Dolly Mink: Years of experience in Christian leadership and service have given Dolly Mink a unique perspective, and she is eager to share her observations, insights, and words of encouragement to the women of Virginia. Dolly seeks to accomplish this through teaching, training, and writing. In addition to her role with the SBCV, she leads women’s Bible study at River Oak Church in Chesapeake, where she and her husband are members, and she writes short stories and blogs at https://dollymink.wordpress.com.
Well, bless your heart for sticking with us this month. It’s been hot with a capital H, muggy as all get-out, and the kind of August that has just seemed tired. Like summer did all it can, and now it’s flat-out exhausted. Kind of like some of our events get, come to think of it.
This month we’ve covered energizing your team, considering your concepts and approach to events, and discovering new ideas regarding the event itself. Now, in our remaining time, let’s take a closer look at the preparation of events and how to follow up effectively.
I am a planner. Let me quickly follow that by saying that I eagerly give all control and authority to the Lord for any plan that I may come up with. I know Who is in charge and it is most certainly NOT ME. But, I do acknowledge that He has called me into this position and therefore I will make the very best use of the time that I have as a leader by planning well.
So, ice up that Stanley mug, crack open that pretty planner, and get your colored pens out. Put the stickers aside for now, it’s time to get busy.
What are your goals for the women of your church? Do you want to see them grow in the way they interact multi-generationally? Do they need to go deeper in Scripture? Are they clique-ish? Give this some prayer and make it part of your conversation with your pastor. Once you’ve decided on your goals, you can develop a plan for the year, and perhaps even more long-term.
- Consider the Bible studies you will offer. Yes, I started with studying God’s Word! Everything we do should be based around developing a closer walk with the Savior, bringing Him glory, and leading others to Him. Not events. At the very back of the Lifeway Women’s Catalog, there is a grid that can be very helpful. This will allow you to see the length, type, and focus of the study.
- Now that you know the Bible study schedule for the year, you can plan the kickoff event, any holiday events, and a year-end wrap-up. It’s important to remember that, as leader, it’s your job to lead the team. I know that sounds obvious, but it bears consideration. What I’m trying to say here is that there are times when you have to make decisions and then present them to the team. If you rely on your team to come up with all the ideas, make the plans, and then carry out those plans, then (A) you won’t accomplish much at your meetings and (B) what are you actually doing?
One of the things that helps me is a spreadsheet I created. It is a walk-through of the event, from concept to evaluation. It starts with the concept/theme and then has a row for every detail, including any checks I will need in hand on day-of, the speaker gift, which pastors will be in the building, etc. This sheet also has a column for who is responsible for each task, and I update it once the task is complete. If you would like for me to email you my sheet so that you can customize it to fit your needs, just let me know. I am not putting a live link to my stuff on here. Creepy.
- Evaluation and follow-up are two important elements of the event, but, let’s face it: it’s sometimes like cleaning up the kitchen after a big meal. It’s tempting to stack the dishes, make sure the stove is off, and collapse on the couch. Don’t give in to it, Sis! Instead, plan ahead by preparing the email in advance! You can either hand out the evaluation/thank you for attending email at the end of the event, in a handout you’ve used, or email it, but much of the work can be done in advance and then sent out the following week.
When creating your evaluation, try not to get too detailed. People don’t want to feel like they’re doing their taxes in order to tell you what they thought about the breakouts or the chicken cutlet. Stick to the big stuff, too. You don’t really need to know what they thought of the décor. Instead, make sure they give feedback on the speaker, the worship, and that they felt welcomed and safe.
Well, Sis, it’s been a joy to share with you these past weeks. I wish we could sit down with some iced tea and really dig into this more. If you have any questions regarding any of this, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to hear if you implemented any of these ideas and how it worked out. When we, at the SBCV, say you are not alone, we mean it. You’re not alone in this leadership role God has called you to! This team is dedicated to serve Him by serving you. Stay in touch!
