Off-site Church Fellowship Events

You may think - how many things could you possibly do outside of church together?  There can't be that many ideas out there!  Well, I threw the question out there to my fellow educators and there are a LOT!  Hopefully there is at least ONE thing on this list you hadn't thought of and you'd like to try :)  It's always great to get together as a church or small group outside the actual church building.  It's a great time to invite unchurched friends because it's a less "threatening" environment and the community sees you outside of your four walls!  Win-win!  

Here are some wonderful ideas of things you can do as a church, youth group, small group, kids' group, etc OUTSIDE the church!

excited about our very own theater! :) 

1.  Rent out a movie theater.  This was awesome.  Our local theater allows groups to rent out an entire theater for 4 hours for around $500.  That may seem like a lot, but if you charged $6 or so and sold all the tickets, you broke even.  some groups charged $7-8 to make a profit.  We charged $5 and lost a little - but we didn't do it as a fundraiser.  Two wonderful advantages to doing this - one, the theater allowed us to set up tables outside the theater where we handed out swag and sold snacks (yes, the theater said this was ok!); and two, the theater gave us a mic and allowed us to introduce the movie.  So, we were also able to say who we were, invite people to church and to upcoming events.  Wonderful outreach.  We had about half of the people from our church and the other half were invited guests!

One of our families getting ready to bowl!

2.  Bowling alley - Now, in my last church we were really lucky as the owner of a bowling alley went to our church and they only charged us half price for a private room!  But, if you can afford this - it's tons of fun.  In a private room, we had pizza and snacks served to us, free reign over 5 lanes, and we got to choose the music :)  We asked people for $5 donations to help cover the cost.  Again, this can be for all ages, and it's a great time to invite unchurched friends.  

3.  Skating Rink (ice or roller) - I personally haven't done this with a church group, but I have with school groups.  Obviously this is a better activity for elementary/youth age kids, but parents do enjoy sitting around and chatting while their kids are occupied and having fun.  Many rinks have private rooms that you could also rent out to eat together before or after.

The park where we went had a sand volleyball court,
baseball field, and open space to play lawn games :) 

4.  Renting a shelter at a park - We used to do this at my last church the last weekend before school let out.  It was an "end of the year" party.  We had a local park that had shelters where you could eat (picnic tables), and they had a baseball field, playground, and a grassy place where you could play lawn games.  We'd pack up all our frisbees (some parks have frisbee golf courses!), balls, huge connect 4, cornhole, etc and spend the afternoon there.  Families of all ages were invited and they could come and go as they wanted.  I believe our park charged $50 or so for 4 hours.  Lots of fun!  But there are so many VARIATIONS to this that other churches suggested!  For example, in the summer - meet and have ice cream in the park.  One church met in the park and made Valentine's to hand out (guess you'd need to be in a tropical climate or in the southern hemisphere to pull this off :) .  This made me think of another idea - to meet in the park, clean it up, and do some RAKs! (random acts of kindness).  There are a LOT you could do around a park.  You could also meet at a park, have a picnic, and take a hike!

5.  Arcade/Laser Tag (Lock in) - This idea came from another educator and sounds incredible! "A former church I served rented out a laser tag/arcade for an overnight lock-in. It wasn’t as expensive as you might think but was great. Kids paid for their own tokens for the arcade games and could play laser tag all night. We had a room with snacks and a room with a movie on and a room that was quiet for kids or adults that wanted to sleep. Best lockin we did while I was there. This place had several rooms that could be reserved for birthday parties but since we were there after hours they weren’t being used. So we designated the rooms for the different things. Our adult chaperones slept in shifts so none of us had to stay up all night.  We had to pay two of the laser tag staff for the evening, but it was still worth it to us. They locked us in so none of the youth could sneak out. They had a blast." 

6.  Go camping! - I'd forgotten about this, but we did this as a church a few times.  It was a lot of fun!  Bonfires, cooking over the fire, singing, games...great bonding time!

