Wedding anniversaries are always celebratory occasions, no matter the number of years a couple has been married. Because marriage is a commitment that requires effort on both parts to maintain, it is appropriate and appreciated for you to recognize the anniversary of your pastor and his wife at church. You and the other members of your congregation are free to recognize the anniversary individually or come together as a family and honor the marriage as a whole.

Surprise your pastor and his wife at the end of Sunday’s service with a cake. Designate a member of the congregation to bring it in as the sermon closes so that everyone can congratulate the pastor and his wife on their anniversary, as well as take part in the celebration with a piece of cake.

Ask members of the church that are willing to donate a few dollars toward a floral arrangement for the pastor and his wife. Designate one person to order the arrangement, pay for it and bring it to church on Sunday morning.

Sign a card. Have the children in Sunday school services make a large anniversary card that the entire congregation can sign secretly and present the pastor and his wife with the card on their anniversary.

Create a photo album of your pastor and his wife throughout the years. Include photos of the pastor giving a sermon, as well as the couple doing charitable work, spending time with children in the congregation, interacting with members of the church and enjoying time with members of their own family such as their children or grandchildren. Create the album yourself by purchasing a photo album and placing photos in the provided slots or make an album online with captions, backgrounds and other personalized and creative themes using a website such as Shutterfly or Kodak Gallery. Both websites allow you to store photos for free and create custom gifts such as photo books for a fee.

Obtain a photo of the original site of the church before it was a church or the blueprints of the building before it was erected or remodeled into a larger church. If you have trouble locating this information, try looking through archives at the local library or contacting officials at city hall, where this information likely is located.

Ask the parents of children in your congregation to allow you to film their children in a question and answer segment for the pastor and his wife. Ask the kids to tell you what they like most about the pastor and his wife and wish them a happy anniversary. Children are naturally funny, and this video full of outtakes and silly answers is sure to make your pastor and his wife feel appreciated and honored.

Contact the city and have one tree for every year of your pastor and his wife’s marriage planted at a local playground or park in honor of their marriage and kindness. Not only will your pastor and his wife recognize the appreciation you feel for them, you are doing something wonderful and immeasurable for the environment. Your pastor and his wife will cherish that act of kindness.

Contact the children and grandchildren of your pastor and his wife that live out of town and invite them to the sermon given during the anniversary celebration you are having. Ask them to keep their visit a surprise. If finances are an issue, ask other members of the congregation to donate a few dollars to cover travel expenses. No gift surpasses the gift of love and family, and your pastor and his wife will be overjoyed at the surprise visit of their family. They will feel honored and loved to know their congregation worked so hard to honor their anniversary with the best gift possible.