Fellowship events are a vital activity for every congregation. They are a chance to connect, reach out to the community, and raise much-needed funds. However, event planning can also be stressful. Here are our top tips on how to plan a successful church event.
The budget is the biggest consideration, since it determines the scope of your event. Have a firm idea of the spending limit and let it guide every decision you make. You might also need to create a yearly event planning budget, so you can allocate the right amount of funds to each event.
It’s important to identify the event’s main objective, whether it’s fundraising, outreach, fellowship, or education. Set clear, measurable goals, such as attendance targets or fundraising amounts.
Your target audience might be a specific age group or the broader community. Defining the target audience and outlining the benefits of the event for both attendees and the church community will ensure a unified direction and focus.
With event planning, you need to always be looking ahead. Sit down with your planning committee and schedule out the events for the year. If your church is small and has not had an event committee in the past, it’s never too late to create one. Having a group of people to share responsibilities with will make the task much easier.
Volunteers are the backbone of any event. As you are finalizing the details of the event, it’s important to find people willing to take charge of each task. The best way to recruit volunteers is by utilizing the communication channels already available to you. Make announcements at the beginning or end of worship services, advertise in your bulletin, and reach out to the different ministry groups in your church. Ask people to commit to different aspects of event preparation and clean up so that you’re not left doing things yourself.
The more details you finalize, the better prepared you will be when the day of the event comes. Here is a brief list of items to consider:
Looking for event seating?
Browse Folding and Stacking Chairs
Seating and furniture are critical. You need to be sure everything is laid out in the best format for this particular event, whether it be a banquet, fundraiser, festival, or something else.
Besides determining how many lightweight portable tables and chairs you need, you also need to figure out spacing between chairs and tables, and how to maximize your layout for both seating capacity and the comfort of your guests.
Once you’ve worked out the details of the event and set a date, you need to get the word out to your community. Consider the audience before you decide the best ways to advertise. Is this a fundraiser for the community or a fellowship event for your congregation? Depending on who you’re trying to reach, you may use different channels, such as:
Tip: Remember to factor in advertising costs when you make your event budget.
Make sure all of your volunteers know when they are arriving and leaving and who will take over for them at the end of their shift. Have a backup plan if something comes up at the last minute. It could throw everything off if some of your volunteers can’t make their scheduled shift! Having a few extra people on “standby” will make everything run smoothly.
Additionally, have a backup plan for weather-related issues or other unexpected challenges.
After the event is over, your work is not quite done. It’s helpful to look back and assess how everything went, what you did well and what you can improve on in the future. If possible, get feedback from attendees to see what they liked or disliked. There is always room for improvement. Taking this step will make your church a more efficient and successful event planner.
Take a moment to thank all the volunteers and attendees for making the event a success. Recognize that a lot of hard work went into this and sincerely show your appreciation. You may even want to send out small gifts as a token of your gratitude. When volunteers feel appreciated, they will be more likely to help out with future events.
Use these tips as a checklist for your next church event, and you’re sure to keep things running on-schedule and efficiently.
If you’re in need of chairs or folding tables for fellowship events, rely on ChurchPlaza to bring you high quality at a great value. We have various options, including:
Multipurpose banquet and sanctuary chairs
Lightweight stacking and folding chairs
Portable folding tables
Some models are available for immediate shipment if your church has an urgent need for seating. Call us today at 1-800-927-6775 to see how we can help you with your seating and furniture needs!
A well-maintained church facility creates a welcoming environment for worshippers and helps preserve the integrity…
Pastors play a vital role in leading and caring for their congregations, but their work…
As a funeral home director, one of your top priorities is ensuring the comfort and…
Designing the right seating layout for community, fellowship, and church events can make a big…
The Christmas season is a special time for churches to bring their congregations together. Planning…
While the focus of a funeral service is about honoring the life of the deceased,…