7. Spend a day at the beach - This would be a LOT of fun.  If you don't live near a beach, you can always find a lake beach that is nearby!  We had one near us in PA and that would've been an awesome place to gather as a church.  Fishing, swimming, cook out...

8. Day at a camp with activities - zipline, ropes course, rock wall, etc.  Most of us probably have some type of "day camp" nearby where you can rent the space and do some fun activities.  they probably also have great meeting rooms where those that don't want to do strenuous activities could do games and crafts.

9.  Zoo - I don't care what age you are, zoos are fun!  Petting zoos, big zoos, little zoos...doesn't matter!  At one of my churches, we were close to an alpaca farm and that's where we had our closing kid min activity for the year!  

10. Pumpkin patch/corn maze - I didn't see these as much when I lived in Fl and NC (somewhat in NC), but they are very prevalent up north!  I would imagine out west as well.  Getting together and going to a pumpkin patch, playing games, eating and then splitting up into small groups to go through a corn maze is a great way to spend some time together as a church.  Another great intergenerational activity as well.

11.  Water park - I believe you could rent it out or just go as a group.  Depends on how big the park is and how big your group is. 

12.  Local gymnastics place/Trampoline park/rock climbing/Etc - for your more active groups, going to one of these places is perfect.  If you can rent out the whole place just for your group - even better!

13.  Splash pad/community pool/private pool - Along the same lines as a water park, but in a community pool you could gather more and play more as a group.  

14. Visit a farm - Depending on where you live this could be an awesome "whole church" activity.  Every age loves being on a farm!  I've lived in 3 different states and in NC and PA this would have been a very easy thing to plan.  In fact, I did take a group to a local farm (owned by a church member) during our "On the Farm" VBS - and the kids AND parents loved it!  They got to pet the animals, plant seeds, and this particular farm also had a blacksmith and everyone got to watch how they made horseshoes!

15. Mystery overnight trip - this is a fun idea suggested by a Christian Educator.  It can be a twist you could add to any of the other activities, or you can pick a place that's an hour or two away and have a surprise trip!  Tell them what to pack and be ready for...and then just go!

16. Snow skiing or water skiing (whichever is easiest/closest to your location) - I've done both of these with just the youth group...but there's no reason this couldn't be a whole church activity!

17.  Progressive dinner - Great activity for a smaller congregation.  If you don't know what a progressive dinner is, it's when you go to one place for appetizers, another for the main dish, and then a 3rd place for dessert/coffee.  I've seen it done at members' houses (which is a lot of fun), but you could also rent out rooms at different restaurants.

"Take a picture in front of the Henderson Auditorium sign" :) 

18.  Scavenger hunt around town - I participated in one of these at Montreat :)  You could do this as families, small groups, or just random groups.  You give a list of things the groups have to "do" at certain locations in the city.  They have to take a picture of their group at that specific location doing whatever it is you want them to do and then they send the pic in to the leader.  For example, at Montreat, they have an iconic ice cream place.  One item we had to do was go to the ice cream place and take a picture rocking in their chairs on the porch (and of course we got ice cream ;)

19. Renting out the Y - This is a great idea I had never thought of and it came from another Christian Educator : "We rent out our YMCA in the winter for a two hour family event where we have open gyms, some organized activities like volleyball or Gaga ball pit, swimming pool, pizza, snacks and this time we had a glow dance in the small gym for the little kids. It’s open to all ages and the community.  And we had a cute family popcorn machine give away when they came in the door."  I love it!!

20.  "The Church has left the Building" - (click title to see a blogpost I wrote about this experience).  We started this program right before Covid at my last church and were able to do it 2-3 times before we took a break.  We invited anyone in the church who would like to help take the church beyond the walls, to join us. It was on a Sunday morning during church.  We would meet and be prayed over, then head out into the community.  Once we cleaned a park, another time we cleaned up around some local elementary schools.  We took pics while we were doing it and sent them back to the church so those worshiping in the sanctuary could see what we were doing!  We had one member who even donated tshirts for us to wear while we did it that had our church name and our slogan "Gone Servin'" on it!

