Blog - Page 53 of 65 - Retreat-in-a-Bag 53

The Most Important Thing in Producing a Skit

Posted by Debby on November 18, 2010

What is the most important thing in producing a skit? Is it good actors? Is it elaborate props? Is it extraordinary sound and lighting system? None of the above. The most important thing is making sure that every word can be heard by the audience.

Once you have a script, and women (no matter how inexperienced) who are willing to act, the one key issue is that the skit can be heard by those attending the retreat. A good script is one where we don’t want the women to miss a single word. This is a huge issue, especially when you may be performing in a room that is long and narrow, or has high ceilings–all of which can make being heard a challenge. Additionally, your sound equipment may be limited or non-existent. Add to that that you are probably working with inexperienced, nervous actresses.

Just from our experience over the years, we want to offer a few tips:

If you have access to one or more microphones, the ladies must practice with the microphones and how they will be used and shared between them in the midst of the staging.. It is not natural to most, and it is easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to talk into the microphone.
If you have to share one microphone, it can still work! We’ve done it! But your actresses need to practice handing the microphone to the right person. Your audience wants to hear, and they will be patient as you make this effort to ensure every word is heard.
If there are no microphones, ladies need to project their voices. While it may affect the expression that can be heard in the voices, it is more important that the words be heard;
A key issue is for each actress to FACE THE AUDIENCE when she is saying her lines! And that is not natural. It is natural to face and speak toward the person you are talking to. But your actresses need to practice projecting toward the audience, especially if no amplification is available.
Have a person in the back checking sound; if room has especially poor acoustics, ask audience to move forward during the skit.

Posted in: Lessons Learned, Skits

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Opportunities in a Smaller Church

Posted by Debby on November 18, 2010

It is easy to see the benefits of serving in a large church. Although I think every church, no matter its size, has a small percentage of people who do the bulk of the work, it seems that a larger church would have more people with whom to share the burdens and duties. Often, a larger church will have a budget and extra resources available. At the very least, with more people, there is a better chance that there are resourceful and skilled people in the church who can advise and provide aid.

But if you are in a smaller church, there are some wonderful opportunities that may not be an open door in the larger church. In terms of women’s ministry, as a small church, we needed everyone to help when we put on an event. That meant that women were often asked to step up to the plate and serve in areas where she may not have chosen. A lot of stretching went on as women were called upon to do things outside of their comfort zone. It might have been in planning, decorating, supervising, participating in a skit, cooking and serving, greeting and hospitality, opportunities to speak in front of a group (even if it was only making announcements), crafts, event planning, organization… The list goes on and on. And as we all served, it seemed that ladies naturally gravitated toward those areas where God had gifted them. I saw women begin to discover their spiritual gifts and use them within the body.

Posted in: Lessons Learned

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A Tip for Name Tags

Posted by Debby on November 17, 2010

We want our ladies to wear name tags at any event to promote fellowship and getting to know one another by name–not to mention helping those of us who forget names that we should know!. There are various options when you are considering name tags.

There are peel-and-stick name tags which are the most economical option, but they are best used for one day events.
There is the pin style badge where the name tag slips into a plastic cover which can be pinned on. Although these say “garment friendly” now, we find that these are not the best option for women, because the pins may pull and even ruin certain fabrics.
There is the clip-on badge, of which there are several varieties. While better than pin style, these also can be detrimental to clothing.
There is the lanyard, which is a cord worn around the neck.

We have used all of these options. But now, for many of our events, we use lanyards. What is a lanyard? It is defined as “a cord worn around the neck” and they may be purchased at any office supply for use with name badges. Some have clear covers attached at the end, others have clips. As you can imagine, this option is the most costly per person.

How do we justify the extra cost? At the end of the event, we ask that the ladies leave their lanyards in a basket at the rear of the room, or we pass around a basket for the lanyards to be dropped in. That way, we can reuse those that are returned. We have also done this with badge covers. So while the initial outlay may be a little more expensive, in the end, they are not only the safest for our ladies’ clothing, but they result in a lower overall investment.

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, Lessons Learned, Registration

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Don’t Overbook Your Guest Speaker

Posted by Debby on November 11, 2010

It is understandable that those planning the retreat would want fill the schedule with teaching sessions, to insure that we are “filling the cup” of all of our women. However, you do not want to “overbook” your guest speaker. Plan your schedule so that your guest speaker has down time between sessions to regroup, review her notes, pray and ready herself for the next session. Do not expect your speaker to participate in other retreat events; if they choose to participate, it is a blessing. However, make sure your guest speaker knows that she has the option to stay with the group and fellowship or retreat to her room.

Our retreats go from Friday night to Sunday noon, and we normally schedule the guest speaker three or four times. In addition to the main sessions, we sometimes ask the guest speaker to share informally on Friday night (the first evening of the retreat). If she is willing, we ask her to share her testimony, so that the ladies can get to know her. Women respond to a speaker that has been open and shared glimpses of her life and background.

Posted in: Your Guest Speaker

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Paying Your Guest Speaker

Posted by Debby on November 10, 2010

I Timothy 5:18 says “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.'” No one should expect a guest speaker to speak at an event without paying them. As you begin to plan for your event, immediate budget items should include your speaker’s honorarium and travel expenses. If you are on a tight budget, it is best to find a speaker who is closer to home.

When you contact your potential guest speaker, one of the first questions you need to have answered is: Does she charge for her services? Don’t assume that all speakers are fine with a love gift or whatever you can afford. Many speakers have a set charge because this is how they earn their living.

If the speaker does not have a set charge, we normally set the honorarium according to the number of times that she will be speaking. It is hard to give a hard and fast rule for determining the honorarium, because so many factors come into play, including your location. You may want to get a ball park honorarium amount from a nearby church. Currently, our rule of thumb is between $100 and $125 per teaching. For a retreat with three main sessions, that is about $400. This is probably low compared to what larger churches pay.

Prepare the honorarium in advance. Enclose it within a thank-you note and give it to your guest speaker at the end of your event.

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