Last week we gathered all of the KidMin staff from each campus together for a two-day retreat. We learned, listened, planned, created, laughed, and played. It was a great couple of days!

The purpose of this retreat was to help our teams across campuses build relationships and share ideas. We know that collectively we have the potential to accomplish a lot more. We also know that if there are not strong relationships across campuses, there will be friction and frustration.

We can’t eliminate all frustration, but we can build healthy teams that are capable of working through the differences to get the best end result.

Ultimately…we are better together!

Here’s what it looked like:

DAY 1

Session 1: Welcome & Quiet Time

During this session we talked about the power of working together. We introduced the 5-1 concept, and we discussed how our own spiritual health will influence the health of our team.

We gave out the book Enemies of the Heart, and wrote a personal quiet time for everyone to get alone, and do some “heart” work.

Session 2: Strength Finders

Every director met with their team and played a game to learn more about their teammate’s strengths. We give this test to everyone who works on our teams.

Lunch and Learn

We placed our staff in groups of two or three people from other campuses that they might not normally get to talk to. We gave them three questions to discuss, and sent them around town to have lunch together.

Session 3: Fall Kick Off Breakouts

Every fall we “kick off” the new school year with a big event. We mixed up all of our teams and broke into several smaller groups to talk about specific topics related to this event. We discussed things like: break outs for small group leaders, how we should train new worship leaders, what we should give the new volunteers, and what production elements to include.

Session 4: Grief and Kids

We invited a counselor who works primarily with children to talk to our staff about helping kids who are grieving. Grief happens when there is any loss. It could be a move to new city, a new school, a death, a divorce, or the loss of a pet. Great practical advice!

Drive to Gwinnett Church

At 4:30pm we all jumped in our cars and drove 30 miles to our newest campus. This is a building we are sharing with another church. Many of our staff hadn’t seen it yet. It was a great field trip. We ate dinner and toured around the building together.

UpStreet Large Group @ Gwinnett Church

Fun Surprise!

The team that plays together stays together! We had everyone bring workout clothes, and we surprised them with a fun night at Sky Zone. The pictures say it all.

DAY 2

Session 5: Difficult Conversations

One of our staff walked our teams through the importance of having difficult conversations. He gave us a great step-by-step guide for handling these kinds of discussions with integrity and hope for growth. He gave great examples and really challenged our team to lead through difficult conversations well. (I’ll post more on that later!)

Session 6: 100 Ways to Appreciate Volunteers

During this session, we had every table brainstorm as many free or almost free ways to appreciate volunteers. We did this quickly and placed them all on a creative board. It was great and got our brains rolling for the next session. (I’ll post these ideas later this week.)

Session 7: Breakouts

During this session, we broke our team up into small groups and began planning together for the following: Volunteer Appreciation Plan 2012-2013, Volunteer Training Plan 2012-2013, Look & Feel for Summer in Waumba Land & UpStreet, and KidStuf Fall Changes.

Session 8: Family Ministry Covenant & Volunteer Website

We wrapped up the retreat talking about two things:

Family Ministry Covenant: This is the covenant we give to new volunteers who want to serve with us. We did some coaching on how to communicate this during orientations, and took questions concerning how to handle any conversations that might arise from this.

Volunteer Website: We are launching a new website for all of our volunteers this month. We showed everyone the site, answered questions, and heard feedback.

Then we all said “Good Bye”!

We had fun together, got to know each other better, got some planning done, and learned a whole bunch in the process!

I wish you could know this team like I do! They are the best!

Here’s what happened:

• Launched the Big Idea of Honor
• Watched KidStuf Live
• Hosted visiting churches for Sunday’s at North Point
• Observed the crowded hallways between services
• Listened in as a large group team debriefed
• Talked through a tough situation
• Cleaned up when a child threw up in the hallway (or our amazing facilities crew did!)
• Photographed our team dressing up for the Disney event
• Welcomed our amazing volunteers to a Disney training event

Here’s a few pictures!