Well, there are 20 ideas for you and your church.  Hopefully one will spark an idea or inspiration for you and your group!  Good luck and God bless!  If you have had a successful off-site church wide outing and it's not listed above, please comment below and share your story!  Thanks!

3 Things you need to do BEFORE you "church shop"!

This can be such a stressful thing - figuring out where you are going to worship and which congregation you're going to call your church family.  But it can also be fun and exciting!  

I have never actually had to church shop and may never have to as long as my husband and I continue to work in churches :)  But, although I've never had to church shop, I HAVE had the opportunity to talk with dozens of couples (or singles) that DID have to church shop.  I've also worked or volunteered in 5 different churches - all very different.  Some people told me they had been shopping for "years"!  That's disheartening to hear.  If the process really is so tedious and cumbersome, people are going to tend to give up rather then to keep searching.  And then they aren't worshiping anywhere! 

So, I want to help.  I don't want this to be an intimidating or overwhelming process.  Take it step by step.  You'll find your match - I promise!  Discuss the following items with your significant other (or if you are searching alone, take some notes for yourself) BEFORE you even set foot in a church.  It will help you tremendously.  There are still things to consider once you start attending church services, but this will help you narrow those choices down a LOT.  Take time to do your research online before you start visiting and it will be a HUGE time (and stress) saver!

THREE things to look for BEFORE you visit!

I am going to assume that you already have an idea of what you believe and which denomination (or non-denomination) you are looking for.  If you are a new believer and don't yet know which denomination is right for you, then I suggest you look up some of the main ones and compare their beliefs...Presbyterians and Methodists are pretty similar, Episcopalian and Catholic are somewhat similar, you also have Baptist, Lutheran, and Pentecostal (the rowdiest bunch ;) lol  Take a look at those and see if there are some that you definitely do or don't want on your list.  Non-denominational churches are also good - I've visited a few - but don't be fooled by the name.  The church was started by a group that had certain beliefs and the church will share those beliefs.  Non-denominational churches still have their specific beliefs, they just don't want to be tethered to the rules/regs of a certain denomination.

1.  Size.  This is extremely important and something that can easily be determined beforehand by checking out the webpage.  I don't know about other denominations, but the PCUSA.org (Presbyterian Church USA) website lets you search for churches by city, then you can click on the church for details.  It'll give you the number of members.  This is what comes up when you search my church - Highland Presbyterian - and these are the stats that are given.  Just keep in mind that the number of members doesn't equal the number of people in worship.  As a general rule, divide it by three and that is your average Sunday attendance.  If you know what denomination you'd like to attend, then go to the national website and search churches in your area.  Now you know how to find the number - but why is it important?  It's important because everyone likes different things.  I'm an introvert, but I also like to lead and organize groups and events.  I could never feel comfortable in a mega church because I would always get overlooked and would never feel a part of the community.  Plus, I wouldn't get a chance to use my gifts.  However, there are other introverts that would prefer to stay in the background and would also prefer to be overlooked :) In the same way, there are extroverts that would LOVE a tiny church because they would get to talk with and get to know everyone at the church.  Think about what you would like - what feels most like worship to you?  100 people?  300?  1000?  Once you figure this out, you can eliminate at least a third of your choices.

2.  PROGRAMS!  One and done or Bible Studies galore?  Are you simply looking for a place to worship on Sunday mornings and nothing else?  Perhaps you already have a mid-week study group or your kids are involved in Young Life outside of church so you aren't looking for anything else.  Or, maybe you want to participate in small groups and you want your kids to have opportunities like a children's choir and youth group?  All this can be found online as well.  For example, there is a mega church near us that does worship very well.  I visited and was impressed.  Sunday morning is a well-oiled machine.  But you can tell from their website that Sunday morning is their emphasis, and besides small groups, there isn't much more offered.  If that's all you want - perfect - put them on your list to visit!  If you are interested in mission trips, youth group, children's program outside of Sunday, etc., then you know to keep looking.   In the same way, if you have babies/young kids, check out their children's ministry.  If you have elementary kids, don't forget to also check out the youth opportunities.  Think ahead!

