I really liked this article on PDYMCommunity.org offering help in navigating the graduation season. Some solid wisdom in it, here’s a clip with my two favorite points:
3. Family parties are way more important than the formal ceremonies. Sooner or later you will come to a place when you can’t make it to all the graduation festivities; so when you have to choose, choose the family party first. If you are invited to the family party, it means there is a real relationship there and they were not just fishing for a graduation present. So do everything in your power to make the BBQ.
4. Divide and conquer. We hit this wall about 3 years ago, we had so many invites it was physically impossible to attend them all. That year my wife and I both attended 4 graduations each, and never together! So, divide your volunteer staff up among parties and ceremonies, and send your regards with them. Chances are a lot of students know the volunteer leader better than they know me anyway, so strategically divide up and cover them all.
JG
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Josh Griffin has been in youth ministry for 15+ years and serves as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. [
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Geoff Stewart serves the Jr / Sr High School Pastor at Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey B.C.
What I found works here for me, we have several high schools and kids at each of them. They run their graduations one after the other on consecutive nights at the same place. I have made it to all of them and sat through every dry, boring minute. Then it dawned on me. At the end I go up and hug each kid, talk to the family and I am outa there. Why not just show up at the end. I hang out at the coffee shop with my wife and then we head over when they are about done and see them and head home. I get to see my wife, and the kids, with no three hour eye gouging speeches.
Im just wondering if anybody buys their seniors gifts? Obviously if you have a group of 1000 and you have 200 seniors that can’t be possible…any ideas or anything special you do for them?
We usually stick to pretty simple – in the past we’ve done a little luncheon and a book or something like that.
JG