Best Meeting Times
Meetings should be planned and set up at least three weeks in advance. The best meeting times may be Sunday evening on campus or Sunday after church at church (if it is close to campus). Sundays can be excellent if there is a close proximity of church and campus and students see the church as a regular place to be. Weekday evenings (even Fridays) on campus are also a good choice. In the evenings during there are the fewest classes, and mid-week avoids the social schedule of late Friday and all day Saturday. Students also often take long weekends and by mid-week are back in town for school and work so considering a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday may be useful.You should plan on forty-five minutes for a basic program or activity. If you have dinner as well, plan for two hours. A special event, movie, or longer program may take three hours. It is very helpful for newcomers if you have a set beginning and end to your group meeting. Meetings that run over long tend to turn off new people and primarily benefit the people who are well known and comfortable with each other. Consider breaking up the social and spiritual/activity times of your group to allow for people who are seeking the ministry but are still new to the fellowship. The quantity of your program does not necessarily reflect on the quality. Some campus groups have begun ministry minutes, or Midnight Minutes, scheduling fifteen minutes for a group circle, reflection, check-in, moment of silence on a weekly basis somewhere accessible on campus such as outside the library. These create an excellent sense of spiritual community with the routine and mindfulness.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
