3 Ways to Care for the Snowbirds at Your Church
Learn how churches with shifting seasonal attendance make sure that locals and snowbirds alike feel cared for all year long.
For churches in warmer climates, the arrival of snowbirds—seasonal residents who spend their winters in the south—brings an exciting and dynamic shift in church life. Christine, the Executive Director of a church in Southwest Florida, shares how her congregation adapts to and cares for their seasonal members. Her church sees attendance nearly triple in the winter months, making it essential to create intentional ways to keep snowbirds engaged and supported throughout the year.
Here are three key ways your church can better care for its snowbird community:
We really make sure to keep in contact with our people.
1. Stay Connected During the Off-Season
When snowbirds leave in April or May, it’s easy for them to feel disconnected from their church family. Christine’s church makes a concerted effort to stay in touch during the summer by calling each person to check in.
“We actually have a team of people that make phone calls through the summer… Sometimes we find that they've had a health crisis while they’re away. But we really make sure to keep in contact with our people.”
A simple check-in call, text, or email can make a big difference. Whether it's providing encouragement, offering prayer, or updating them on church events, these connections help snowbirds feel valued and remembered.
2. Support Aging Snowbirds by Supporting Their Families
Many snowbirds are retirees, and aging often brings unique challenges. Christine’s church recognizes that their average snowbird attendee is 70 years old or older, which means they frequently provide care for those facing health issues.
“We see a lot of Alzheimer's, a lot of dementia. As the illness progresses, many times the families feel like they’ve lost their loved-one even before they pass away. So many times the spouse is putting someone in a care facility and we're helping them through the grieving process and then helping them through it again when they lose their spouse.”
Churches can care for snowbirds and their families by:
- Offering pastoral care and prayer remotely for those facing medical challenges.
- Providing resources for caregivers, especially those navigating the complexities of dementia or terminal illnesses.
- Acknowledging life transitions, such as when someone moves into a care facility, so that they still feel part of the church family.
We did a ‘Summer of Community’...It gave them a reason to connect, a reason to get together, and they loved it.
3. Create Community for Year-Round Members
While snowbirds bring energy and growth to a church in the winter, the summer congregation often feels the shift when they leave. Christine’s church has found ways to strengthen their core year-round community by offering intentional summer programming to keep engagement high.
“We did a ‘Summer of Community’ and focused on the three top questions on people’s minds. It gave them a reason to connect, a reason to get together, and they loved it.”
Increase connectedness amongst your year-round members by hosting summer specific programming in smaller groups. Meet in more informal settings–a kid friendly ice cream shop makes for a great meeting spot. Try gathering at a local restaurant that has live music. These informal gatherings outside of your traditional worship services give people the opportunity to connect in fun ways.
Building a strong core group of year-round members is crucial for the health of the church. The stronger the core congregation is, the more equipped they are to care for the snowbirds they welcome back each year.
Intentional Care
Caring for snowbirds requires intentional year-round connection, support for their families and a focus on building a strong core community. By implementing these three strategies, churches can ensure that their seasonal members feel valued, supported, and spiritually connected—no matter where they are.
Does your church have a snowbird community? Notebird is pastoral care software that can help congregations stay connected with their seasonal members. Leaders like Christine use Notebird to store conversation notes, assign follow-ups and track big life milestones in the lives of their people–regardless of if they are hundreds of miles away or right next door.