A young girl writing a letter

Need help getting your pastor’s permission?

We're here for you.

We want to do everything we can to help you have a great conversation about hosting a Compassion Sunday event with your pastor! Keep reading to find some tips and resources for getting permission to host an event.

How to Directly Address Your Pastor’s Questions and Concerns

Your pastor will want to know exactly how your Compassion Sunday event will impact your church for the better. We know your church gets asked to support a lot of things, so here’s what we feel is most important for your pastor to know:

  • We are Christ-centered. We believe Jesus is the truest source of transformation and that for children to overcome poverty in all its forms they must encounter the hope of the gospel.
  • We are church-driven. We partner exclusively with local churches so each child is welcomed into a faith community that knows them by name, cares for their needs and champions their victory over poverty.
  • We are child-focused. We connect one child to one sponsor so that each child is uniquely loved and supported.
  • Compassion Sunday is an event held during your church service. The official date is May 4, 2025, but you can host a Compassion Sunday event on any day that works best for you.
  • The event usually involves a message or short testimony from you or a sponsor in your congregation, a short video, a call to action and a sponsorship sign-up table.
  • You can make it more than a one-Sunday event. We’ve partnered with friends of Compassion like BibleProject and Practicing the Way to offer powerful resources for a Compassion Sunday series. These resources include videos, sermon outlines, resources for kids and families and small group discussion guides.
A girl smiles
A young girl sits on a chair smiling
A boy smiles

Tips for the Conversation With Your Pastor



Talk to your pastor in person, if you can.

  • If you already know your pastor personally, set up a time to meet with him or her. Schedule a meeting in their office or via video chat, or plan to go somewhere fun — like a coffee shop!
  • If you don’t know your pastor personally, that’s OK! Pastors are busy, so we suggest reaching out to them or their administrative assistant first to get a meeting on the schedule.

If your pastor’s schedule is too full for a meeting, construct a well-thought-out email asking for permission to host a Compassion Sunday event.

Come prepared! Plan to share your heart for children in poverty. If you are a sponsor, bring a photo of your sponsored child and a few of his or her letters. Your stories and experiences are SO powerful. Plus, explain that other members of the congregation are likely to have a similar experience as you through child sponsorship! If you don’t sponsor, share how advocating for children in poverty has impacted you. Let your pastor know what it means to you to be able to live out your faith by speaking up on behalf of children in need.

Bring the Pastor Guide. You can find a downloadable version of the Pastor Guide below. Consider giving it to your pastor before you begin sharing. If your pastor needs some time to pray and research after your conversation, you can give him or her the Pastor Guide as a helpful tool on your way out.

Follow up with your pastor after you meet.

  • If he or she gave you permission to host a Compassion Sunday event, assure them that they’ll be kept in the loop as you plan.
  • If your pastor is still considering hosting an event at your church, make sure to thank them and remind them that you’re available to answer any more questions they may have.

Helpful Resources

1. Use the Pastor Guide.

The Pastor Guide is a special booklet for pastors who are considering hosting a Compassion Sunday event. Feel free to download the guide and pass it along to your pastor, either in person or by email!

Download Pastor Guide >

2. Show your pastor this video.

Give your pastor the chance to hear from other church leaders who love partnering with Compassion.