3.  Beliefs.  I will preface this by saying that you shouldn't expect any church to match your beliefs exactly.  It won't happen.  But there are most likely a few things that you feel strongly about.  For example, a big thing being discussed now in many denominations is LGBTQ and what is "acceptable" for that church.  If that is a big issue for you, find out where the church stands before getting involved and visiting.  I've met quite a few people that start attending churches (sometimes for years) before they realize what the church supports or doesn't support.  It's much harder to leave when the church has become a part of your life - especially when you have children.  Another issue I personally always check (even before visiting other churches on vacation) is what the church believes in terms of women in ministry.  That is something I feel strongly about so I always check the website for clues as to what they believe and how conservative they are.  Once you start visiting web pages and reading mission statements you hone in on specific phrases and words.  Some churches will explicitly say it on their "about" page like this one:  "Ministers, ruling elders, and deacons in the PCA are men only, in obedience to the New Testament standard for those who rule the church and teach doctrine, though women have a wide range of use for their gifts in our churches."  Others are more subtle by saying something to this effect, "The Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God in its original manuscripts." This means the church is more conservative which will either put them on or take them off your list :) Whatever your core beliefs, find out beforehand what the church believes before visiting.  There was a church in our area that wasn't very explicit on their website - I checked.  Unless you know your theology and how churches can word different things, you wouldn't know where they stand.  We had at least two families transfer to our church after YEARS of attending this church because they found out  women couldn't serve as elders, lead Bible studies, etc.  It's hard on everyone to have to leave a church you're attached to.  

Other belief issues that are prominent now and you may want to look into if you feel strongly about them - 

*missions - local, national and international

*politics in general - churches are non profit organizations and therefore should not be involved in politics.  yes, they have their beliefs...but no, they absolutely shouldn't be involved in politics.  

*"purity" culture for youth (this is something I take issue with and wouldn't want my kids pressured to do...but others may be searching specifically for that)

*abortion - no one is pro-abortion, but many people also believe in the right of the women to choose.  Most churches won't tell you where they stand on this, but you can "follow the money" so to speak.  Just like the LGBTQ issue, there are a number of hate groups out there that promote violence against people who believe differently than others.  Unfortunately, many of these groups are religious.  I understand people have different views and beliefs - but Jesus would NEVER join a hate group.  You can stand up for what you believe in without hate and violence.  Please find out where the church AND denomination gives their money and make sure there are no hate groups on that list.  Believe me, you will be SHOCKED at how many contribute yearly to these groups.  For example, almost the entire southern Baptist denomination supports various hate groups.  I'm not joking.  Many episcopalian and catholic churches also fund hate groups.  If you want to be pro or anti something that's fine.  But never, ever support a church that promotes violence as a means to accomplish your agenda.  Please.  We have enough division in this country - we don't need churches making it worse.  Ok...I'm ending my soapbox rant!  Moving on...

VISITING - Once you have narrowed down your choices to a handful, then you can start visiting!  woo-hoo!  Just please remember two things before you go - pray and keep an open mind.  The Holy Spirit is with you in this and God has a place for you in a church.  Pray that you will feel that peace that passes all understanding while you are visiting a church :)  Also, please, please, please don't base your decision on a church on whether or not you like the pastors' sermon that Sunday.  That is wrong on many levels.  One, pastors are human and could easily have a bad day.  Two, the guy/girl that preached that day may not have even been a pastor of the church.  And, three, things happen in churches that can really effect the mood of a Sunday - positively and negatively.  I went home and visited my "home" church one time (first time in years) and someone very well known and loved in the church had passed away suddenly a few days earlier.  That whole worship service was about death and mourning.  A visitor would have been clueless and probably turned off by the experience.  Go back 2-3 times to a service before making a judgement on the worship service and sermons.  Many churches stream or post their sermons online now.  So, if you want to get a second or third look at the sermons, that would be a quick way to decide.  Let your kids/youth also visit their groups 2-3 times before getting their feedback.  Kids especially can make very abrupt decisions based on nothing in particular lol.  

