Adapted from an article by Christina Crawley
The Monthly Planning Meeting
To stay apprised of new situations and to manage implementation of the plan, a monthly Sunday School Planning Team meeting needs to be set in place. By meeting regularly, the Sunday School Planning Team positions itself to be proactive - addressing matters related to implementing the annual plan toward fulfillment - rather than reactive - addressing issues in the midst of crisis.
Here are some guidelines:
ð Select an appropriate meeting time. A regular meeting following the last Sunday of the month is ideal because statistical data for the month usually is available.
ð Use an agenda. A valuable tool for an effective monthly planning meeting is a meeting agenda.
ð Plan the elements of the agenda. The plan sheet is build around these ingredients:
- Inspiration. Set the meeting within a spiritual context and relate the work to the commission of Christ and the mission of the church.
- Information. Provide pertinent information that can help leaders improve the effectiveness of Sunday School.
- Evaluation. Discuss the effectiveness of events that have been completed and consider ways they could have been improved.
- Communication. Report on current activities or on upcoming events.
- Preparation. Initiate efforts related to future or new projects.
- Preview. Provide an overview of upcoming lessons, highlighting each lesson’s Biblical truth and Life Goal. Also alert teachers to any potential ‘trouble’ verses and ways of possible interpretation.
ð Follow Up the Meeting. Send members a summary of the meeting. Absentees will know what occurred during the meeting, and those who attended will be reminded of assignments.
Weekly Leadership Meetings
The weekly leadership meeting is to help all Sunday School leaders to be more effective in all aspects of Sunday School ministry. Here is suggested content of a weekly Sunday School leadership meeting:
· General Period (15 min.). This period is a brief gathering of all Sunday School leaders led by the Sunday School director, pastor, or minister of education. Click here for general period suggestions.
· Department/Class Leadership Meeting. This period is the primary focus of the weekly leadership meeting. Generally, the department directors or class teacher leads it. Each segment is to contribute to the achievement of the objectives in Sunday School.
· Focus on the Mission (10 min.) This portion of the meeting is an opportunity to relate the work of the Sunday School departments and classes to the mission and the ministry of the church. Information is shared concerning the church's ministry. Leaders are made aware of churchwide emphases, needs, and concerns.
· Focus on Relationships (25 min.). During this time, relationships with members and prospects are discussed, individual needs are assessed, and as appropriate, plans are made to involve members in responding to them. Churches using the FAITH Evangelism will use this time to review assignments, give reports, and make follow-up assignments. Occasionally during this time, a study and review of witnessing approaches can be conducted.
· Focus on Bible Study (25 min.). Teaching for spiritual transformation is facilitated when leaders work together to plan the best way to bring members into a life-changing encounter with the Bible message. During this time, previous Bible study sessions may be evaluated and assignments made for subsequent studies, in particular plans deciding how the Bible content for subsequent Sundays will be taught. If your team of teachers uses a variety of curriculum options, allow them to meet together according to their curriculum preference.
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FOR SMALL GROUP/DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY: Building Biblical Community is a 4 session group experience designed to help members understand what it means to belong in a small group, know how to live in community and do life together, discover mission, and learn the importance of “story” in group life. http://www.lifeway.com/product/005271302/
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FOR BIBLE STUDY LEADERSHIP TRAINING: Sunday School in HD Conference, FBC/Woodstock, March 10-11, 2011, information and registration at http://www.sundayschoolinhd.org/
FOR EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION: LifeWay will no longer be printing and mailing the Customized Order forms. We will only be sending the blank colored order form starting in Spring 2011. We will also stop mailing multiple copies of that blank colored form; we will only send one and the church can either make copies themselves, or they can download an print from the website at: lifeway.com/order
FOR EDUCATION MINISTERS: Register for 2011 Georgia Baptist Religious Educators Association (GBREA) annual meeting, January 20 & 21, 2011, Central Baptist Church, Warner Robins; keynote speaker, Bruce Raley - http://www.gbrea.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=39977&PID=784381
