What if 50 Students is MAX This Fall?

There has been some discussion that if colleges have students on campus this fall, there may be a "50 students together maximum" rule.  How would that affect your ministry?  For some that would not be an issue.  But for some it would be a major problem.  Will students observe social distancing requirements.  Many do not now.  If your university requires it, but your ministry does not meet on campus, should you adhere to it?  Should parents' expectations be a part of your planning?

Here are some options to consider and spur your thinking:

-One College Minister told me he was considering having simultaneous events at students houses at least for Welcome Parties.  He would have pizza sent to each house or gathering.

-For your large group worship event, have a 7:00 o'clock gathering and a 9:00 o'clock gathering.  One could be Freshmen and Sophomores and the other Juniors and Seniors.

-Have a Freshmen Worship Event and an Upperclass Worship event.  But, enlist some sharp and caring upperclass students to be leaders at the Freshmen Worship

-Of course, there could be a Tuesday night event and a Thursday night event.

-What about Outreach Lunch Programs?  This is a head scratcher.  Could there be reservations?  But, if it is filled with reservations, what about new people showing up and being brought by friends?  Could there be reservations for fifty and then fifty available seats for first come, first serve/  Many Outreach Lunch Programs are served by volunteer and "OLDER" adults from churches.  Will they come?  Should they come?  Would it be possible to ask them to consider a financial gift equal to the Lunch they would provide and divide that between the different smaller group events?


-What about having Class Worship events?  There is Freshmen Worship, Sophomore Worship, Junior Worship, and Senior Worship.  Some are in student houses, others are in the regular meeting place, etc.  These could be held simultaneously or at different times or even nights to accommodate different schedules.

-Could there be multiple meeting sites built around a different topic for the event and students choose according to the topic with the understanding that fifty is max?  Or, again, would students make a reservation? Asking students to make a reservation is tough as all of us know from lots of past experiences.  But, this is a new normal.  Will there be a different attitude among students about making reservations?

-What about once a month or twice a month large group worship gatherings for different groups by classes.  Or, is this time to think about gatherings by types of majors?  This gathering is for Health Sciences majors.  This gathering is for Ag college majors, etc.

None of these may be good ideas or spur any good ideas in your head.  BUT, what if your campus says there can be no gatherings over fifty at once?

WARNING:  In providing a variety of fifty max gatherings on different nights, it is possible for a College Minister to break their family!  Figure YOU and YOUR FAMILY into any great plans that you make.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry/leadership consultant and the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).  "ALMOST Everything About College Ministry" will be available in early summer at Amazon.