A few years ago I had a discrepancy with our mortgage company. They said we owed a late payment…I did not agree. I called them. I was on hold for 20 minutes.

I explained the situation to one person. He was not authorized to change anything and advised me that the easiest solution was to pay the late fee. Um, no. So he transferred me to the next person, and I was on hold for another 20 minutes.

This person would need to do a little research into our records. Could I please hold? This went on, and on, and on. I was transferred. I was put on hold. By the end of it all, it would have been cheaper for everyone involved had I just paid the undeserved late fee.

I remember thinking in that moment “I’m just a number”. They are dealing with so many people that they don’t have time to be personal. They don’t have the margin to care about my situation. I’m at their mercy.

They’ve created a system to herd me along with the thousands of other phone calls that they receive every day. I was unimportant. I was lost in the crowd.

I hated that feeling.

We have hundreds of kids in our environments on Sunday morning. Sometimes my systematic self likes to make sure that we are moving everyone from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. Sometimes I just see the crowd.

Sometimes it can feel like we’re herding children along to the next thing.

But it can NEVER be acceptable to us to herd children.

We must instead LEAD each child into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We have to believe that we are connecting with unique individuals who are massively loved by their Heavenly Father. They are valuable. They are important.

Every child we are leading is in a different place in her journey of faith. Some don’t know Jesus at all yet. Some are struggling to forgive a friend. Some are gathering the courage to do something big for God.

They are all different.

They are all significant.

They all deserve our attention.

When you are leading you are accepting each child right where she is, and you are helping her take the next step of faith. You connect to her uniquely. You care personally.

When you are herding you see the crowd. You are efficient. You chose the solution that fits the needs of the masses instead of the needs of the individual.

When you are herding…. people get lost in the shuffle.

When you are leading…every story matters.

How do you make sure that you invest in each child’s individual story of faith?

Our Groups Teams carry heavy responsibilities for volunteers. They are crucial to our success. They are responsible for the health of the groups that our children are in. Check out Part 1 for our Groups Director’s Job Description.

Our Production Teams focus on creating environments and communicating the message. They also lead large teams of volunteers. In addition, they manage the millions of details that go into creating a safe, clean, and engaging environment for our kids.

Sandi Glidewell (Waumba Land Director at Buckhead Church), Jessica, & Courtney

Here are the rest of our Waumba Land (Preschool) Job Descriptions:

Waumba Land Large Group Coordinator

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours:  15 per week

Days:  Tuesday and Thursday (9:00 - 1:30) Sunday (8:00 - 1:30)

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform producers through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Manage 12 teams (3 per team) of worship leaders and storytellers who serve on Sundays.

3.    Recruit and train storytellers and worship leaders.

4.    Schedule weekly worship teams.

5.    Purchase all supplies/instruments needed for the large group worship segment.

6.    Evaluate each team on a consistent basis.

7.    Encourage and appreciate the teams throughout the year.

8.    Each Sunday - lead production meeting prior to service.

9.    Attend monthly large group curriculum meetings and contribute with song selections and creative ideas.

10.  Attend Waumba Land events (BabyD, Kick-Off, trainings, retreats, etc.).

11.  Upload all curriculum for all campuses.

12.  Create monthly CD’s for the classroom for all campuses.

13.  Enter and maintain all database information. (Arena)

Waumba Land Curriculum & Hall Coordinator

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to: Group’s Director - campus specific

Hours:  40 per week

Days:  Monday - Thursday (9 - 5) Sunday (8 - 12 noon) In addition - retreats

Job Description:

1.    Meets monthly with small group curriculum team.

2.    Purchase materials needed for curriculum and Sunday morning.

3.    Oversee team of weekly volunteers (4-6 depending on campus).

4.    Organize and distribute curriculum.

5.    Make copies and cut large quantities.

6.    Update snack schedule monthly.

7.    Collect unused curriculum/supplies and restock.

8.    Maintain supply closet (Sunday snacks for children, diapers, wipes, wax paper, trash bags, batteries, etc.).

9.    Maintain curriculum closet (items needed for Sunday morning activities, props, craft paper, etc.).

10.  Maintain supplies in the classrooms.

11.   Support weekday program during the week.

12.   Coordinate with facilities any needs on the hall.

13.   Schedule any maintenance needs.

14.   Recruit, train, and oversee weekday volunteers (6-8).

15.   Order and organize security tags weekly.

16.   Complete laundry throughout the week.

17.   Lead weekly volunteers in extra cleaning.

18.   Support Waumba Land staff with events.

What staff positions do you have in your preschool environment?

