Planning a youth retreat can be a complicated, high-stress affair. It can also be a time-consuming endeavor. Whenever you bring a group of people together for an extended period of time — and add in cooking and sleeping requirements — things can get complicated quickly. If your church or youth group is planning a ministry retreat this year, it would be good to get the jump on things and make some considerations.
Here are a few tips and tricks to make the next youth or church retreat easier and quicker to plan:
1.) Take care of the “BIG 3” first — lodging, food, and transportation.
Youth Retreat Lodging
Once you have these three things settled, everything else comes together. Lodging and transportation should not be a significant stressor. Choose a location that can meet the lodging and meeting room needs for your church youth retreat. You might find that Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center, located in Brooksville in Hernando County, just north of Tampa, can provide everything you need for a quiet and focused retreat experience that includes a gorgeous backdrop for all activities.
Youth Retreat Cooking
Youth retreat food and dining can be trickier to plan, as many youth workers choose to do the cooking themselves to save money. For everyone doing his or her own cooking, remember simple is better. Cooking in large quantities is difficult to do well, so unless you have a gourmet chef as a chaperone, you’re probably better off with cereal and bagels for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch. (Keep in mind your students who have food allergies/sensitivities! Much of the food that works well for groups does not work well for some, especially those with gluten and dairy issues.)
At Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Conference Center, a Dining Hall is available for use, with a full commercial kitchen which can be used if the group prefers to utilize a caterer for food preparation. And, for fun bonding time, guests can make s’mores, while fellowshipping around their outdoor fire pit.
Youth Retreat Transportation
Transportation is also a biggie. You’ll need to figure out how many are traveling, how far, and how the luggage is getting to the destination. Depending on the distance, a bus/coach company might be your best bet. If you’re planning a retreat closer to home, you may be able to rely on volunteers and parents to get teens where they are going. (Don’t forget the liability waivers!)
2.) Plan a few activities well.
Many youth workers new to retreat planning think they need to schedule every minute of the day with exciting and meaningful activities, but much of the retreat value comes from the off moments. Retreats are valuable because of the time they provide to get to know each other. Planned activities are a secondary focus. Understanding this reality helps you plan a better church retreat while taking less time to do so.
Instead of hunting for activities and lessons that can work with your theme, choose a few. Plan your youth retreat activities well. Then allow space in the day and at night for people to play games and hang out together. Bring along group games, snacks, and beverages to encourage people to sit around together.
3.) Recruit extra chaperones early in the process.
Anyone working in youth ministry knows this step is easier said than done. Finding volunteers who will give up a weekend of their time is a challenge, and finding youth retreat chaperones often is one of the most challenging steps in planning. It doesn’t need to be so hard.
As soon as you know the date for the retreat, begin recruiting. Every person helping with the youth and every parent in the youth group should be made aware of the need for chaperones immediately. All staff, elders, and deacons should be mindful of the need for youth retreat chaperones and should be asked personally if he or she is available for that weekend. If the retreat is for junior high school students, consider asking the high school group to help with some chaperoning.
Don’t settle for too few chaperones. During the retreat, you will have a bunch of tasks to attend to; you will not be able to run the retreat well if you constantly are taking on the role of chaperone yourself. Gather enough volunteers to help with the event so that you can step back from that role. Let people know if you are short of volunteers, and do it in advance.
It is helpful to have a deadline to call off the retreat. For example, if you don’t have enough volunteers three weeks before the retreat, it doesn’t happen. This may seem harsh, but it will make the church understand the role it needs to play in the education of its youth.
With these three areas covered, your youth retreat should go smoothly. As you plan your church retreat, other details will come up and need to be addressed as well, but taking care of those listed above will help guarantee everyone on the retreat has an enjoyable and safe time together.
Guest post by Wayne Cordova
Wayne Cordova served as a pastor where he focused on communicating, leading ministry teams, and resourcing and equipping staff.
Wayne has spoken and ministered to thousands of students and adults around the country over the last 20 years at many retreats and conferences around the U.S.
