You’ve planned an amazing white water rafting trip for your students. You’ve written every devotional, laid out every game, ice breaker, and small group activity. You found a rafting company that will take care of all the logistics. You put down a deposit, a non-refundable deposit.

You’re so excited about what this trip is going to mean to your students…but then you announce the event just four weeks before it’s taking place. And only four kids can go. The minimum group size is 12, and you can’t get the deposit back.

What went wrong? And why are parents so annoyed with you?

Events such as this should be on on the calendar 12-18 months before they take place so you can effectively plan, budget, and recruit ahead of time.

One of the biggest blunders in next gen ministry is last-minute planning, far too close to the actual date of an event. When you fail to plan for events 12-18 months in advance, several things can happen, including:

  1. Family calendars are already filled up and students are unable to attend.
  2. Volunteers are already committed to other events, leaving you in a lurch.
  3. Care is abandoned and events turn out shoddy, or worse, unsafe.
  4. Accommodations and transportation are already booked, and you end up having to choose more expensive options or cancel your plans.

These are just a few reasons that advanced planning is essential.

6 Steps to Getting Ahead with a Master Calendar

Creating a master calendar will help you avoid the problems listed above, but crafting a good calendar doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. You may need to enlist some help, especially if you’re new to the ministry. Here are six steps to create a calendar that’ll set your ministry up for success.

1. Fact Finding and Discovery

In the first phase, you draw from the knowledge and wisdom of existing leadership structures (youth council, parent council, students, etc.) and make sure you have a clear idea of which major events have taken place in the past.

For example, if there is a tradition of a winter ski trip, find out the traditional weekend (if there is one) and get it on the calendar. During this phase, your master calendar doesn’t need to take the form of a final, well-polished product. You’re simply trying to get key events and dates on a calendar that will be polished and presented later.

At this stage, ask the following questions:

What are the major annual events in the life of the ministry?

  • When are the existing annual retreats?
  • Are there any other overnight events?
  • What are the annual fundraising efforts?
  • What are the new events you want to add to the calendar for the next 12 to 18 months?

What are the church-wide non-negotiable events you need to plan to participate in?

  • This might include church-wide fundraisers, family retreats and events, Vacation Bible School, etc.
  • Make sure to seek input from the entire church staff on this one.

What are the major denominational events that need to be planned for?

  • This might include conference or denominational events, retreats, etc.

Are there any events in school schedules or locally that may impact students and their involvement?

  • Secure a copy of the calendars for the school system and private schools that you currently have students from, as well as any schools you may be targeting.

2. Add “Sneaker Conflicts”

If you’ve ever lived near the ocean then you’re probably familiar with “sneaker waves.” You can be enjoying a nice afternoon in the water with little waves lapping at your feet when all of a sudden a sneaker wave comes out of nowhere and drenches you. If you’d only been paying attention to the surf, you might have seen it coming.

Ministry has its own equivalent of sneaker waves. They are weekly programs, practices, community events, and routine church happenings that everybody forgets about until they conflict with your events calendar.

You may have the “Youth Christmas Musical” clearly blocked out on your calendar, but did you talk to the choir director and find out when practices are usually scheduled?

Here are a few suggestions for avoiding “sneaker conflicts.”

  • Note all major church events on your personal calendar and inquire as to whether there are practices, preparations, setup, etc. that students usually participate in. Be proactive and seek out those who lead these events. Coordinate practices and preparations with them.
  • Mark midweek programs on the calendar. What happens if a retreat runs over a Sunday? Or, a mission trip returns right during Wednesday night group? Will you cancel group that night? How does the church feel about that? What’s been done in the past?
  • Note major sporting events and other community activities. This will prevent you from planning a major event during Homecoming, S.A.T. testing, local fairs, etc.
  • Note holidays, big and small. Include everything from Mother’s Day to the start of hunting season, if that’s a big deal in your town.
  • Note your birthday, anniversary, and other special dates. Be sure not to plan an event on your wedding anniversary!

Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid these sneaker dates, but if you can at least be aware of the possible conflicts by adding them to your calendar before scheduling events, you’ll be able to brace yourself (and the ministry).

3. Sketch Proposed Dates

Take the information you gleaned from steps one and two and begin sketching out possible dates on the calendar. You know the ski trip is generally held sometime in January or February during the winter. Then pick a possible weekend.

Try setting these proposed dates with the input of one or two other people (such as one or two parent council members). It’s best to use a traditional grid calendar so you can visualize the time span between events.

4. Float Proposed Dates

Once you’ve drafted a calendar of proposed dates and have discussed them with your staff, share the proposed calendar with the entire parent council, church staff, and any other relevant group. Make sure they know these are proposed dates.

Ask them to look for possible conflicts that would affect a significant number of youth or the church as a whole. Work out any kinks in the schedule that are discovered. Thank people for their help. Take any insolvable calendar knots to your direct supervisor for wisdom.

5. Ratify the Calendar

Ask your direct supervisor about the proper procedures for ratifying your events calendar and getting dates added to the master church calendar. At the very least, your parent council should vote to approve the calendar. You may even present the final calendar for approval at the next staff meeting.

Gaining wide approval of your ministry calendar is smart, and it’s also the first step in promoting the events to the congregation.

6. Publish the Calendar

After you’ve done the hard work of making a 12-18 month master calendar with all the key dates, it’s time to distribute that calendar in an effective manner. Below are some possible formats.

  • One annual calendar: This option is easy to distribute to parents. It should include every major event, as well as weekly programming.
  • Monthly or seasonal calendars: These are also fairly simple to create in publishing software and you can add clip art, pictures, etc. if you choose to polish it to that degree.
  • Online calendar: Consider using a tool like Google Calendar to create a calendar that anyone can look at or subscribe to.

Last but not least, determine the best ways to distribute your calendar to key stakeholders including parents, students, church staff, and church leadership.

You may find that there are two or three ways you need to distribute the calendar. For example, while the church staff may want a printed copy to work from, parents may want a simple list, and students may want to access it online. Always remember to set aside time for maintaining the options you choose!