Are you someone who loves to make a list and takes great satisfaction in crossing things off? A list can be helpful because it takes the pressure off of having to remember everything you need to do. The only thing you have to remember is to check your list!
A good to-do list will help you feel grounded and focused because it provides a clear outline of your upcoming events, helps you set priorities, and enables you to put together a detailed plan.
Where do you start? Prayer is always at the top of my list. I take a deep breath and pray for the kids and their families. Then I ask God to guide me as I design a plan for helping faith and fun come together for the kids at my church.
Next, make a list. Most events need two lists:
1) Broad List. A broad list includes the date, theme, where you will gather, and the number of participants. Run this list by church staff to gather ideas that support your theme and help you avoid scheduling conflicts.
2) Detailed List. A detailed list includes communication, volunteers needed, set-up, supplies, and clean-up. What I love about this list is that you can delegate many of these items to your volunteers.
Now it’s time to take action. Have a hard time getting motivated to tackle your list? My strategy: 10 minutes. Commit to spending just 10 minutes writing an email to volunteers or deciding how many tables you will need. Often, once I have invested 10 minutes in the event, I am motivated to work on it longer OR I have finished the job, so I can cross it off my list. Aah!
You did it! You made a list, the details were covered, and the event was a success. Now create a list that celebrates the ways you saw God at work in the lives of the children in your faith community at this event—their questions, their insights, and their relationships with each other. Making this list will help you celebrate God’s presence in your midst and God’s promise to walk with you in the events to come.
Children’s ministry lists go on and on because ministry with children is never done. My prayer is that you will find great satisfaction crossing lots of things off your list in the coming days and that you will celebrate the many ways God is at work in the lives of your young people.