Remember, every person is different and not every church is for every person.  But there IS a church out there for you and God bless you in your journey to find it!

Islas Ballestas and Huacachina!!

 

We still have about 5 places left on our bucket list in Peru.  But we were able to cross off two after Christmas!  All that's left now is Machu Pichu, Iquitos/Amazon, and Colca Canyon - but we probably will only make it to the first two :)  Colca canyon looks incredible, but it's a very long trip and difficult.  The other two are much simpler!  

We wanted to see the Islas and Huacachina because they both offer something very unique!   The Islas Ballestas are home to a lot of marine life - seals, penguins, sea lions, Blue footed booby birds, and more.  You take a boat around the island and they tell you everything you're looking at, you get pretty close up, and, if it's the right time of year, you can see quite a few animals.  Huacachina is famous for two things - for their oasis in the middle of the sand dunes and their sand boarding and buggy rides.  I guess that's three :)  Between the two places, I think the consensus was, we would absolutely return to Huacachina...las Islas? eh.

We left Lima at 5am so that we could be at Las Islas for our tour no later than 8am.  I hate waking up that early. lol. It's so dark!

It took 2-3 hours to get there and we stopped on the way for breakfast.  Once we arrived at Paracas, our guide let us take some nice pics while she checked us in to our boat tour.  

We got there right when a boat was leaving, so we didn't have to wait around long!  The guide spoke English and Spanish, which was neat.  Here is a short video that shows the boat and how we traveled around the Islas.  You can also hear the guide in the background.

Have you heard of Guano?  We actually learned about it in Ella's Peru History class this year.  It's a HUGE export and has been for a very long time.  All of the "white" that you see on the rocks?  That's guano.  What is guano?  Basically, poop.  But I guess it's really good poop lol :)  

At this time of year, we were supposed to see a LOT of animals - but we mainly saw birds.  We also saw some Humbolt penguins and some sea lions - but not as many as we thought we'd see.

pelicans

sea lions

We had nice weather and the ride was enjoyable.  It wasn't exactly what we had been thinking, and we probably wouldn't pay to go again...but it was worth going once :)  Here are a few more pics from the experience...

this is an example of the Nazca lines found in peru.  The guide called this a "cactus", but it had more significance than that.  I can't imagine how long ago this was carved into the mountain - and it would be very interesting to know exactly why.  Besides cleaning it off during sand storms, it hasn't been touched.  

so many birds!

"Elephant" rock.

After we finished up at Las Islas, we got some snacks and took the 1-1 1/2 hour ride to Huacachina to the sand dunes!

Yes, Gemma took the trip with us :)  Our guide said other pets had made the trip and assured us Gemma would be ok :) 

While snacks were bought, Ella found a newborn teeny kitten to snuggle ;)

We arrived to Huacachina and met our buggy driver, Emilio.  He obviously liked to have fun, cause he totally let loose as he drove us up the sand dunes! lol.  That was terrifyingly fun :) It honestly was like riding a roller coaster - but in a buggy on sand!  Here's a video of all the fun we had on the dunes...

Both the sledding and the buggy ride were awesome.  The Oasis was beautiful and such a rare sight to see in the middle of the desert.  You can read about how it was formed here.  After we finished, we were very thirsty, so we bought some cold drinks and then headed back to the car for a late lunch/early dinner.

Oasis is behind us :) 

My niece/nephew <3

cold snacks to cool off :) another niece <3

"fueling" up before driving the 3 hours back to Lima!

If you are looking for a fun trip to DO something with your older kids/teens - I highly recommend these two places.  Especially the dunes!  We could've easily taken two tours there and spent another 1-2 hours.  And if we did this again, we'd probably skip the Islas and stay half day at Huacachina.  They had places to eat, a pool to swim in, we could've relaxed by the Oasis, etc.  Overall, another wonderful experience here in beautiful PERU! :) 

A few more pics to end with...

all 4 of my sweet nieces and nephew :) 

Our fun driver Emilio!