Ending well is just as important as starting well. Do you end strong or just sort of disappear?
In College Ministry, students often disappear over the last 3 or 4 weeks not as an intentional decision to drop out of your ministry. Rather, it is a result of too many projects put off and too few chapters read earlier and oh yeah, even professors realizing they need to throw in an extra project or exam to round out their grade process.
But, if students aren't there at the end, it is harder for them to return in the fall. Do you have some event that they just don't want to miss....that's easy to come to....that there is extra promotion and publicity about?
What are some options?
-End of the Year cookout with fun or serious awards.
-Dead Day Olympics
-Spring Float trip
-Day of Service around town or campus or church
-Recognition event honoring all students who will be serving in Summer Ministry
-Event honoring graduating seniors (make sure you get those that haven't been there much this year too!)
But wait! Have you thought about an End of the Year Event that appreciates all the adult volunteers that helped your ministry this school year?
-Sunday School classes that provided food
-Teachers that taught and have for years
-Churches that brought all those great meals for your Lunch Program (I attended a great one today.)
-Families that took in your students
If possible at a thank you event for volunteers, let them know some of the great things that happened as part of your ministry this year and help them realize they were part of making it happen!
It's not too late to end with a bang! It will help you start better than a whimper this fall!
I agree that you should be in the active process of thanking people who have helped your ministry and done great things. Recognition of talent is always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with the idea that the end of the school year is simply focused on the next year. I think there is plenty of current ministry still available to be done currently.
Therefore, I would add that these events be geared to inform about the next year, and focused on helping those who are trying to stay afloat at the end of the semester.