A Student Worker's September TO DO list:
- 2nd, 3rd & 4th year students returning- welcome back party? - Prep your current students for new students arriving. Time to step up and show them what it means to live as a Christian in uni. When you walk into church, don’t just catch up with your mates but welcome new students and make them feel at home. Be an older brother or sister to a fresher. Use the welcome party as an opportunity to allow your students to catch up with each other so the first Sunday back their full time and attention is on new students.
- Check Student Linkup- have you had any new messages recently from freshers arriving into your city?
- Fresher’s week- any plans? A party, socials, fresher’s fayre, opportunities for all students (not just Christians) to know that there is a local church present in your city.
- First 6 Sundays of term- It’s not essential but it’s great to put something on for students who are looking around new churches. In our church we put on student lunches after the main meeting on a Sunday morning. Each small group in our church host a lunch (toasties/ soup/ pizza- easy stuff) for all students and their small group. This way, the students get to know the whole of the church body and each other, by having some extra time to hang out and chat. Church after all is about the people and not the meeting, so time to chat and get to know the church is so key.
- Names and Numbers- Keep in contact with all the students who come through your door. Ask for their name and number. Text them in the week and see how their freshers week is going and what you can pray for. If they don’t come back to your church, drop them a text a few weeks later to check they’ve settled somewhere.
- Small groups- Are all your current students and new students getting plugged back into your discipleship groups?
- Coffee’s- get some free space in your diary in the first few weeks of term for coffee’s with returning and new students. From experience, helping students stick in church is all about personal contact. Listen, pray and get to know your students well. Learn what makes them tick, what they enjoy and in what areas they may want to serve in your church. It's never too early to ask how they can serve.
- REST- September is such a busy time!! Make sure you plan in some quality rest time and some fun, otherwise you’ll burn out by October
