Planning Your Annual Calendar
Now that you have made a list of the activities that you would like to plan and put them in the order of priority you need to put them on calendar planning sheets.
Start with the annual activities, then quarterly activities, then monthly activities and then the weekly activities.
Take twelve sheets of paper one for each month of the year. Divide the monthly pages into the proper number of weeks..
First put your Annual Activities in the month that you plan to schedule them. (Youth led revival, Youth week, Youth Camp, Youth back to school emphasis, Valentine Banquet, Awards Banquet, Christmas or New Years Party, Fall Festival for youth and children as a substitute for Halloween, Youth Week of Study - Vacation Bible school, Beach Trips, State Youth functions, annual rallies and seminars, ect.)
Next, list your Quarterly Activities, (Retreats, Parties, Fellowships, Athletic leagues and teams, Dramas, Bible studies curriculum schedules, ect.)
Next, List the Monthly Activities. Many of these activities will be repeat activities.
Now, list all Weekly Activities - activities that meet each week. List the repeating activities in the appropriate weeks.
Planning a Year's Recreation Program
MAKE YOUR PLANS
When you are planning your recreation program, begin by thinking of the things you want to accomplish this year. Start a list of all the major programs you want to organize,
This list should include:
CHURCH WIDE ACTIVITIES.
-
Church Organizations that need activities planned for them.
-
Organization or department activities that leaders would like to see offered for their age group.
-
Sports Leagues and tournaments.
-
Quarterly instructional programs such as exercise, crafts, swimming, and tennis.
Age groups you want to reach and the activities that you want to plan for each age group.
-
Trips, camps and retreats
-
Outdoor recreation.
SCHEDULE THE ACTIVITIES
- Take twelve sheets of paper, put each month of the year on one of those sheets and begin to list the activities for each month.
- After listing all the activities for each month, get twelve blank forms and record all church activity dates that you need to avoid such as: Revivals, Bible Conference, Age Group Conferences, Special Music Presentations, Sunrise Services, Departmental Socials and Mission Tours.
- Schedule and record the starting dates for all programs that will meet more than one time. Record the dates for each activity.
COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES
- One of the most important things that you can do is schedule a meeting with the Pastor to discuss your goals for the coming year and review the calendar with him.
- After meeting with the Pastor, schedule a meeting with all other department heads to go over your schedule of activities and get their input and suggestions.
- Make sure there are no conflicts or omissions that should be included.
MAKE THE ASSIGNMENTS
-
List the committee assignments and write a job description for each assignment.
Meet with the activities committee and make the assignments.
-
Plan a training session for each sub –committee to make sure each committee knows what to do and what volunteer personnel they will need.
-
Set committee goals with dates for reporting results and dates for completion of assigned task.
PLAN THE PROMOTION
- Write the promotion text and choose the illustrations to be used.
- Layout the activities brochure for each quarter, and set the date to meet with the printer.
- List the individual activity promotion pamphlets or handout that must be written and record the date each has to be ready for the printer.
- Begin creating each handout.
- List on the calendar the date each handout is to be distributed and who will be responsible for the distribution.
RECREATION PROGRAMS IN THE CHURCH SHOULD BE:
- Centered in the church.
- Focused on the individual.
- Inclusive of all ages and sex.
- Planned properly by youth and adults.
- Worked through the organization already established.
- Pointed to Christ as the Lord of life.
- Used as an arm of outreach.
- Using a planned approach to sharing Christ with participants.
- Emphasizing Christian fellowship.