Jenn Thomas (North Point Waumba Land Director), Brea & Laura

Director of Waumba Land (Preschool)

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Campus Pastor and Director of Children’s Ministry - NPMI

Hours:  40 per week

Days:  Sunday -Thursday.  In addition - all Waumba Land events and retreats

Job Description:

1.    Invest, evaluate, and lead Waumba Land team.

2.    Interview, hire, and train new staff members.

3.    Attend weekly meetings (led by the Director of Children’s Ministry) with other preschool directors.

4.    Oversee Weekday Director and program.

5.    Regularly evaluate procedures such as classes, events, look & feel, volunteers.

6.    Ensure Waumba Land halls are properly maintained.

7.    Project and maintain ministries budget.

8.    Manage and drive Promotion, Kickoff, Strategic Service, Baby Dedication, and all other Waumba special events.

9.    Oversee Waumba Land on Sunday.

10.  Prepare for weekly staff meeting.

11.  Complete PDP’s (reviews) with each staff member as required by NPMI.

12.  Attend and actively participate in curriculum meetings.

13.  Drive appreciation initiatives.

14.  Maintain web design and keep information current.

15.  Oversee BabyD process for parents and the event.

16.  Oversee and maintain current volunteer screening process and safety procedures.

Tracy Stonecheck (Brownsbridge Waumba Land Director) and Autumn Ward

Waumba Land Groups Director

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to: Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours: 40 per week (full time).  Part time positions - determined by Director of Waumba Land

Days:  Sunday - Thursday. Part time days - determined by Director (but will include Sunday)  In addition - all Waumba Land events and retreats

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform 8 to 10 coaches through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the small group dynamic.

3.    Help determine when classes need additional staffing and when children are ready to be promoted to the next class.

4.    Interview, train, and place coaches, teachers, and small group leaders in the classrooms.

5.    Maintain files on all volunteers.

6.    Enter and maintain all database information. We use Arena.

7.    Process volunteer applications and background checks.

8.    Ensure classes are fully staffed for Sunday mornings.

9.    Work and own specific parts of Waumba Land special events.

10.  Communicate safety and evacuation plan to volunteers throughout the year.

Kim Cordrey (Watermarke Waumba Land Director) & Brittany

Waumba Land Host Team Director

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours and Days:  15 per week or TBD by Director of Waumba Land - attend retreats

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform 3 - 5 captains through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Create and implement specialized training for host team volunteers.

3.    Secure the hall during the service hour.

4.    Implement first-time visitor process.

5.    Create and maintain a meeting room where information can be shared and distributed to volunteers.

6.    Recruit volunteers for all necessary host team positions.

7.    Recruit and lead team captains to be responsible for teams at each service hour.

8.    Maintain files on all volunteers.

9.    Enter and maintain all database information. (Arena)

10.  Process volunteer applications and background checks.

11.   Ensure each host team is fully staffed for Sunday mornings.

12.   Work and own specific parts of Waumba Land special events.

To see how all of these positions connect, you might want to check out our Organizational Chart. We will post Part 2 of Waumba Land Job Descriptions later this week.

Do you think job descriptions are important?

Several weeks ago we scheduled a creative meeting to work on the production pieces for our fall kickoff meeting. We had a blank piece of paper. We were in the dreaming phase of the brainstorming process.

But we had a problem…actually a couple of problems.

1. We sandwiched this creative meeting in the middle of a really busy day - a day where most of us had gone from meeting to meeting to meeting with no room to breath.

