Organizationally, a church retreat is a small project with a very fixed deadline. What makes it complicated is not the effort, but the sequence: some things must be decided a year in advance, others only two weeks before.
"A retreat never fails because of the program. It fails because the venue was already booked."
When do you start planning a church retreat?
Twelve to nine months before the date.
Book the venue. The only step that really must happen early. Good venues are booked up a year in advance during holiday periods.
Set the date and coordinate it with other church events.
Rough budget. How much does it cost per person? Is there a subsidy for families?
Six months before
Assemble a team. Who is doing the program, kitchen duties, childcare, finances?
Decide on a theme. Early enough so that speakers have time.
Open registration. With a deposit – this noticeably reduces cancellations.
Three months before
Roughly plan the program. Sessions, free time, an excursion, an evening where nothing is planned.
Clarify childcare. The point that determines whether families participate.
Organize carpooling.
Two months before
Decide on retreat shirts, if desired. A six-to-eight-week lead time is realistic; collecting sizes happens in parallel with registration.
Shopping list and kitchen plan.
Finalize participant list. After this, it gets expensive to change anything.
From 25 pieces, six to eight weeks lead time – inquire at b2b@good-natured.com.
INQUIRE NOW ↗Two weeks before
Information letter to everyone. Directions, packing list, schedule, contact for emergencies.
Room assignments. Do this beforehand, not in the hallway upon arrival.
Pack materials. Technology, games, craft supplies, first-aid kit.
What you only know the second time around
Plan free time. A tightly scheduled program feels like school. The half afternoon with no plan is often the one talked about afterwards.
Arrival and departure each take half a day. If you fully schedule Friday evening, you are scheduling it twice.
There is always homesickness. Among children and sometimes adults. A person assigned to handle this helps more than a good program.
The last evening is the most important. It is worth saving energy for that.
• One person for the venue – keys, caretaker, damage reports.
• One person for money – cash box, receipts, accounting.
• One person with no task – someone with time for conversations. The most valuable role and the one most often dropped.
Conclusion
Venue one year before, team six months, shirts two months, info letter two weeks. Anyone who keeps to these four deadlines has the organizational part covered – and can focus on what it is actually about.
To forward to all participants – including the five things that are always forgotten.
GO TO ARTICLE ↗
