your own—approved by the local Church Coordinator. (With a minimum of 2 hours of service).

Grades 7-12

1. Write and mail a minimum of 7 “sympathy” or “thinking of you” cards to appropriate individuals and families.
2. Write and mail a minimum of 7 notes of encouragement to shut-ins, elderly, sick, etc.
3. Bring a minimum of 3 different friends to visit church service.
4. Spend a minimum of 2 hours picking up trash within your community.
5. Choose a minimum of 8 articles of clothing from personal wardrobe and donate to an organization that will distribute to needy families.
6. Write and mail letters or send emails to a minimum of 5 missionaries encouraging them in their work.
7. Help a minimum of 2 shut-ins from your local church with chores at their home.  (Rake leaves, mow lawn, shovel snow, pull weeds, wash dishes, etc.)
8. Work on a recycling project (aluminum cans, plastic bags, etc.) for a minimum of 2 months and donate the money made to a non-profit organization.
9. Assist in the preparation and deliver of communion for shut-ins, a minimum 4 times.
10. Prepare and deliver food to a minimum of 2 families who need help. (Hospital, sick, death, etc.)
11. Visit a minimum of 4 people in a local nursing home.
12. Sing with a group a minimum of 2 times in a nursing home.
13. Help serve a minimum of 2 times in a Food Kitchen (or Feed My Starving Children).
14. Donate a minimum of 4 hours helping a VBS teacher, or Bible class teacher prepare materials, or other projects.
15. Teach or assist in teaching a class for Vacation Bible School.
16. Baby-sit free of charge for a minimum of 4 hours.  (Your own family doesn’t count.)
17. Locate a needy family and personally put together and deliver a “Holiday Box”.
18. Participate for a minimum of 2 hours in an “adopt a highway” or a “clean the beach” program.
19. Participate for a minimum of 2 hours in a youth group “work camp” or “work building” program.
20. Contact children’s home and arrange to be a pen pal with one of the children.
    (Write and mail 1 letter/month for a minimum of 4 months.)
21. Volunteer a minimum of 4 hours to help church outreach programs.
22. Work in the church nursery a minimum 4 times (not in a row).
23. Prepare and deliver a complete meal to a Minister/Preacher, Elder or Ministry Head of your church.
24. Other—Create your own—approved by the local Church Coordinator. (With a minimum of 2 hours of service)