The kit includes everything you need to coordinate these 4 Parent/Student events: The UpGrade, Father/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Nerf Night, and Family Splash Day.
If you are a minister, you are also an event planner. That might not be what you signed up for, but events provide a powerful opportunity to connect with the children and youth in your church.
Think about the impact of your annual summer camp or fall retreat. These events give you opportunities to build new relationships and create an experience that introduces people to Jesus.
What about events for the parents in your ministry? Activities for parents can be just as effective as the ones you plan for students. The key is to be selective and strategic.
One of the biggest obstacles to parent event planning is that so many parents are serving as chauffeurs for their kids every night and all weekend long. They are always driving their kids to sports practices and games, music and dance lessons, and a host of other activities.
After you consider the time parents give to their work, their kid's schedules, and their commitments and relationships, there's not much time left.
The truth is that the odds are stacked against you when you invite them to an event at church. Does that mean you should give up? Is busyness a good reason to abandon events for parents or families? NO WAY! The opportunity to make an impact in the lives of parents is real.
The key is to plan quality events that engage the entire family. You provide activities for parents to engage their students rather than drop them off.
The most common question we receive from the ministers is, "How many events should I do for parents each year?"
We think the ideal number is four. The events don't have to be expensive or elaborate. A little bit of effort and attention to parents can go a long way in building and growing your parent ministry, which is Step 1 in our Ministry to Parents Roadmap.
Let's face the facts, though. Events are amazing, but they require a ton of work! To help you out, our team created four events that include the theme, speaking notes, logos, pre-written emails, budgets, checklists, and more.
The UpGrade is an annual event celebrating the student’s transition into the next grade or ministry (from elementary to middle or middle to high). This exciting event attracts parents and students for a fun evening while launching the new ministry year. It includes food, games, and activities before offering the leader(s) an opportunity to present information, calendar events, and teaching topics for the new ministry year.
Father/Daughter Dance is an elegant dinner and dance for fathers and daughters to enjoy a moment where fathers take their daughters on a “date.” We want to exemplify for girls how to expect dignity and kindness on an old-fashioned, get-dressed-up date. We believe they are worth it. The evening includes special moments of connection, selfie photo booth, speaker, dinner, and some fun dancing.
Mother/Son Nerf Night is an epic night of adventure as moms and sons join together with their best Nerf Guns to battle it out! Boys (children and teenagers) love to play. This event provides an opportunity for moms to connect with their sons, shoulder-to-shoulder.
Family Splash Day is a water day with a giant slip-n-slide as the grand finale to close out the yearly Parent Connection Events. This event allows parents and students to laugh and play together. It includes a celebration of the year’s activities such as summer camps, missions trips, VBS, the UpGrade, the Father-Daughter Dance, and the Mother-Son Nerf Night.
Every event includes:
- Description of the Event
- Four Elements of the Event
- Event Checklist
- Promotional Pieces
- Three Pre-written Emails
- Budget
1. Description of the Event
The key is to plan quality events that are selective and strategic. The description gives an overview of the WHO and WHY of the event.
2. Four Elements of the Event, which include:
- Introduction: Have them meet each other and introduce themselves.
- Information: Tell them why they are here.
- Inspiration: Turn a meeting into a moment and inspire them.
- Ideas: Give away a resource to foster the connection between parent and student.
Note: Every element stands alone. Feel free to use as many or as little as you would like. You can do one, two, three, or four.
3. Event Checklist
Includes a full checklist of everything you need to host the event. Some people love organizing significant events, but others would rather sleep in the rain than plan. Our checklists help the latter. :) But anyone can use the lists, and they are designed to work with any date you pick.
4. Promotional Pieces
We provide you the promotional words to use for Instagram, texts, and Twitter.
5. Budget
Every church varies in size and budget. We offer a rough estimate to get you started.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What if I purchased the kit mid-year?
No problem! All events are flexible. Pick the date that works for you.
Do I have to do all four events?
Each event is a stand-alone event. You can do one, two, three, or four.
Can the kit be customized?
Yes! The Event Checklist, Promotional Pieces, Pre-Written Emails, and Budget are all formatted in Word. Copy and paste the text into your document then edit away! For those that don't want to do any editing, you're given a PDF as well.
Which type of parent does this event kit reach?
We believe there are three types of parents:
- Parking Lot Parent: Parents drop off, and they don't share a faith.
- Connected Parent: Parents go to church, share faith, but uncertain how to lead kids.
- Committed Parent: Parents go to church, share faith, and are motivated to lead but need resources and encouragement.
This kit reaches every parent for all four events.
Is this event kit for children or youth ministry?
We designed this kit for students of all ages.
This product, like all our resources, is a download item.
Credits
Lead Author: Dan Istvanik
Co-Author: Elisabeth Lee
Graphic Design: Deborah Fisher