Preparation for Fall Starts in the Summer

Is anyone else trying to finalize summer events and execute summer programming while also preparing for fall launch, back-to-school outreach and all the fall events that are coming quickly?

Summer ministry always offers an interesting tension. The rhythm changes, families travel and volunteers are in and out. While attendance usually fluctuates in the summer, we are already anticipating an entirely different pace in the fall.

How do we accomplish all the tasks so weekends, events and launches run smoothly without leaving us feeling completely overwhelmed by August?

Over the years, I have learned that preparation for fall is critical during the slower summer months. Planning now creates a healthier rhythm later. Here are five practical things that help you each summer, so you don’t find yourself teetering on exhaustion by August.

Pray First

Every summer I am reminded that I must involve the Holy Spirit in my planning. I need to seek Him first and prioritize my relationship with Him.
It’s easy to jump into calendars, volunteer gaps, supply lists, communication plans and event details. But before you do any of that, pause to pray and read your Bible each day. Don’t let the busyness of your calendar derail you from your relationship with the Lord.

Because ministry leadership starts vertically, I find it helpful to keep a prayer journal, which reminds me of whom and what to pray for. I include events I am planning, families I lead, volunteers who serve, kids moving up on promotion weekend and any other area where I need wisdom.

Prayer changes how we carry our workloads. It reminds us that God is ahead of every detail that needs to be figured out rather than feeling like everything depends on us.

Manage Your Time

A good fall ministry year does not happen by accident. It takes planning and preparation to create healthy ministry rhythms.

Write out your goals and deadlines ahead of time. If we don’t intentionally schedule time to work on projects, the immediately urgent things often push aside other important tasks. So I schedule appointments with myself on my calendar to get specific tasks done.

Here are some fall ministry tasks you can work ahead on during the summer:

• volunteer schedules
• classroom prep
• parent communication for promotion weekend
• event timelines
• supply organization

If we’re honest, VBS alone can feel like a giant lift, especially as we simultaneously plan for fall ministry. So, I set specific times during the week to work on VBS and other large projects. In my time management plan, I mark these as “special projects.” Whether it’s VBS, fall festival or other big events, having a specified time to plan those projects throughout the year is essential.

As you consider time management for larger projects, don’t forget the smaller, mundane tasks! Classrooms should be prepared in advance for promotion weekend. Don’t wait until the week before launch to sharpen pencils, replace broken crayons, update volunteer nametags and organize supplies!

Working ahead helps create margin later. Do your best to avoid all those details piling up into a stressful, last-minute to-do list the week before fall launch. Also, give yourself the gift of time by delegating many of the above tasks to volunteers throughout the summer.

Consolidate Your Calendar and Tasks

One way to help with time management is to put all like-minded tasks on your calendar together. Instead of bouncing between 10 different items all day long, it’s helpful to batch projects. For example, here’s how my schedule often looks:

• Monday mornings are for VBS prep time and “now” events.
• Wednesday afternoons are for volunteer recruiting.
• Other blocks of time can be dedicated to communication and classroom organization.

This helps me stay focused and finish projects instead of constantly feeling behind. And here’s a pro tip: Don’t have email open all day. I limit my email interaction to first thing each morning, 45 minutes around lunch time and the last 30 minutes of the day.

I also love creating a detailed to-do list with preferred outcomes. Instead of saying, “Work on fall ministry,” my list includes specific tasks such as:

• Finalize volunteer onboarding.
• Prepare classroom bins.
• Finish parent emails.
• Complete supply orders.
• Organize promotion weekend materials.

When all the tasks are stored only in my head, they feel heavier than they are. Writing them down creates clarity and allows me to think strategize and plan effectively. And yes, those items are on my calendar, not just a random stack of sticky notes!

Create a Volunteer Plan Before Fall Gets Here

Summer can be hard on volunteer rhythms. The need to find subs every week can make it hard to devote the necessary time to fall planning. Yet juggling these different priorities is essential. Remember, summer is the perfect time to make your volunteer plan for the fall. With that in mind, I ask myself five questions as I am planning for August and September:

• Where are the volunteer gaps?
• Which classrooms need more support?
• Who has leadership potential?
• How are we caring for our current volunteers?
• What is our recruiting plan heading into fall?

Many of my best volunteer conversations happen during the summer. Things feel a little less rushed and more relational, especially when I have made time to meet with volunteers. People are often more open to serving when they feel personally invited and connected to the mission instead of simply hearing a general announcement from stage.

Summer can feel hard for consistent volunteers because rhythms are different and schedules are unpredictable. Encouragement and appreciation go a long way during this season. And who knows? When you treat your summer volunteers well, they may just become fall volunteers as well!
Refresh Yourself as Part of the Preparation

Ministry leaders tend to head into fall exhausted. Summer ministry is busy. Camps, VBS, events and weekend programming all add up quickly, but refreshing yourself is part of healthy leadership too.

There are three things I intentionally try to do every summer. First, I take time off. You may feel like there isn’t time to take a break, but you need it — we all do! Time away helps refill your cup before the pace of fall ministry begins.

Second, I change where I work. It’s amazing what a different environment can do for creativity and motivation. Sometimes I will take a project to a coffee shop or another creative space for half a day just to get a fresh perspective and check something off the list.

Third, I recruit special project volunteers. These volunteers are amazing. Sometimes people want to help but can’t commit to weekly serving. Summer projects create great opportunities for them to contribute in meaningful ways.

Here are some tasks you can recruit summer project volunteers for:

• Put together VBS or camp folders.
• Deep clean nursery and preschool rooms.
• Sort broken toys.
• Check puzzles for missing pieces.
• Test markers.
• Organize supply closets.
• Sharpen pencils.

In my experience, kids love sharpening pencils. Who knew? But those tiny details are important when families walk into ministry spaces in the fall, and getting summer help is a great way to accomplish this.

A healthy fall starts with intentional planning and good calendar management during the summer. And the more you prepare in advance, the more time you’ll have to do what’s most important in ministry: being present with people to build relationships and make disciples.

That’s the goal. Not just pulling off events. Not just surviving another ministry season. But creating space to lead kids and families well as we point them toward Jesus!