How to Develop a Community Event

Yesterday, I explained why you need to organize a community event. Today, we will look at how you can make this event happen without burning yourself out.

1. Take 5 business leaders in your community out to lunch. Get to know them a bit, and develop an idea of what a community event will look like. (You have just built your “community team”.) Connect with three people from your congregation and invite them to be on the team.

2. Lead through questions. Meet regularly with the people on your new community team. Ask them questions. What would happen if we set aside a Saturday in late August to celebrate the people in our community? What would an event like this look like? How could we get the maximum number of people involved? This team will be your help and source for many of the other steps.

3. Set a date & place. Find a date, agree to it with everyone on the community team, and get on every calendar you need to. Also secure any permits you need to. Your property might be the best location for the community.

4. Recruit vendors. You will need food vendors – they can either give away samples free (many grocery stores are able to do this) or sell them for cost if you provide the cooks.

5. Recruit workers. You will need workers from inside your church and in the community. The first step to recruiting is to define what you are looking for. Don’t forget to also recruit a prayer team to pray from now until the day of the event.

6. Do something for the kids. You can have a kids’ craft area, a kids’ parade, balloon animals, etc. Consider recruiting local personalities to be your main kid attraction. In your community, do you have any kids’ stores?

7. Train your congregation. Teach the people in your congregation that their job is to be kind and loving. No matter where they are in the event, they have a job – love people like Jesus does. If you have any bible thumpers, try to find them something else to do that day.

8. Enjoy the day. Show up and have fun. Enjoy the people in your community.