Day 2: Build Your Planning Calendar

Countdown to Preparedness: Your Easter and Christmas Advent Calendar

Picture this: It’s mid-November, and someone casually asks, “Hey, what’s the theme for Christmas this year?” You freeze. Your coffee spills. Panic sets in. The candles aren’t ordered, the volunteers aren’t recruited, and the closest thing you have to a theme is “Oh, holy chaos.”

Let’s make this the year we stop living in survival mode. Day 1 of this countdown is all about stepping out of reactive panic and stepping into proactive peace. Because trust me—future you will thank you for starting now.

1. Block Out Key Dates (Like, All of Them)

Easter and Christmas don’t just magically show up. They bring friends: volunteer trainings, rehearsals, event promotion deadlines, and that one meeting you forgot to put on the calendar (you know the one).

What Needs a Date?

• When are services happening?
• When does event promotion start? (Hint: It’s probably sooner than you think.)
• When will you rehearse, train, and pray your way to readiness?

Action Step:

Pull out your favorite calendar (Google, Asana, or that dusty wall one with last year’s dates) and mark everything. Seriously, all of it. Then, share it with your team so they don’t act surprised when you mention “extra service rehearsals” in March.

Tip: Add “order candles and palm branches” to your list now. Because you know you’ll forget.

2. Dream Big, but Keep It Real

Here’s the thing: Easter and Christmas are HUGE opportunities to connect with people. So dream a little! But also, let’s stay tethered to reality. You don’t need fireworks during the closing hymn or live donkeys in the nativity (unless you really, really want them).

Questions to Spark Your Vision:

• What’s the one thing you want people to walk away with this year?
• What creative ideas have been sitting in the back of your brain waiting for their moment?
• How can this year serve not just your congregation, but also your team’s sanity?

Tip: It’s okay if your “big dream” is simply having a cohesive plan that doesn’t involve last-minute panic.

3. Choose a Theme That Does the Heavy Lifting

Themes are like your event’s compass—they keep everything pointing in the same direction. A good theme is simple, clear, and inspires everything else: sermons, stage design, social media posts, even the snacks at your volunteer meeting.

4. Share the Vision (Before the Chaos Sets In)

Here’s the secret to not losing your mind this season: Share your vision with your team early. Like, today. People want to feel like they’re part of something meaningful—not just scrambling to fulfill your last-minute requests.

Action Step:

Hold a kickoff meeting to lay everything out. Bring snacks. Show enthusiasm. Delegate tasks with the kind of confidence that makes people say, “Wow, they’ve got it together this year.”

Tip: Assign someone to take notes so you’re not the one frantically writing, “Who’s doing the lights??” on the back of a napkin.

Why Day 1 Matters

This is your foundation. By setting dates and casting a vision now, you’re building the kind of structure that makes everything else less stressful. You’re giving your team clarity, your volunteers confidence, and yourself permission to breathe.

Also, let’s be real: if you wait too long, you’ll find yourself duct-taping together a plan while asking the worship leader if they still have last year’s set list. Don’t do that to yourself.

Your Day 1 Checklist:

1. Block out key dates (and over-communicate them to your team).
2. Write down your vision for Easter or Christmas (even if it’s just one sentence to start).
3. Pick a theme that inspires your team and serves your congregation.
4. Host a kickoff meeting to share the vision and assign responsibilities.

Up Next: Day 2 – Build Your Planning Calendar

You’ve got the vision—now it’s time to turn it into an actual timeline. Because a dream without a calendar is just a nice thought (and also a recipe for panic). Stay tuned!