A great beginning can set the pace for a great year. These eight tips are written to help plan your women’s ministry kickoff event. The ideas may also be tweaked to launch youth group, choir or other church ministry. Get ready for an awesome kickoff day!

Invite. Invite. Invite. Don’t skip this step. Make a detailed plan for every female attender of your church to receive both a printed and a verbal personal invitation. Build anticipation. Create a Facebook event. Send an e-invitation to members, asking them to forward it to friends. Publicize in your church publications, church website, and community newspaper.

Consider first impressions. Every detail counts. Does your meeting space need fresh paint or updated art? Are restrooms and hallways spotless? Update directional signs. Create a quick registration process. Add fresh flowers, extra greeters and extra seating. Delegate preparation assignments, and involve new church members. “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23).

Worth her minutes! Demonstrate that you value their time by planning every meeting well, beginning on kickoff day. Keep a relaxed atmosphere, but be purposeful with every minute. Begin and conclude precisely on time. Put long announcements in print. Overview the fall schedule and unveil new groups, plans and ministry projects. When the program is purposeful and top quality, they’ll come back and bring friends.

Make it special. Add some extra touch to make the kickoff memorable, such as a unique guest speaker, a brunch, a surprise decoration or gift. How about a funny ministry fashion show or scavenger hunt, a hands-on ministry project, a unique how-to demonstration? Make this an annual event no one will want to miss.

Encourage friendships. Help women develop old and new Christian friendships. Wear nametags. Draw names for prayer partners or assign mentors. Understand that coffee break offers valuable conversation time. Introduce guests to new friends. Take someone to lunch. Plan a group picnic in the park. Ascertain that every attender leaves with new friends.

Add action. Explain how your group plans to impact your community and your world for Christ. Your Bible study group—or quilting guild, mission organization, even exercise class—can add simple outreach ministry projects. Redirect your group’s focus from inward to upward and outward. Today’s women love to make a difference!

Point to Jesus. Never forget that Jesus is the focus. From kickoff day to year’s end, every action or spoken word must honor Him. Be joyful. Pray. Share your personal Jesus story. Play Christian music. Chat often about God’s blessings and power. Invite every newcomer to Sunday worship. Impact your community. This is no generic social group; this is a Christian women’s group!

Ask for a commitment. At the close of your kickoff event, ask women to register to join a group. Group leaders should call or email their class members before next week. Have signup sheets for snacks, retreats, projects, volunteer jobs, etc. Snap digital headshots for an online directory. Provide a printed list of fall dates, special projects or events, and church-wide events.

Oh, this is no ordinary day. A great opening day requires lots of prayer, planning and work, but when people come together to know and serve our Savior, it will be worth it all. Get ready to kick off!

“And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25 CSB)