With school out and Memorial Day already behind us we are well into the summer season. I count about 12 weeks until we begin our fall season with “Kick-Off” weekend. Meanwhile I want to make the most of the time, so that I am in a strong position to meet our busiest season. Here’s my summer to-do list.
Clean House
Summertime is the perfect time to do some house cleaning around the church. Through the course of the year stuff tends to accumulate, especially when it comes to student and kids programs. The goal around here is to unpack every closet and storage room, every drawer and cupboard to figure out what we’re storing and if we really need it. Beyond that when it comes to our nursery areas we more or less take them apart, deep clean everything and then put them back together again. There is no need for junk and there is no excuse for dirty kids spaces.
Review Goals & Objectives
Not something we have been very successful or consistent with to date, this summer we are going to give it a try once again. The challenge is for each staff member to set goals and objectives for the time ahead, discuss and modify with their respective department and then also with the whole staff. This will help us all understand what it is we are doing this coming year.
Build Staff Fellowship
Hopefully the summertime affords us some opportunity to enjoy fellowship as a parish staff. Although I am not naturally good at it, I have come to understand its value when it comes to building a healthy staff culture. Not forced fun, not silly stuff or goofy games but gatherings in which we can enjoy one another’s company and grow in spirit.
Plan Fall Series
The very best position to be in when September hits will be a well planned fall message calendar taking me through Christmas. We have already planned three fall message series, a discipleship series beginning in September, a stewardship series in October/November and then an Advent series to take us to Christmas. Part of the planning will be study and outside reading as a kind of remote prep.
Refreshment
Like fellowship, this one is not exactly my strong suit but it is incredibly important. To enter the fall season in a strong and healthy way there has got to be a hard break from the last year, which only happens on vacation. I will be spending time in Avalon, New Jersey with family members in July. Hopefully this includes lots of reading (I already have a pile waiting including “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough and a book about World War I called “The Sleepwalkers”) and some spiritual renewal too.