How long in advance are services planned at your church?

[chrismoncus]

When are the final details of a service finalized at your church? There is a wide timespan for when churches plan. Some don't. I'm interested to hear your church's manner of planning for services.

Answer in the poll above and, if you choose, in a reply.

I posted a topic regarding service planning in this forum area. You might want to read it and respond also.

Read Planning for God to Move here.

[russhutto]

Message series: planned out months in advance.

Music: planned monthly

Final details: transitions, media, special music, ministry music, planned during the week of

[SaintLewis]

I, personally, have a pretty good idea of what songs I'm doing about a month+ out, but if Jon, Justin, or David (whoever is involved) change their message, I alter my selections accordingly.

[El Ben]

Well really it depends. Some services we plan months in advance (Worship in the Park, special speakers, ect.), but most of the time, we take care of all the details the week of (we have staff meeting on Monday) the service. I usually have my worship set to Pastor Dan by Thursday and have an order of service ready to roll on Sunday morning. We work on a rough timeline, so we know how much time (roughly) is alloted for each segment of the service, but most of the time, this is just common knowledge and planning isn't especially needed. You'd be surprised just how much good old common sense can work just as well as planning and how much stress you can save yourself from by just thinking about what needs to happen. That's what I tell the volunteers directly under me (worship, media, and adult leaders in my student ministry).

Fred will know this, but my pastor has a habit of pulling things at the last minute. You pretty much have to be ready for anything with him. Planning's great, but I've seen more than one time where my carefully-crafted order of service just gets mangled. (and mostly ends up being better than it normally would.)