I noticed the other day that there are a few times in the year when church plans are formulated:
- December-February: The formal planing phase. This is where you think and pray and plan about what you would like to happen in the coming year.
- May-June: The realistic planning phase. This is where you begin to see clearly what God is actually doing through your church this year. You may need to change plans, re-write the preaching calendar. This time last year, we started planning the 'edgy' uni student service that has now become Toilet Block Tuesdays. Yesterday we came up with another big idea, that we'll discuss with the elders at the May meeting and announce at the church's next Brainstorming Summit.
- August-September: The home-stretch planning phase. This is when you realise how little you'll actually manage to get done before the end of the year and you begin to put your energy behind the most important things. You also begin to anticipate and prepare for things that will happen in the coming year. In 2007, this was when we began the Morning Fellowship Group which is now dubbed Crossroads House. I wonder what will happen this year?
