From Michael
Another weekend
We put a big focus on the weekend, which only makes sense given the numbers. Last weekend nearly 4,000 people showed up for weekend Masses and children and student programs. That’s a lot of people for us and it takes a lot of planning to make their experience one that will impact them and help them get closer to Christ. That means that there is a pattern to our week that forms a kind of trajectory toward the weekend.
For us the weekend starts on Monday with a review of the previous weekend and an emphasis on “wins.” Where did we accomplish what we set out to accomplish, which is bringing people into a growing relationship with Christ. (We have lunch together too, almost always at Pasta Blitz which, if you haven’t tried it, you should.) Tuesday is another staff meeting, carefully reviewing all aspects of what we’ll be offering in the weekend ahead. We also discuss the upcoming weekend message and how children’s and student programs will reflect the main theme, the “big idea.” Wednesdays everyone mostly works on their own stuff but we do stop for prayer together in the middle of our day; we pray for what we are working on and what it is God wants us to be doing (hopefully, though not always, that’s the same thing). And we pray for the people who will be coming on the weekend, especially those who are new or do not know Christ. Thursdays we check in to make sure we are on track, and review a final version of the message I will be giving. Fridays a lot of our staff take off (since they will be working all weekend). This refreshment is a necessary part of their preparation and means that when they show up on Saturdays they are renewed and ready to tackle another weekend.
A Pastor friend of mine was talking to another Pastor who was complaining that he was overworked and stressed out with all the demands coming at him day after day. My friend’s advice: “It’s the weekend, stupid!” It took me a long time to learn that lesson.
