Countdown to a New Sunday School Year

Written by Wayne Poling

At a football or soccer game, a kickoff is a kick that puts the ball into play. The steps you take in the next few weeks are critical to the successful kickoff of a new Sunday School year and building a Sunday School that is on mission. Review the countdown list below (not necessarily a chronological countdown) and work to assure that every detail and action is complete in order to have a successful kickoff.

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Last minute checklist for a new Sunday School year:

10. Are all of your Sunday School members’ records complete? Have you made sure that all of the information has been updated? Are all of the member records organized according to the Sunday School organization for the new year?

9. Does every leader know his/her specific assignment for the new year, with whom he/she will work, and understand his/her role?

8. Have all members and leaders been informed regarding the Sunday School organization for the new year? Does every member and every parent know to which class and/or department they have been assigned? Make sure there are no surprises.

7. Have all leaders and members received their Sunday School curriculum materials for the three months beginning September? Do they have all the related supply items needed?

6. Do you have plans in place to make sure all of the facilities are prepared for the new Sunday School year? If there are adjustments in room assignments have you made plans for adjusting equipment? Does each room have tables, chairs, and other equipment proper in size and use for those assigned to that room? Is the building being prepared to give a sense of newness? Have you put up posters, painted, prepared bulletin boards, and taken other actions in order to celebrate the new year?

5. Have you planned kickoff activities for the new year? Have you planned some sort of Commissioning Service to challenge and encourage your Sunday School leadership in for a new year?

4. Have you updated your prospect records? Remember that prospect records also need to be organized to match the new Sunday School organization. You will need to “promote” prospects.

3. Have you encouraged leaders to attempt to contact every Sunday School member in their class or department before the kickoff of the new Sunday School year?

2. Ask every leader and every member to pray for the new Sunday School year that God’s will work through your Sunday School to reach people for Christ and transform lives.

1. Are you personally prepared spiritually by prayerfully asking God to use you as a leader? Have you given your leadership and the work of the Sunday School to God and asked Him to use it in a powerful way for His Kingdom.

Make every attempt to kickoff the new Sunday School year effectively. Make sure that the first Sunday communicates clearly that exciting things are going to take place in the coming year. The first Sunday School will set the tone for the year…

…Then plan your Sunday School work effectively in order to build on that strong start.