Your church secretary is the oil that keeps the ministry machine running. Let them know you appreciate all they do for the church by giving them one of these unique gifts!

If you're looking for great church admin gift ideas, look no further. We did the research to share gifts that fit every budget.

We promise these are more creative ideas than just another tacky desk ornament or coffee mug (unless they really like that kind of thing!)

Free Gifts Can Be The Best Gifts For Church Admin

Sometimes the best way to show you appreciate someone is to give them your time and attention.

• Babysitting - Balancing ministry and family is challenging for any church staff. Give them a chance to go on a much-needed date with their spouse by taking care of their kids for free.
• Housework or Yardwork - Your church secretary is carrying the weight of the day-to-day operations of the church on their shoulders. Mow their yard, change the oil in their car, steam clean their floors, and pull the weeds in the flowerbed to help spruce the place up and take a load off those tired shoulders.
• Organize The Church - Sometimes things pile up around the office and other rooms in the church. VBS supplies and stage decorations take up a lot of room! Schedule an afternoon to come by and help your church admin clean up and get things organized.
• A Word of Thanks - Ministry administration is a thankless job, but so necessary for the church to run smoothly. Tell them you appreciate all they do for the body of Christ next Sunday.

Gift Ideas For Under $10

Aside from free gifts, these are the most affordable gift ideas for the church secretary.

• Coffee Gift Card - Have you ever wondered how the church secretary gets everything done in a day? The answer is simple: Coffee. And lots of it! If they're a coffee drinker, give them a gift card to their favorite local coffee shop. Go the extra mile and hand them a hot cup of joe the next time you see them!
• Key Organizer - Your church administrator carries several keys for all the locked doors around the church. A handy key organizer makes it easier to carry them.
• Plants - Does your church secretary have a green thumb? There are lots of plants you can order for them to spruce up the church office or plant in their yard. It'll brighten up the church, too!
• Everyone Chip In - Instead of just one person buying a $10 gift, why not get the entire congregation to chip in $10 and see what you can afford as a thoughtful gift with that new budget!

Gift Ideas Under $25

• Stainless Steel Water Bottle - Everyone loves a good vacuum-sealed stainless steel cup or water bottle. Get your church secretary one so they can sip their coffee or cold beverage in style as they manage your pastor's schedule.
• A Good Night's Sleep - Your church administrator spends a lot of time staring at screens every day for their job. Experts say this makes sleeping difficult. Help them block the sleep-disrupting blue light with these glasses.

• Restaurant Gift Card - Does your church admin have a favorite place they go for their lunch break? Get them a gift card to cover the next few meals.
• Bag of Coffee - If they're a coffee connoisseur, they'll appreciate a fresh bag of high-quality beans! If you're wondering if you should get pre-ground or whole bean, remember: For a true coffee lover, it's always whole bean!

Gift Ideas Under $50

• Coffee or Restaurant Gift Card - It's such a good idea, I listed it twice! Give them an amount that lets them take their whole family out.
• Tracking Devices - Keeping track of your church staff calendar is already a challenge. Help them keep track of what's important with Tile Trackers or Apple AirTags.
• Gift Card For Their Hobby - Does your church admin exercise? Garden? Read lots of books? Ask them for recommendations on where to buy stuff for that hobby, then get them a gift card at whatever store they mention to really surprise and bless them!

Gift Ideas Under $100

• Noise-Cancelling Headphones - Whether in the church office, at home, or running to Walmart to grab snacks for the children's ministry, sometimes your church secretary needs to cut out the noise and remove distractions as they do their work. These in-ear earbuds and these over-ear headphones are great options and very affordable.
• Subscriptions - Does your church admin use Amazon Prime? Netflix? The one thing my wife requested when she worked as a church admin was a subscription to a music streaming platform so she could jam out at work without being distracted by ads. Buy a subscription service for your admin or cover the cost of one they already have.
• Nice Bluetooth Speaker - A nice Bluetooth speaker lets your church administrator jam out to worship music no matter where they are! It's hard to beat the Wonderboom at portability, sound quality, and price.

• Ergonomic Keyboard - Your church secretary is always typing. Whether sending emails, preparing sermon slides, making a flyer for an upcoming event, or updating the church management software, they spend a lot of time on a keyboard. Get them a nice one that will reduce the risk of carpal tunnel. Note: Some decent ergonomic keyboards can be found for less than $100. However, nicer ones will cost more than that. Be prepared to spend a little more if your secretary needs one that is of a little higher quality.
• Better Coffee At The Office - Sure, a Keurig is convenient and the old percolator has served faithfully through every men's breakfast your church has held. But it's time to step up the church office's coffee game! A combo as simple as this electric kettle and this french press will do wonders for not just the administrator, but the whole church staff!

Gifts For Church Admin Over $100

These options may be more than one person can afford, so it's best to get other leaders or the entire church body to pitch in. It's a great way to get your church to show your admin how much you appreciate them!

• Spa Day - Your church administrator spends a lot of time sitting at their desk. Experts say this is bad for your back. Gift them a relaxing day at the massage parlor for some much-needed R&R.
• Local Event Tickets - Give them the gift of fun memories by sending them off to a concert, movie theater, or event they would love to attend. Bonus points if you cover the cost for them to take their spouse and kids with them, too!
• Family Vacation - When was the last time your administrator's family went on a fun adventure together? Many full-time and bi-vocational church leaders sacrifice family time on the weekends for the church. Give them the gift of some quality time with their family.
• A Good Desk Chair - If your administrator works full-time for the church, they spend a lot of time at their desk. A nice desk chair will help prevent back or neck issues.

Your church secretary pours themselves out for the church every week. Their contribution to the body of Christ is worth a higher price tag.

Gift Ideas For When You Don't Know What To Buy

Is gift-giving not your love language? Me neither! But what should people like us do when we want to give a special gift?

Ask the secretary (or their spouse, if you want to be more discreet) for their Amazon wishlist and buy one or two items. That way the gift is guaranteed to be something they actually want.

Pro tip: Share the wishlist with other members so they can get in on the gift-giving action, too! Even go so far as to try to buy every single item on the list together!

Gifts To Avoid

Avoid giving your church secretary things they don't need or don't want. They don't need another coffee mug, pen, desk calendar, day planner, or cheap bric-a-brac. When I get stuff like that, it usually ends up in a "to donate" pile and sent off to Goodwill.

Most church staff already have closets filled with trinkets, tacky desk ornaments, Bibles, books, and lots of other junk they never asked for. Let's not add to the pile.

Practical Gifts Are The Most Meaningful Gifts

The best gifts are practical gifts that help your church admin in their daily life. Bonus points if it also blesses their family, not just them.

One church secretary told me she still remembers the moment all the church leadership raised money for a down payment on a new car after hers was totaled. Another shared how thankful she was that a member donated all his nice office equipment when he retired. One was having bad back problems and was considering quitting her job, but the church paid for 6 months of massages!

There's no reason to overcomplicate this. Sometimes the best way to bless your administrator is to give them something they really need.

What is A Good Church Admin Gift Idea?

The above list is filled with amazing gift ideas that your church secretary would love. But this list is just the beginning. The best gifts are chosen with care and intentionality. The perfect gift for every leader is different, but as long as you give with love, they will feel appreciated.

Matt Church Engagement