Why You Shouldn’t Plan Events On Super Bowl Sunday
Youth Ministry 101
This past Sunday felt like a wash. It actually started halfway through last week, when I had to cancel our 4-day Youth Snow Camp due to a lack of interest. I hate cancelling events! But multi-day events like Snow Camp cost money. Without a certain amount of students, it just wasn’t going to fly.
After speaking with some of the youth workers, we talked about the different reasons students weren’t interested this year: Too expensive, too cold, not promoted soon enough, etc.
And let’s not forget…
“It’s Super Bowl Sunday weekend so all events and activities are therefore cancelled and/or postponed for two days previous to the actual showing of the game.“
Okay, maybe they didn’t pitch it like that, but it felt like it.
The hard part is I didn’t have a choice. Our local school schedule only gives students two days off in February that coincide with Super Bowl weekend. So, if I’m going to plan a winter retreat, that’s my weekend.
Of course, I’m my own worst enemy, because soon enough I catch the bug too! As soon as interest wasn’t there for our Snow Camp, and I had to face the reality of cancelling, my first thought was:
“I really wish I had of just planned a Super Bowl party! Why didn’t I plan a youth Super Bowl party?“
My house isn’t big enough to host. It would have been big bucks and lots of time, trying to host the game at the youth centre on such short notice. Also, with our students’ inability to pass on information (despite the multiple gadgets to do so), I don’t think I could have got the word out in time anyway.
It wasn’t happening this year.
The last piece of info is that Sunday night is typically our High School Discipleship program. It starts at 6:00 PM, right about when the game was ending. So, we also discussed whether or not to cancel this event.
The youth workers and I agreed that we should still open the youth center, but go with a post-game movie night instead of regular scheduled discipleship. We figured on a lower attendance and that proved true.
I brought over 30 different movies for students to choose from and they chose “Over The Hedge“. It’s a good, clean flick with lots of laughs. All in all a good night, but next year we’re definitely having a Super Bowl party!
Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts:
- What did you do on Super Bowl Sunday weekend?
- How do you integrate cultural events like the Super Bowl into your ministry calendar?
Big suoerbowl party at the church. Moved the chairs out of the sanctuary, built stadium seating out of the couches, made a “living room” with it’s own screen, set up some round tables with their won screen, ping pong with its own screen, and a few other screens just for fun. Had a great time. Opened to anyone. Here’s looking forward to next year.
That sounds like an awesome event man! Did you purchase the rights to show the game? Does your church have cable or dish anyway? What hoops did you have to jump through?