- A positive witness of the mission of the church.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
- Social (Parties, Banquets, potluck suppers, fellowships, receptions, picnics,)
- Sports (Simple, Informal Activities, Highly Organized Leagues, team and Individual sports, Intramural)
- Retreats (Overnight, Weekend, All Organizations)
- Camps (Assembly, Conference, Day Camp, Campcraft, Youth, Family Camping, Senior Adults)
- Drama (Religious and Fun, Plays, Pageants, Readings, Verse Choirs, Stand Readings, Devotional, Seasonal, Promotional, Skits, Stunts, Storytelling, Puppets)
- Music (fun Songs, Choruses, Choir specials)
- Crafts (Leather, Ceramics, Cooper Tooling, Mosaics, Macrame, Basket Weaving, Quilting, Sewing, Glass Etching, Enamel, Jewelry, Hat Making, candles, Tole Painting, Wood Carving, China Painting, Decoupage)
- Excursions (Choir Tours, Senior Adult Foliage, Fishing Trips, Sightseeing, Drama, Music Festivals, Conference Centers, Amusement Parks, Historical Sites, Garden Tours, Flower Tours, National and State Parks, Luxury Liner Cruises)
- Special Interest Groups (Rock Collectors, Antique Collectors, sportsman’s Club, Coin Collectors, Doll Collectors, Quilters, Reading Clubs, Bible Study Groups)
- Senior Adults (Seeing, Going, Doing, Serving, Performing)
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
- Bible School Recreation Climaxed With An Overnight Retreat
- Departmental Parties
- On To College Day And Social
- Off To College Social
- Talent Shows
- Ice Cream Socials
- Water Melon Social
- Annual Picnic
- Dinner On The Grounds
- Pot Luck Suppers
- Cookouts
- Seasonal Parties
- Summer Youth Camp
- Summer Children’s Camp
- Back Packing Trips
- Sunday Night Fellowships And Homemade Pie Socials
- Fall Festival - A Substitute for Halloween on Halloween Night.
- New Years Eve Special
- County Fair
- Father – Son, man - boy or Mother – Daughter Banquet
- Valentine Banquet
- Sports Awards Banquet
- Volunteer Recognition Banquet
- Summer Mission Trip
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Family Night (one evening each month)
- Seasonal Drama ( Christmas, Easter, Summer)
- Play Days (invite other churches, Athletic or Social)
- Skate Night
- Bowing Night
- Visit Professional Baseball Game
- After game fellowships
MONTHLY ACTIVITIES
OCTOBER
- Sunday School Class and departmental officer’s kick-off pot luck supper.
- Spaghetti Supper for adult workers with youth to plan for the year.
- Wiener Roast for youth choir.
- Touch football league for youth – one for boys and one for girls.
- Youth hobo chili party.
- Fall Festival – substitute for Halloween on Halloween (lots of prizes and candy. Make it a community affair).
- After-game fellowships (High School Football)
- Family fun Night (bowling, skating, amusement park, Christian movies with all the trimmings).
- Senior Adult Foliage Tour.
- Fall golf tournament for men and one for women.
- Fall craft classes.
- Fall exercise classes.
- Puppet program begins.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
NOVEMBER
- Youth Thanksgiving breakfast to plan Student Day at Christmas.
- Youth roller skating party.
- Father – son, man – boy supper with outdoor or athletic theme.
- Church stewardship dinner.
- After – game fellowships.
- Church Fellowship Talent Show.
- Senior Adult Thanksgiving Social.
- Hayride for youth.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
DECEMBER
- Departmental Christmas parties (foreign mission emphasis).
- Christmas Play.
- Caroling party and refreshments.
- Special Church Christmas fellowship.
- After – game fellowships.
- Student day at Christmas.
- Church New Year’s Eve Celebration.
- Youth winter retreat during Christmas break.
- Senior Adult Christmas banquet.
- Skating or sledding party.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
- Begin Basket ball practice for winter league.
- Christmas puppet play.
JANUARY
- Church Fellowship highlighting last year with pictures and videos.
- Music Banquet.
- Bible conference with church fellowship on last night.
- Senior Adult pot luck fellowship.
- Winter schedule of classes begins ( crafts, exercise and special interest classes)
- Winter basketball leagues begin.
- Church intramural volleyball.
- College and Career co-ed volleyball league.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
FEBRUARY
- Youth Valentine Banquet.
- Senior Adult Valentine Banquet.
- Church Valentine fellowship.
- Adult Sweetheart banquet.
- Children’s Valentine Party.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
- Children’s lock-in (all night party).
