We sometimes get into a service rut. For some, serving in the same way for a long time isn’t a rut at all; when our passion, giftedness, and opportunity collide, we might find a sweet spot to remain in for quite a long time. Others want to explore ways to serve but might not see the opportunities right in front of them. Perhaps one of the following ideas will light a spark that gets you started in a fresh direction.

• Put together foster care packages. Children in foster care don’t have a lot of things they carry from place to place. Put together age-appropriate bags to ease their transitions. Also, consider the parents, who will be facing many uncertainties and challenges. Put together care packages for encouragement.
• Plan a block party. Host a block party for people living in a housing project. Provide food and simple outdoor games. Get to know each other. Bridge gaps.
• Invest in teen moms. Gather diapers, offer to babysit, or host a picnic in the park to get to know each other. Teen moms have a lot on their plates, while often feeling lonely and ostracized. Make connections so they know they can reach out to others.
• Schedule a weekly coffee date. Invite someone different each week to get to know more people, or focus on one or a small group. Keep the time inked on your calendar. If someone cancels, visit the coffee shop anyway. As you develop a routine, you’ll begin to connect with and invest in a variety of people.
• Host a dinner. Invite someone to dinner who can’t return the favor. If they insist, challenge them to pass along the hospitality.
• Collect gift cards. Do you know a family spending a lot of time at the hospital, dealing with daily medical treatments, or traveling out of town for a family funeral? Collect gift cards for restaurants and stores you know will be convenient for them to use.
• Share your quarters. Send a roll of quarters to a college student. Quarters fit perfectly in plastic M&M tubes if you want a creative way to store and send the quarters. Movie, pizza, and coffee shop gift cards are always welcome, too.
• Clean up the neighborhood. Pick up trash, shovel snow, or rake leaves. Gather a group of people for maximum clean up and fun, or choose a neighbor and entire block to take care of throughout the year.

What other ideas do you have?