It is natural for people to take vacations and be gone during the summer months. People (including Sunday School teachers) need this time away to refresh and renew themselves. I encourage Sunday School teachers to take some time away from the class. Enlist your Apprentice Teacher to fill in for you while you are gone. Make a big deal about the Apprentice Teacher leading the class. Announce it in advance and encourage class members to be present and to bring a friend to support and encourage the Apprentice Teacher.
When people are absent, do not just assume they are on vacation. Let those people know they were missed and you are looking forward to seeing them next Sunday. Inquire where they went to on vacation. Encourage people to bring in a family vacation picture to post on a class bulletin board. You might consider asking people to bring bulletins from the churches they visited and then posting them on a bulletin board.
Ask your Care Group Leaders to contact every member (present and absent) on his or her assigned list each week to see how the person is doing and how they can pray for him or her. Contacting members and prospects is a proven method for increasing attendance at any event and especially Sunday School.
Have a contest to see who can bring the most guests during the summer months, and then have a special fellowship at the end of summer to celebrate the number of guests who came during the summer and to recognize the person who brought the most guests.
People like to fellowship. Plan a special summer fellowship such as a backyard cook-out, a swimming party, or go to the lake and spend some time boating, skiing, etc. Invite some prospects and absentees. Many times people will come for a special fellowship when they will not come to Sunday School.
Leave a comment and share some ideas you have used to beat the Summer Slump in Sunday School.
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