Writing Pastor Appreciation Messages: A Visual Guide

Sunday, October 8th is Pastor Apprecation Day, and October is Pastor Appreciation Month.

When was the last time you told your pastor “thank you”?

You can write a  meaningful thank you message to your pastor after a few steps.

Appreciating Your Pastor With Words

Pastor With Sheep
Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

Pastors are well known for preaching sermons, officiating weddings, praying for others, leadership, and much more. There are many possible reasons that you may want to say thank you to your pastor.

What you write in your thank you message will depend on why you are saying thank you! The following slides will help with words of appreciation for your pastor.

Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)

1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade.

Saying Thank You

Couple Holding Thank You Sign
Photo Credit: William Perugini/Shutterstock.

You may also want to consider giving your pastor a small thank-you gift along with your thank-you note.

Gift cards to their favorite restaurant are a good choice. Or if they have a family with kids, you could offer a night of free babysitting.

When it comes to mugs and trinkets, your pastor may already have plenty of them.

Step 1: Digital or Handwritten?

Pastor Appreciation Message Step 1
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

The first step in writing an appreciation message to your pastor is deciding how to deliver your message. Here are a few ways:

  • A verbal thank you. You may want to say thank you following a Sunday morning service.
  • A text message. This method will only be applicable if you have your pastor’s cell phone number.
  • A handwritten note card. The note card could be mailed to the church or the pastor’s home address (which may not be public).
  • A thank you email. Another option is to send your pastor an email.

If you decide on a handwritten note card, you will need notecards and stamps. In addition, the handwritten thank you will take a bit more time and effort.

The other three ways can be done quickly, and you’ll have the chance to edit an email or text message before pressing send.

I recommend writing a handwritten note on Pastor Apprecation Day or during Pastor Appreciation Month.

Step 2: The Words of Appreciation For Your Pastor

Pastor Appreciation Message Step 2
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

Next, you must decide what to thank your pastor for, as the best thank-you notes are specific.

Sometimes, the pastor will do something extra for us beyond their Sunday morning duties. Examples are a wedding, funeral, baptism, counseling, mentoring, or even filling a spot on the church softball team.

However, you may also want to thank your pastor without a specific event in mind. Perhaps you feel blessed by their teaching or know how much they do to help others.

Why Do You Want To Thank Your Pastor Prompts:

These questions can help you think about reasons to say thank you to your pastor.

  • Why do you currently appreciate your pastor?
  • Do you want your pastor to feel encouraged?
  • Has the pastor been a blessing to you in some way?
  • Did the pastor help with a specific event (see the list above)?
  • For Pastor Appreciation Day or Month (both in October)?

Step 3: Pastor Appreciation Message Examples

Pastor Appreciation Message Step 3
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

You should know what you want to thank your pastor for by now. However, the exact wording can feel like the most challenging part of any thank you message.

Looking at examples is a great way to inspire your wording.

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 1

Pastor Appreciation Message 1
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

Saying thank you for all you do to a pastor is a great catch-all for when your pastor is doing an excellent job and you do not have a specific thing you want to thank them for.

Your note could be as simple as “Thank you for everything you do for us. You’re a fantastic leader of our church.”

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 2

Pastor Appreciation Message 2
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

When you want to thank your pastor for help with specific occasions, your message can begin with Thank you for helping us with…

Thank you for helping us plan our wedding ceremony. We appreciate your years of wedding experience. The wedding was a wonderful, beautiful day. Thank you for being part of it. 

I am grateful to you for meeting with me. The Biblical counseling has been helpful, and I’m headed down the right path. 

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 3

Pastor Appreciation Message 3
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

This simple message, Thank you for your encouraging words, is a great response when your pastor blesses you with encouragement.

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 4

Pastor Appreciation Message 4
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

An easy way to craft words of appreciation for a pastor is a compliment followed by a thank you.

You’re a fantastic speaker. Thank you for the easy-to-understand sermons.

Thank you for being a wonderful pastor! We appreciate the time and effort you put into each message. 

Also Review: 71 Pastor Appreciation Messages and Thank You Note Examples

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 5

Pastor Appreciation Message 5
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

Thank you so much can be used when all you want is a short message. However, it can feel overused and generic, so you may want to use a Thank You So Much Alternative.

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 6

Pastor Appreciation Message 6
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

A pastor can also be an excellent leader. You can let them know you appreciate the direction they are leading the church.

Pastor Appreciation Message Example 7

Pastor Appreciation Message 7
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

When an inspirational sermon touched you, you can say thank you for it on the way out the door! Or send a quick text message later in the day.

To make your note more meaningful, include another sentence about how the pastor’s words impacted you.

Read: 9 Tips to Write a Better Thank You Note

Step 4: Write and Deliver Your Note

Pastor Appreciation Message Step 4
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

Now that you know what you want to say to your pastor, you can write and deliver your message.

Your words of appreciation could be encouraging to your pastor. Being a pastor is more difficult than it looks.

Also, be sure to spell your pastor’s name correctly! For example, is it Sara or Sarah, Jon or John? You can check your church bulletin or website to see how their name is spelled.

Hopefully, The Pastor Will Feel Encouraged

Pastor Appreciation Message - The Pastor Feels Encouraged
Photo Credit: Tons Of Thanks.

This is a text message that I sent to my pastor. As you can see, he felt encouraged by my words. Your pastor may or may not acknowledge your appreciation message.

Hopefully, they will feel blessed and encouraged and be happy you took the time to thank them.

On Pastor Appreciation Day, it may be better not to text your pastor. If the congregation is large, the pastor may feel overwhelmed with the amount of text messages blowing up their phone. And a handwritten note may feel more meaningful.

Thank You Pastor Example Messages

A Pastor preaching in a church.
Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

While writing a thank you message is straightforward, coming up with the right words can still feel challenging.

Reviewing more examples can inspire the wording of your message to your pastor.

Christian Memes

Christian Meme - Obadiah
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

If your pastor has the right sense of humor for it, they may enjoy a good Christian meme.

Cute Animal Memes

Animal Memes - Cute Sloth Hanging Out
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

Animals are cute and make for great memes!

Author: Heidi Bender

Title: Writer

Expertise: Thank You Notes

Heidi Bender is a writer and author who founded Tons of Thanks. She aims to help people write thank-you notes by providing examples and tips. She is the author of She is the author of A Modern Guide to Writing Thank-You Notes.