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    how to connect with families in the summer
soeren koch
Summer is a good time to connect with families because most families aren’t around. This might sound funny to some, but what I mean is: You can use your time effectively to connect to a few families on a deeper level. In Germany we only have six weeks of summer break and all summer activities are cramped into this small window.
Because many people are gone, church all the sudden is a lot smaller. I get to meet “new” people all the time. Well, they have been around forever but were “hiding” from me. And now they all the sudden appear with a lot of extra time. So I have time to focus on a few relationships. It’s fun and it’s easy and I don’t have the feeling of having to talk to everybody.
For me, the number one time to talk to families is right after church. The slow pace of summertime allows everybody to be more relaxed. Schedules are not as busy as usual.
By far my favourite “method” of connecting with families is being invited into their homes. I enjoy getting to know families in their own places and environments, because it brings some reality to the relationship: I’m able to experience the “real thing”. I get to see how parents treat their children, each other and how the kids live life outside of church.
It’s a little tricky to get families to invite you into their home without you inviting yourself. I don’t want to fall in the category of the “poor youth pastor who doesn’t have money to buy food and now he needs me to invite him for lunch”. And while this might be true at times (we all agree) nobody wants it to be his or her reputation.
Here is what I do:
I communicate flexibility
“I’m open for lunch or dinner any time. Just give me a call and I see what I can do. I really want to spent time with you.” That gives them the chance to invite you without making it a big deal.
I pretend not to be the youth pastor
Some people believe, when the youth pastor is over at their house they need to clean up everything and put on their “Sunday faces”. Not true. If they invite me over, I’m not the youth pastor and I don’t give them the feeling of “Hey, if you don’t behave like a good Christian, I will use your story as a sermon illustration.”
I’m thankful
I am! And I tell the families how thankful I am after spending time together.
I invite them to my home as well
I keep inviting them. Not many people actually come over, but it shows them the value of connecting outside of church.
Well summer is almost over and the next two weeks is camp time. I’m off to France for summer camp.
God bless you,
Sören
...
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/community-articles-from-the-field.html
soeren koch
Summer is a good time to connect with families because most families aren’t around. This might sound funny to some, but what I mean is: You can use your time effectively to connect to a few families on a deeper level. In Germany we only have six weeks of summer break and all summer activities are cramped into this small window.
Because many people are gone, church all the sudden is a lot smaller. I get to meet “new” people all the time. Well, they have been around forever but were “hiding” from me. And now they all the sudden appear with a lot of extra time. So I have time to focus on a few relationships. It’s fun and it’s easy and I don’t have the feeling of having to talk to everybody.
For me, the number one time to talk to families is right after church. The slow pace of summertime allows everybody to be more relaxed. Schedules are not as busy as usual.
By far my favourite “method” of connecting with families is being invited into their homes. I enjoy getting to know families in their own places and environments, because it brings some reality to the relationship: I’m able to experience the “real thing”. I get to see how parents treat their children, each other and how the kids live life outside of church.
It’s a little tricky to get families to invite you into their home without you inviting yourself. I don’t want to fall in the category of the “poor youth pastor who doesn’t have money to buy food and now he needs me to invite him for lunch”. And while this might be true at times (we all agree) nobody wants it to be his or her reputation.
Here is what I do:
I communicate flexibility
“I’m open for lunch or dinner any time. Just give me a call and I see what I can do. I really want to spent time with you.” That gives them the chance to invite you without making it a big deal.
I pretend not to be the youth pastor
Some people believe, when the youth pastor is over at their house they need to clean up everything and put on their “Sunday faces”. Not true. If they invite me over, I’m not the youth pastor and I don’t give them the feeling of “Hey, if you don’t behave like a good Christian, I will use your story as a sermon illustration.”
I’m thankful
I am! And I tell the families how thankful I am after spending time together.
I invite them to my home as well
I keep inviting them. Not many people actually come over, but it shows them the value of connecting outside of church.
Well summer is almost over and the next two weeks is camp time. I’m off to France for summer camp.
God bless you,
Sören
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