Setting the tone for a successful Sunday morning can happen in a number of ways, but a pre-service volunteer huddle is a vital one. No matter what you call it (huddle, circle-up, VIP meeting, or something else), pre-service huddles have many benefits. Helping your volunteers build a sense of community and ensuring that everyone serving is on the same page with details for the day are just a few.
Of course ‘pre-service’ huddles happen ‘pre-service’. For leaders whose volunteers might already struggle to arrive on time, asking them to arrive earlier might be a hurdle that you don’t want to face. I completely understand. In fact, when we launched our huddles in January 2018, I spent months prior fearing that no one would show up besides my own family! But I was proven wrong. Not only did people show up, we consistently pack the room out!
Casting vision for the reason ‘why’ for the huddles and the end goal is key to getting your team on board. I felt led to begin huddles because I observed our volunteers rushing in and running straight to their classrooms, right past each other, with no connection whatsoever. I knew that had to change, so I took a leap of faith on what has now made our team feel more like family.
Wikipedia defines ‘huddle’ as:
“…the actions of a team gathering together, usually in a tight circle, to strategize, motivate, or celebrate…”
I’d say that this is a good (and accurate) description of our pre-service huddles.
How We Strategize
Time is of the essence, so I usually keep this part pretty static from week to week. Each week, we:
- highlight what the kids are learning that day
- review logistics (schedule reminders, special instructions, allergy alerts if we’re serving snacks, etc.)
- make sure everyone knows where they’re serving, especially if we have substitute leaders
- review different policies and procedures as needed
- we spend time in prayer
How We Motivate
Keeping your leaders encouraged and motivated helps them see the value in their role and keeps them around for the long haul. Ways we motivate our leaders include:
- offering an encouraging word, story, or scripture
- sharing classroom tips and strategies to help them be successful
- offering random giveaways (also an incentive for them to attend or arrive early because it’s very random – I’m talking gift cards or small gifts)
How We Celebrate
Ministry is hard, so creating moments to celebrate keeps the energy alive and momentum levels high! We celebrate by:
- sharing wins
- acknowledging birthdays, holidays, special days, and accomplishments
- hearing personal highlights from the week
- sharing jokes and just laughing together
A Few Additional Points
Every week, we provide coffee, juice, bottled water, and light refreshments for our volunteers and their kids who join us. This expense is factored into my annual budget. (I buy their favorites based on the “Favorite Things” sheet they fill out when they join the team. More on this at the end.)
Our prayer time looks different from week to week. Sometimes I pray; sometimes another leader prays. Sometimes we group people together to pray in pairs or in their serving area groups. Changing this up keeps things fresh while also helping bonds to form.
Our huddles last approximately 5-8 minutes on average. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in such a short time. Shorter is definitely better than long and drawn out.
On the first Sunday of the month, we take Communion together as a team.
Does everyone attend huddle every week? No, but most do consistently. Is everyone always on time? No. We show grace because things come up last-minute. But is it worth it to gather ahead of serving together? ABSOLUTELY! It’s been a game-changer for us.
On Friday, I’m sharing a link to the “Favorite Things” sheet I mentioned earlier. If you’re not following me on my Facebook page, be sure to do that because that’s where the link will be dropped!
Now it’s your turn…do you offer pre-service huddles? What does yours include?