2. None of had taken any time before the meeting to explore, to think, to imagine, to expose ourselves to possibilities, or to dream.

It was obvious that this meeting was going nowhere fast.

Instead of pushing everyone to spout out ideas and force a creative direction, I pulled back on the pressure to come up with the best idea and instead we talked more about what we hoped to accomplish and communicate in this meeting. We talked about how we wanted people to feel. Imagine that…we talked about the purpose of the event!

This meeting ended early. We established the “feel” we were going for, but beyond that we didn’t accomplish much. Most important, we sent everyone off with the assignment of exploring.

What has wowed you lately?

What made you laugh?

What made you cry?

What captured your attention?

What took you to another place?

What entertained you?

What communicated a moving message?

Ending that meeting early was a good decision.

When we met the next time, there were a lot of good ideas. One idea spun into another and then another. I love those kinds of meetings!

I think we’ve landed on a strong creative direction for our fall kickoff meeting. I’ll share more about where we landed later.

I recently read a good article on the Perfect Brainstorm. You might like it!

What do you do when the creative juices aren’t flowing?

We just got back from a staff retreat at SharpTop Cove. We worked hard. I promise we did. But we had FUN too!

As we are growing from three campuses to FIVE (help!), we knew it was important to invest in relationships. We have some new staff, we are super busy, and we are now spending a good deal of our time during the week working from several different locations.

These things work against our ability to connect.

One of the best ways we’ve found to build relationships and create great team memories is to have fun TOGETHER!

Here’s what it looked like for us last week:

The first night we had a campfire and s’mores!

Then we did some late-night team trivia.

There were prizes for the winning team.

And a late-night rehearsal for the next nights Improv show and  our rendition of Bon Jovi’s, “Wanted Dead Or Alive.”

We had a cowboy (or cowgirl) dinner with live music.

We got creative with a cake decorating competition.

Ummmm….Yum?

And the GRAND FINALE…

It was what we like to call a CLOSE SHAVE!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fun doesn’t always just happen. A super-secret team met for a month before we left to plan the fun. Lots of work, planning, shopping, and rehearsing went into this. Sometimes fun just happens and sometimes it requires intentionality.

What have you done recently to have fun with your team?

Who you hire is one of the most important decisions you will ever make! With a strong team, you can accomplish almost anything. When your team is weak, everything is difficult.

I learn a lot when I interview. It’s one of my favorite things.

Here are a few of my favorite questions:

• Tell me about a big project that you were responsible for that had a lot of details and tight deadlines. How did you prioritize what should be done? Who was on your team? Did you complete everything you wanted to?

• Tell me about a time when you had to persuade your team to do something.

• Think about the worst leader you ever worked for. What are two or three things that he did that made him a poor leader.

• Tell me about the last project or task that you did that really energized you.

• Tell me about a time when you were very stressed at work. What was stressful? How did it affect you? How did you react to others while you were stressed?

• Tell me about something creative that you did.

• Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a supervisor. What did you do?

• How do you organize your personal world? What’s your system for getting things done?

• During your last review, what were one or two things that your supervisor thought you could improve?

• Tell me about a time when you led a team to accomplish something. What was one of your greatest responsibilities? What was frustrating to you?

The requirements of the job help me decide what kind of questions to ask. The answers that I receive lead me to ask new questions. Like I said…it’s an exploration!

What’s the best question you have ever been asked during an interview?

This sounds like a lot of work, but trust me, they have fun too!

Saturday

• Check email Saturday night so there are no surprises.

Sunday

• Arrive early. Be overly prepared. Read through curriculum one last time and get excited about what the kids are learning.
• Check email for important last-minute volunteer messages.
• Personally check each room. Make sure coaches have everything needed in their room.
• If coaches and greeters have not arrived, place the greeter rosters on the podium tables so that as soon as a greeter or coach arrives, she is ready to accept children.
• Engage all volunteers in the rooms. Value them by giving them time.
• Carry a clipboard to record successful interactions of/with volunteers. Write notes and observations.
• Conduct a meeting with all the coaches and pray with them before the morning starts.
• Be intentional about connection time with specific leaders.
• Select a room and activity to watch each week.
• Watch large group worship and make notes about presentation and worship.
• Have a personal conversation with each coach - not just all “business.”
• Always respond relationally.

