Starting the Fall off with a fresh start

Today, some of the New Life staff (department heads and senior leadership) will be headed to Gettysburg, PA for a retreat.  This is the 3rd year in a row we have done this (actually they may have done this before I came on staff, but this is my 3rd trip with them).

As I have talked to many of the staffers going on Gettysburg, the one consistent theme that I have heard throughout is how excited all of us are about being able to get away for a few days and process, plan and bond together.  Our Executive Pastor has given us an agenda and we will be doing a lot of work up there but it will be from out of the confines of our regular work environment and he also has some other things planned at Gettysburg that we can do together and learn from.

So, we are all excited and getting ready for what we are all hoping to be a fresh start to the year and an event that propels us into being ready for all that God has planned for New Life and the nZone.

My question is, do you do something with your staff, volunteers or team to prep and prepare for your year?  This is a convicting question for me because although I am taking my Volunteer Youth Leaders away next weekend for an overnight retreat to start our year off right, I have nothing planned for my Children’s Ministry Staffers.  That is a fail for me and I need address that ASAP.  Because I know that getting together, preparing for the fall and processing are vitally important to starting the year off strong.

So, as the fall is getting ready to get into full gear, TAKE A MINUTE right now and think through what you are going to be doing to break away and make sure you, your volunteers and staffers area all on the same page?  Does it need to be a day or 2 away somewhere other than your office?  If so, where?

Remember, it’s not too late to do something (I’m in that way with the Children’s Ministry Team).  What would be worse if we didn’t do something.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Experiences?  Post them below so that we can all benefit.