- Valentine puppet play
MARCH
- Youth Retreat.
- Youth spring break retreat.
- Children’s retreat.
- Begin softball practices.
- Men’s deep sea fishing trip climaxed with a fish fry that includes the ladies upon return. Provide interesting outdoor program.
- Missions Drama.
- Church homemade pie fellowship with program.
- Senior adult game fellowship with pot luck luncheon.
- Young adult progressive party with scavenger hunt. Be creative.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
APRIL
- Easter Drama
- Church fellowship spring fun program.
- Spring soccer for children.
- Spring volleyball tournament or league.
- Spring golf tournaments (one for men and one for ladies)
- Spring tennis tournaments.
- Senior Adult spring sightseeing three day trip.
- Spring schedule of classes begin.
- Youth and Children’s lock-in.
- Mother - Daughter banquet.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
- Senior Adult program and luncheon
- Church skating party
MAY
- Graduate recognition breakfast
- Senior Adult program and luncheon
- Church Picnic
- Youth weekend Retreat
- Men’s fresh water fishing rodeo with fish fry scheduled with ladies.
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies
- Church bowling night
- Blood Drive
- Puppet play
JUNE
- Teen Bible school followed with a retreat
- Vacation Bible School followed by a family night of activity
- Church ice cream social with fun program
- Start Summer program of Activities
- Church Sandwich and homemade goodie fellowship with program
- Children’s Day Camp
- Senior Adult trip to amusement park like Disneyworld or Ocean World
- Church swim party
- Youth Backyard Fellowship
- Senior Adult Picnic you provide the food
- Youth backyard fellowships
- Young adult progressive supper with scavenger hunt
- Youth mission trip
July
- Church Summer Carnival renting inflatable games with hamburgers and hot dogs
- Youth Camp
- Children’s Camp
- Church Watermelon Fellowship
- Senior Adult Extended bus sightseeing trip to Grand Canyon and surrounding areas.
- Senior Adult luncheon showing pictures of June Trip
- Youth canoeing trip
- Family camping Friday, Saturday and Sunday with joint church service in campground
- Youth backyard fellowships
AUGUST
- Off to school retreatOn to college retreat
- College backpacking trip
- Youth backyard fellowships
- Children’s backyard Bible Club
- Church picnic
- Youth progressive supper with scavenger hunt
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies. After School starts
- Mission Day Camp
September
- Fall Activities Program begins (craft, exercise and special interest classes)
- High School after football game fellowship
- On to college and student get acquainted fellowship
- Church fair to kick off fall programs (booths with information on all activities. Provide food.
- Senior Adult luncheon and program
- Children’s wiener roast and party with planned activities
- Men’s fall fishing trip. Plan fish fry with families present
- Youth hay ride, bonfire and wiener roast
- Super Saturday for children ages 8-12, fun activities – games, crafts, relays, food, and movies.
- Volleyball league begins
- Children’s coed soccer league begins
Once you have all of the activities listed by dates and your calendar is complete, you need to coordinate your completed calendar of activities with other programs of your church or organization to make sure there are no duplications or conflicts.
Once you have your final draft of your calendar planned you need to meet with the Pastor and share your calendar of Activities with him and get any input that he has for your program.
The Church Recreation Leadership Training Course Manual with worksheets has all the necessary tools to give effective organization to your Church Recreation Activities Ministry. It is proven that properly organized in your efforts you have a much greater chance to succeed.
If you can not raise the $89.00 for the Church Recreation Leadership and Training Course with Manual and Worksheets, please check out the Scholarship Program.
The next step for the Web training is to Coordinate with Pastor and Staff
I hope you are excited about all the lives you will be touching for Jesus Christ thru a well planned and superior Church Recreation Activities Program. You can do it! Keep Going you are getting there.
Complete Guide To Church Recreation an eighty page booklet on church recreation that gives direction and information on planning for parties, banquets, fellowships, puppets, drama, camping, day camping, trips, senior adult activities, therapeutic recreation and much more.