Monday

• Create a to-do list before looking at email.
• Gather coach clipboards. Reorganize clipboards. Follow-up on notes from coaches.
• Gather new enrollment forms, change request forms, and attendance rosters.
• Gather first-time visitor forms and forward to weekday volunteers to send cards.
• Enroll children in Arena. Send  ”Welcome to UpStreet” postcards and emails.
• Make change requests. Send “Your Change Has Been Processed” postcards and emails.
• Record weekly attendance in Arena.
• Follow-up on written tasks from Sunday.
• Read the weekly curriculum before the Groups Directors’ meeting.

Tuesday

• Attend weekly UpStreet staff meeting at 9:00am.
• Attend weekly Groups Directors’ meeting 10:30am.
• Record notes, calendar dates, curriculum information for the weekly coach email.
• Create and send weekly coach email including curriculum.

Thursday

• Print Sunday reports from Arena:

1. UpStreet Small Group Report
(a list of children names and contact info for each small group)

2. UpStreet Birthday Report

(a list of children with upcoming birthdays)

3. UpStreet Class at a Glance
(a list of small groups and totals/ratios of children that make up the group - this aids coaches in placing new        enrollees in groups)

4. UpStreet Volunteer Birthday Report

• Create the “Coach Clipboard Notes” each week that includes important information and dates.
• Add printed reports and coach clipboard notes to each coach’s clipboard and take them to the rooms to be ready for Sunday.
• Help with special curriculum supplies, setting-up supplies, and placing items in rooms as needed.
• Review Sunday on Thursday.

Weekly

• Write three or more thank you notes to volunteers.
• After a conversation with a volunteer, follow-up with an email or a card in the mail.
• Schedule time each week to pray for specific volunteers. Let them know.
• Keep inbox at no more than 5 outstanding messages.
• Use weekday volunteers to the fullest. It makes them feel needed and they become long-term.
• Text volunteers of personal events - surgeries, etc. This creates a connection.
• Keep all communication (emails) concise and to the point.
• Share consistent excitement and encouragement.
• Listen first.
• Follow volunteers on Facebook and Twitter. Get to know the leaders personally.
• Pass along good devotions, ideas, and share how they apply personally.
• Be intentional about how to contact volunteers (Ex. - students through Facebook, dads after 5pm, stay at home moms after nap-time)
• Keep a notebook for to-do lists and notes. Make a special section for new ideas and continuously write down good ideas as they come to you.

Monthly

• Celebrate volunteers’ birthdays.

Yearly

• Set goals.
• Pray for new volunteers - God’s very best!
• Think of ways to improve old processes. Write them down.
• Plan an outside get together with your volunteers (a park, sporting event, movie night,etc.).

I am frustrated by lost opportunity.

Our team is reading the book The EMyth Revisited. As we were discussing the book, we got into a discussion about what frustrates us the most.

For me, it’s lost opportunity.

You know that storyteller who shows up not quite prepared? You watch as an opportunity that you’ve prepared for all week - an opportunity to engage kids to a powerful message - is missed.

Sometimes it’s a small group leader who fails to see the relationship that his kids are longing to have with him and he doesn’t reach out…missed opportunity.

Many times it’s me. I hear a life-changing story from a parent, and in my busyness on Sunday morning I fail to share it with the leaders around me. I fail to cast vision with this story in a way that would give fuel to our leaders…lost opportunity.

Or what about a parent who is complaining and frustrating? I solve the issue at hand, but fail to look beyond the moment to the bigger issue and pain that is going on in her life. I miss an opportunity to be the minister that I’m called to be and instead choose to be the problem solver…

… And I miss an opportunity.

So I’m wondering, what frustrates you?