Over the years I have attended many, many meetings. Some of those meetings have been more than worth my time. Others felt like a big waste of time!
I have also led many, many meetings! What I have discovered: a successful meeting takes time, effort, and planning yet pays off well in creating a synergy among your volunteers that can’t be created any other way.
So, take the time to be more intentional as you prepare for your next meeting and keep the nine things below in mind as you invest in your treasured group of volunteers! Those who attend will leave blessed and glad they came if you inspire, inform, and do it in an interactive way!
Inspiring
1. Recast your vision.
It is easy to forget why you do what you do. That’s why it is important to re-cast your vision for your children’s ministry whenever you meet together. Is your vision in a catchy form that is easy to remember or is it wordy and hard to latch onto? Are your volunteers able to quickly share your vision with anyone who asks because it has become so familiar?2.
2. Share inspiring moments.
What happy moments have taken place within your ministry? What fantastic feedback have parents shared? Are there inspiring testimonies from teachers? Is there something positive that you have observed that you want to highlight with your volunteers?
3. Challenge
Sometimes the thing that inspires us the most is a challenge to do something better. Knowing specifically what is expected is incredibly helpful! Maybe it is being on time or making time to have a personal conversation with parents. Whatever your team needs to work on, challenge them to do that thing better. Find a visible way to “keep score” between this meeting and the next so your volunteers can visually see how they are doing. It might take a little extra work, however if you choose the right thing to keep track of it will yield great results.
The bottom line – in the busyness of life we all need a little inspiration when it comes to serving!
Informative
1. Currency
Did you know that being informed can be like currency? When you fill your teachers and volunteers in on the details of your ministry they will feel paid in a significant way. Often the information you take for granted is news to those serving under you.
In addition to information about what’s going on, your volunteers want to learn, grow, and become better at what they do. Make sure that your meeting is not only informing, but developing your team so they can more effectively engage in your ministry. Your willingness to support them in this way conveys just how much you value them!
2. Consistency
Because we are quick to forget, often times you need to remind your teachers and volunteers about key policies and procedures. As time goes on we are all prone to drift. Reviewing reminds them that you consider these things important. Get creative and have some fun! Simply spouting them off again will result in you being tuned out. Make it a game or role play – anything that gets your teachers and volunteers interacting and getting to know each other better, it also makes dry information more engaging.
3. Belonging
Everyone wants to belong and feel like they are a part of something much bigger. How will you create an environment where everyone feels like a valued part of the team?
Interactive
1. Fun
What’s fun for one is not fun for all, so keep in mind that your team will be made up of a variety of personalities. You will want “fun” that appeals to both introverts and extroverts.
You can make your meeting more fun by getting creative with the food, the decorations, or even coming up with a creative theme for your time together. How can you use the food, the theme, etc. to reinforce whatever your agenda is for the meeting?
Not only will the time be more enjoyable, it will also be more memorable!
2. Connections
The more connected your children’s ministry team is the more successful they will be. Provide ways for the team to interact and get to know each other better during the meeting. The relationships that are nurtured there will positively interact their time serving together.
Consider fostering connections through ice breakers, discussions, prayer time -anything that encourages your teachers and helpers to get to know each other better.
3. Memories
When you share positive times together it creates happy memories, and happy memories cause you to feel more positive about serving in children’s ministry! That’s a big plus!
When was the last time your team made happy memories together?
Including all the things mentioned here might seem like too much work. Remember you don’t have to do it all yourself. Why not allow someone on your leadership team, or a volunteer or two that show promise, to take on a part of the meeting. Having a role in the meeting will make the time that much more meaningful for those with a bent towards leadership!
How will you make your next volunteer meeting inspiring, informative and interactive? What are some of the things you have done in the past to make your meetings more meaningful?