Retreat Planning Calendar II

Retreat Planning Calendar I gave a basic overview of the use of this tool.  Now let’s be a little more specific on how we have determined a few of these deadlines.

Once we have booked the date and location for the retreat, a key date for the planning calendar is the date that the retreat location requires a final count and rooming list.  We work backwards from that date to set a final date of registration.  With our retreat being on November 12-13, our hotel has required the rooming list confirmation and BEO’s (Banquet Event Orders) on Nov. 3rd.  That means that registration must be completed prior to that date and we must have time to get the final rooming list done.  We have made Oct. 31st the deadline for our completion of the rooming list.   Since there can be challenges involved with getting the final rooming list prepared, we have allowed a little over a week between the end of registration (last day to sign up for the retreat) and the date that the rooming list is due to the hotel.  We like to have registration open for about a month, so registration for our retreat will begin on Sept. 19th and end on Oct. 20th.  We begin announcing the retreat in the bulletin about a month prior to the beginning of registration.

In summary:

Aug. 15       Bulletin announcements begin

Sept. 19       Retreat registration begins

Oct. 24        Last day to register

Oct. 31         Rooming list must be completed

Nov. 3          Rooming list due to hotel

The Importance of a Back-Up Plan

Things happen that can’t be anticipated.  Unexpected events, family issues, illnesses, transportation … all sorts of things can intrude on your retreat and affect those people who are key to carrying out the retreat.  Your worship leader wakes up with laryngitis, your guest speaker has travel delays, unalterable conflicts arise (such as a wedding or a funeral), childcare issues, illnes or job issues … the list of legitimate causes for absence are endless.  Then take into account that we have an enemy who would like nothing better than to use confusion, inconvenience, interruption or obstacle to derail the smooth running of your retreat.  We have ample cause to make the creation of a back-up plan a priority in the retreat planning process.

We have already mentioned the importance of having a simple organizational chart.  Designated leaders must make sure that each area under their responsibility is covered with a back-up plan.  Not only that, each leader needs to make sure that someone knows exactly what she does in case she is the one out of commission.  For instance, the person in charge of decorations has a plan of what she wants to do to decorate, and has those working with her who have helped gather the decorations.  However, she must also make sure that the entire decorating design is known by others who could carry on in her absence.  Another obvious example would be in the production of a skit.  Each performer must have an understudy; those working “backstage” must have those who could carry on in their absence.   The same goes for anyone with specific responsibilities at the retreat (manning the hospitality table, the book table, the registration table, etc.).

There is no way to foresee what may come up at a retreat.  But there is a peace in knowing that you are prepared, as much as is within your power, to go on in spite of those difficulties.  And then, as in everything, we trust God to provide where we are lacking.

Retreat Planning Calendar I

In addition to the Organizational Chart, we have a Retreat Planning Calendar.  This calendar is developed after the retreat date is set and the location booked.  Our calendar for this year’s retreat (in November) was handed out in May to all of the leaders of various areas of retreat planning. All retreat deadlines are noted on this calendar.  For our November 12-14 retreat, we have deadlines beginning in August, approximately four months prior to the retreat.    The calendar notes the date that registration will begin (and deadlines for all registration materials to be ready) and deadlines from the hotel for the final rooming list and BEO’s (Banquet Event Orders) to be turned in.  Even the dates when announcements for the retreat are to be made, either in the bulletin or in the pulpit, are noted, because these need to be scheduled and prepared ahead of time. Deadlines for anything to be added to the retreat booklet (handed out to all attendees at the retreat) and any retreat meetings, including retreat prayer meetings are noted.

A week prior to the retreat, EVERYTHING pertaining to the retreat is due.  All retreat supplies (booklets, name tags, skit props, decorations, book table books and supplies, remembrances, skit props–EVERYTHING–should be ready in one place and ready to be transported to the retreat. By forcing everything to be done before the last minute, we try to avoid panic attacks.

See more at Retreat Planning Calendar II.

Organizational Chart

Early in the retreat planning process, we create an “organizational” chart.  Key retreat functions are assigned to the oversight of a leader.  For instance, we have a person who oversees decorations at the retreat, a person who oversees worship, a person who oversees registration.  For our upcoming retreat, these tasks are divided between the eight women on our women’s ministry team.  In past years when we were smaller, the tasks may have been divided between only two or three main leaders.  This division of responsibilities serves many purposes.  First, it takes the overwhelming burden off of one person.  It helps the leaders to stay on task, not wasting time on issues being covered by another leader.  Early on in the retreat planning process, I know what my responsibilities are and I can begin to determine what kind of helpers I will need to accomplish the tasks I have been assigned.  Also, if an issue or problem comes up, the women’s ministry leader (our pastor’s wife) knows who to go to for answers.  Some of the responsibilities divided between the women’s leaders are:  preliminary planning (speaker, theme, retreat site), registration, retreat planning meeting, booklet and name tags, worship, sound/recording, rooming list, greeters at retreat, skit, quiet time, book reviews/book table, prayer team, remembrance gift, transportation, retreat site contact, guest speaker contact and communion. We will be talking about the various needs of each of these areas in the coming weeks.