When you have to punt

Planning for what to do if a program doesn't show up or bombs. Always being on the alert for the new and different and creative helps us to be ready for unpleasant surprises. Also, having a surprise or two ready for use at any time allows us to be prepared for emergency situations. A few examples from my own ministry. At one church, we had parents come in and serve meals to our youth. One week the parents didn't come. Since I had already, in the previous year, taken our group to out for snacks to a particular place nearby, it was easy to mobilize them to go for dinner there. I left one youth group sponsor behind to pick up stragglers. Similarly, on an Unknown Destination Trip, a number of major activities that I had planned fell through, but since I had over planned and had a number of backup plans, we were able to shift gears easily.

What to Avoid:

• Working so hard at making things go as planned that things just get worse.
• Being so flexible that you switch to plan B before plan A has a chance to work.

Holding a balance between these two extremes is purely instinct and we won't always get it exactly right, but we need to be alert to the fact that we all tend toward one extreme or the other by nature.

If leaving the premises, leave notes on the door for latecomers and parents. I usually leave the lights on in the building so that parents don't panic when they drive up and the place looks deserted.

Variations:

• Have a Backup program always ready - a substitute activity does not need to be fun and games or fluff. If one discussion in bombing, have another one ready.
• Have a list of discussion topics or one of the discussion starter games or books handy.
• Have a set of CD's available, with lyrics, to use as discussion starters
• Order in Pizza
• Have a work project in mind - is there something around the church that needs some work?
• Take the group to the Sunday School supply closet and have a freeform art project based on the program of the day
• Go to the computer and play a Bible game
• Keep cookie making ingredients handy
• Have teams develop a Bible Jeopardy to use on each other
• Do some singing
• Have an impromptu talent show
• Go for a walk
• Redesign the youth room
• Make Thanksgiving\Christmas\Easter gifts for shut-ins or a Children's home