Tips for Holiday Planning in Ministry (cont.)
4. “But what about me? When do I get a moment of solace during the holidays?”
Great question! Of course, we can’t change the reality that this is one of our busiest ministry seasons. It’s a major focus for us, for good reason. So planning ahead for peace is crucial, or it won’t happen.
From Halloween through Christmas, I try to block one night per week where, no matter who invites us, the answer is no. It’s Family Time, and we hold it sacred. Over the years, the only thing that trumped that night was a school performance for our own children. Even then, we went out for dinner or dessert to have time together.
5. Take a mini-Sabbath.
Last year I had a decent amount of unused PTO (paid time off) in my “bank.” So in mid-December, I took three days off and finished Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, making desserts, and all my other holiday preparations. I treated it as the “It’s-Christmas-Eve-and-I’m-not-ready-yet” scramble that is typical of most years.
It was glorious! My church holds 25 Christmas Eve services over four days and three locations. So doing all the last-minute holiday stuff a few weeks early made everything less stressful.
Most church leaders feel fully “spent” by the time we sit down to Christmas breakfast. The same is true for students’ families and our volunteers. Walking away from everything isn’t a real option. Besides, it’s the holidays!
But think about living a Sabbath lifestyle that embraces quiet moments amid all the chaos. Make your holiday planning more “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and less “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”
This article by Darren Sutton was originally published on YouthMinistry.com, © Group Publishing, a division of David C Cook.
