People are busy. Time is short. Results are urgent. Fast food, speed dating, rapid downloads, quick fix.
Now, more than ever, you will be tempted to replace your weekend away with a one-day church 'training' event. Your church thinks that people can't afford to give up a whole weekend, so instead, you invite people to head to church at 9am until 5pm on a Saturday.
It's great. Mike can still drop his kids off at soccer (except he can't actually arrive at church until after the game finishes at 11am). Jan can still make it to her distant relative's baby shower at 2pm (even though she had to leave at 12.30 and never made it back). And the Matthews still had time to make it to their friend's evening 40th birthday (even though they had to leave the training day at 3pm in time to get home to get ready).
Running a one-day event might seem like a quick and cheap alternative for the busy parishioner. But your group will reap what it sows. Set the bar low, and people won't jump.
The sum of a weekend getaway is greater than its parts. You could plan for your parish to organise breakfast events, or lunch events or dinner events, but it won't be the same. You could have all sorts of social events, but nothing replaces the informal chatting over free time that follows a great morning of hearing and experiencing the Word of God together, and loving one another in response. There is no substitute for the clichéd morning icebreaker, "How did you sleep?"
Choose a Christian venue that's a good drive from your church, and you'll discourage people from dropping home. Do a 'sermon swap' with a pastor from another church, and offer to have your minister speak on their church getaway in return for their minister speaking on yours. Ask the venue if they provide activities, and give your kids a memorable event whilst freeing up the parents to concentrate on the main sessions. Choose the fully-catered option, and get the usual suspects out of the kitchen and into the dining room, to be served for a weekend of fellowship.
Sydney Anglicans have plenty of meat. Give them a weekend getaway, and they'll get the full sandwich.
