Mail is less personal than a phone call which is less personal than a face-to-face visit. But each can be effective.

How can we make mail more effective? Well, ask yourself a question. Do people today enjoy getting mail? It depends. We all receive too much junk mail--credit card offers, insurance solicitations, store circulars, etc. But we all seem to enjoy the rare personal mail we receive.

So, how can we make Sunday School mail (in particular, postcards) more personal? Here are some suggestions:

• Handwrite the note. Keep it short.
• If possible, handwrite the address.
• Add personal comments, prayer requests (nonconfidential), shared memories, etc.
• Make it timely. Send right after a guest visits or a regular attender is absent. Send before a birthday or anniversary; send right after a medical procedure or a special recognition.
• Don't say the same thing every time. Persons from youngest to oldest can tell.
• Invite to class fellowships/projects, special days, and special lessons.
• Choose postcards with specific messages or pictures that match the personality of the child, youth, or adult.
• Take a seasonal picture of the class, make it into a postcard, and send it to absentees and guests (it really is not that expensive).
• Send postcards when on vacation. They always seem to bring a smile, and it means a lot to be thought about when you are away.
• Have class members to sign the card (maybe picture side).
• Have class members send multiple cards with pesonal notes.

Where can you find Sunday School invitations? If you are looking on the web, the best phrase to plug into a search engine (like Google) is "Sunday School postcards." There are lots to choose from, but look for the quality and message that you like. Some will be printed that you order. Some will be free that you send electronically (over the web).

Here are a few websites:

• http://www.postcards.org/postcards/cards/1025/
• http://gospelpublishing.com/store/startcat.cfm?cat=iPOSTCARDS (above postcard can be found here)
• http://www.sundayschoolhelp.com/sss02221.htm
• http://evangelsupply.com/sunday-school-ek1-7.html
• http://online.nph.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?10418&productID=383101
• http://www.kidssundayschool.com/Main/Resources/Cards/cardindex.php
• http://www.tomfolio.com/bookdetailssu.asp?b=42266&m=40
• http://www.cokesbury.com/closeouts.aspx?subSection=49&pid=06113X
• http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?N=1029426&Ne=10000
• http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/nph/innerpage.jsp?c=NPH-CR&cs=POSTC&sc=NA&ss=NA&nid=lcol
• http://www.servantevangelism.com/cards/

For more information about invitations, check out Christmas Invitation to Sunday School and Invitation to Sunday School. Even when you personalize your postcards, don't forget the even more personal contacts through phone calls and face-to-face contact. Be genuine. Be transparent. Care. Pray. Be revolutionary!