Summer is coming!
We love helping groups find creative ways to continue doing life together through the summer. Before we jump in with suggestions, here are a few things to consider before you start furiously filling up your calendar:
- Aim for one event/activity a month.
- Get acvitities on the calendar now.
- These are great opportunities to get to know spouses who may not attend group.
- Consider inviting people on your Pi2 lists.
So here they are... our list of Top Ten Summer Ideas for groups:
- BBQs! Plan a couple of BBQs, and see who might offer to host. Sometimes homes might not be a great fit for regular group meetings during the year, but they have a fantastic yard (or pool!).
- Check out the Food Truck Rodeo (on Wednesday evenings at the Public Market).
- Try having a front yard BBQ and invite curious neighbors to come grab a plate or throw a Frisbee.
- Serve together. Summer can be a great time for families to do a service project. Check out northridgeserves.com.
- Catch an outdoor flick. Hit the Vintage Drive-In Theater in Avon or show a movie onto the side of someone's house or garage.
- Attend the Night of Worship together at the Northridge Greece Campus on Sunday, August 2nd at 6pm. Grab dinner in the food court beforehand, or ice cream afterward.
- Squeeze in spontaneous s'mores. Keep a supply of grahams, marshmallows, and chocolate bars on hand. On a night when the weather is right and your calendar is open, see who's available to join you for s'mores.
- Be a fan. Have everyone grab a lawn chair and watch a sports game for one of your group members' children. No kids? How about a Red Wings game?
- Go camping. Stay in a group member's backyard or reserve a site on reserveamerica.com. Camping not your thing? Check out Letchworth State Park or Stony Brook State Park for a gorgeous day hike.
- Did someone say girls/guys night out?
One piece of advice for leaders: summer is busy and goes (too) quickly. It's not likely that every person in your group will be able to attend all activities, and we might be prone toward discouragement if something isn't well attended. The important thing is to enjoy whoever we are able to connect with, even if it's just a few. God can use those small gatherings in big ways.
