Retreat Planning Meeting, Part I

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.