Seasons

I haven't been in full time ministry for a super long time. But, I have noticed that ministry is one of those things where you always hit the ground running. Either you are the one ahead sprinting with everyone else behind you, or you are in the back sprinting to catch up with everyone else. What I mean is that we are either giving all we have to lead our churches in the direction God is showing us, or we are behind trying to catch up and learn exactly how our churches have handled certain situations in the past. Now, I know the latter really only applies to us who serve in established congregations but I've really been thinking about that for a while.
When I began to serve where I am now it didn't take long for me to figure out that there are certain events and practices that our church does every year, no matter what. That is a good thing! It is wonderful to be called into a church where fellowship and ties run deep. As I've looked back over the last year I can see that our church operates in definite seasons. If you think about it, I'm sure your churches and ministries operate the same way.
Right now we are in what I like to call the Harvest season at our church. It is a super busy and exciting season for us actually. We have a Harvest Day celebration, a High Attendance Sunday, an annual church-wide Hayride, and a huge community outreach event that we call Operation Pumpkin Outreach. All of that is packed in two 2 months and doesn't even include our normal activities.
For whatever reason, our students love Harvest season at church. Attendance is always up and the students all seem glad to be here. So, I capitalize on that. I make sure that I plan extra fun events and intense Bible study during this season. I give an extra effort to make sure that everything our student ministry does during this season is over the top. We're a small church with a small budget but I use a large portion of it during this season. It's when I promote big events that will happen later on in the year. It's when I plan extra events that are sure to draw non-churched kids in. I make sure our Bible study time is clear and focused. I make sure they understand everything I'm trying to get across because I may not see some of these students again until next fall.
What are the seasons at your church? Do you know? What season seem to be more successful than others? I encourage you to look at the big picture and figure out where to concentrate your efforts. This may sound small and insignificant but it will help you plan your year out in advance and it prepares you for that season when things are fast and furious. Pay attention, make observations, and focus on the season where God is obviously moving within your ministry!