Retreat-in-a-Bag - Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Archive for Starting Points in Retreat Planning

First Decisions

Posted by Debby on July 11, 2012

Planning an event a year in advance is not too soon, especially when speaker and venue availability are issues.

When planning for an event, of course the first thing to do is pray, making sure that the Lord is leading you. The event location, date and speaker are the first decisions to be made, and all of these, of course, have to coincide! It may happen that one of those three is non-negotiable–perhaps only one date works for your group, or you have made a firm determination of the speaker you want. Then you adjust accordingly. The location and speaker both need to be available on the date selected. Or, if the date and location are firm, then you may need to find a speaker who is available on the particular date needed. As much as possible, your speaker should have the final word on the date that works best for her, so that may require flexibility with the date and location.

When those first decisions are made, then the fun begins!

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Leave a Comment (0) →

Schedule a Quiet Time

Posted by Debby on May 30, 2012

By its very name, a retreat suggests a time to withdraw and a place of privacy or refuge. And yet, we can unwittingly make our retreats a very busy time, where a tight schedule of teaching sessions, skits, activities and workshops are sandwiched between meals. And while women love the activities and the change from their daily routines, we are doing them a disservice if we fail to schedule into our retreats a time to be quiet with the Lord.

Quiet time at a retreat can be scheduled like any other activity. This is time that women are encouraged to spend in the Word and with the Lord, apart from other distractions. Often, we give them guidance for their quiet time, so that those who are new to the concept have (at the very least) a Bible passage to read and reflect upon. An hour is not too long to set aside for quiet time at a retreat!

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, Lessons Learned, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Leave a Comment (0) →

Promise Verses

Posted by Debby on February 24, 2011

Each book in the Retreat-In-A-Bag series contains two listings of promise verses in its Appendix. There is a list of the verses we have selected, each verse written out in its entirety; then there is a separate page listing the references (verse “addresses”) only.

At every women’s retreat, we give each women her own promise verse for the retreat. They are “randomly” given out, but we always pray that God will make sure that each woman gets the promise that will be meaningful to her. Our ladies look forward to finding out their promise verse every year. Often, the promise verse is noted on their retreat name tag, so that as soon as they arrive at the retreat and pick up their booklet and name tag, they can look up their promise verse.

So why would the Appendix mentioned above be handy? Yes, it is easy enough to compile a list of promise verses on your own. In fact, we did that ourselves each year for many years. However, we found that many of the same general promise verses were used from year to year (with the exception of promises specially selected to relate to the retreat theme). Each time a list was compiled, there was a process of checking and re-checking so that there were no errors when the references were copied onto the name tags. By using our list of verse references, the process is streamlined and we don’t worry about copying errors.

Posted in: Ingredients for a Great Retreat, Resources, Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Leave a Comment (0) →

Retreat Planning Meeting, Part 2

Posted by Debby on August 10, 2010

Depending on the level of participation, the Retreat Planning Meeting provides our women’s leaders with a list of ladies who are willing to help in the various areas. Often, we will make these lists available to women at other times, such as women’s Bible study, so that we can give the opportunity to as many women as possible. While we still may need to recruit more help, if enough do not sign up, it does give us that basic group of servants that will be so crucial to pulling off the retreat.

I like the concept of the Retreat Planning Meeting, because no one can say that they did not have the opportunity to get involved. While we have many ladies that we can count on and call upon to help, this opens the door for any woman in the church to test the waters and get involved in a small way. It is a great way for ladies to get plugged in and feel that they are part of the ministry. So often, we discover women who have gifts that we didn’t know about just because they signed up in an area of interest to them. For instance, someone will sign up to be involved in the skit, and we had no idea that they would be interested in acting! Or someone will sign up to help with decorations, and we discover a new talent in that area!

Three cautions: When we make up these sign-up sheets, leaders are just estimating what kind of help that they are going to need. Some may still have need for more help, while others don’t have enough tasks to spread around to all who signed up. Stay in contact with the women who have signed up. If they are not needed in one area, perhaps they would be interested in helping in another. Secondly, every woman who does sign up must be contacted; if we neglect to contact someone who signed up, feelings could get hurt. Finally, after actual registration for the retreat has begun, is it wise for the leaders to confirm that the ladies on their sign-up list have indeed signed up for the retreat In the month between the time they sign up to help and actual registration, their plans may have changed. You don’t want to be counting on women who then cannot actually be there to help!

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Leave a Comment (0) →

Retreat Planning Meeting, Part I

Posted by Debby on August 8, 2010

About three months prior to the retreat, we schedule a “Retreat Planning Meeting.” Ours will be taking place this Sunday, August 8th, after the morning service. It is at this meeting, which is open to any interested woman in the church, that women who desire to serve in various areas of the retreat (both in preparations before as well as during the retreat) come to find out what opportunities are available. Each of our nine women’s ministry leaders have been assigned certain areas of responsibility for the retreat–from registration prior to the retreat to cleanup at the end of the retreat. Prior to the “retreat planning meeting,” each leader estimates how many women she will need to help her carry out her retreat duties. For instance, the leader in charge of registration will need a certain number of women who can help with registration after each Sunday service during the month that registration is open. She will determine exactly what her needs are, and that information will be given to the leader in charge of the retreat planning meeting. In the same way, the leader in charge of book reviews will need those who are willing to read a book and do a short review at the retreat, as well as women who are willing to work at the book table during the retreat. The leader in charge of greeting will ask for volunteers for the various times during the retreat that she wants to have greeters available.

Sign-up sheet are made, based on that information. These sign-up sheets are put out at the retreat planning meeting. Our hope is that many women will attend the meeting and desire to serve. At the meeting, each leader will explain what will be required of those who sign up in her area of responsibility. Women are given the opportunity to ask questions and sign up (name and contact information) in the area(s) where they feel led to serve. The leaders then contact those who have signed up and more specific direction is given. For instance, a woman who signs up to help with registration is contacted to find out when she is available to serve, and then she is put on the schedule.

See more at Retreat Planning Meeting, Part 2.

Posted in: Retreat and Event Planning, Starting Points in Retreat Planning

Leave a Comment (0) →

Page 5 of 6 «...2 3 456