Summer Wrap-up/Fall Kick-off...a response

Summer. A time full of camps, retreats, pool parties, bbq's. In most places, we scale back. Me? I scale back a lot. I take the summer to scale back, plan for the coming school year, and focus. This week's SYM Today helped me reflect over the last 5 summers...

My first one, I filled up my calendar "to keep the kids busy." I think I must have lost 12 years off my life that year. The year after that, I tried to "do it over." That was a complete failure. The year after that, it was an attempt to "do only trips." With low attendance and finances being the issue, that idea flopped. The year after - "do nothing." That idea didn't go over too well with the church leadership. This year's plan? "Stay sane."

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You’re invited to take time to BREATHE! | Simply Youth Ministry Conference
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The thought process went something like this.. "Do enough to keep everyone busy, but don't do so much that you're going to go insane. Keep things cheap, but give them what it's worth. Find time to re-group, but not too much time - or else you'll lose them."

Well, five years in, and I think I found the groove. (I'll just be careful that it doesn't turn into a rut.)

In our area (rural and economics/jobs sliding downhill) I wanted to do BIG THINGS - but yet, keep it simple enough that people could still afford to come and want to come. (Around here, if it's too big, they won't.)

And so, we kept them busy. We kept things cheap. And we found the time.

Now, I find myself gearing up for a new school season. Tuesday's article "3 Tips for Wrapping up Summer" was a great reminder on what I should do. Debrief, Thank people and pause and reflect. The biggest reminder that hit home for me was "Take Time." It's too often that we find ourselves losing track of time. We can get so busy with our own vacations, looking ahead to the fall, trying to round up new volunteers that our hours turn into days.. which turn into weeks.. and before we know it, the school bell is ringing again.

In the same breath, I find myself planning and gearing up for our Annual Fall Kickoff. When it comes to our Fall Kickoff, the 3 points that Josh and Kurt mentioned were (and are) key! For me, specifically, the "Pray about it" and "Make sure the next step is clear..."

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You’re invited to take time to BREATHE! | Simply Youth Ministry Conference
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Too many times, we (our church, youth ministry, any ministry) have dropped the ball. We planned a HUGE event, had grand ideas for getting the people in the door, and then watched them walk out the same door - all because we had no idea what the next step was.

As you find yourself wrapping up the summer and looking ahead to the fall - take this week's articles, and reflect over them. Share them, pass them on, encourage others to take the time needed as they wrap up, and plan ahead for the next step in the coming season.