For some of you youth ministers, the end of summer is here. 

Sure, you're probably still wrapping things up. Me? I'm helping tear down buildings and gut houses in Moore, Oklahoma with several of my teens and college kids this week. But this is our last big event until Fall Retreat. You're probably doing the same. Maybe it's VBS, or a DayCamp, a lock-in (let's hope not), or a back-to-school barbecue. Whatever it is, for all intents and purposes, your summer is pretty much over.  

Here's some recommendations I have for you on what to do now. 

Take a break. You've earned it. Spend some time with your family, be it your wife and kids or your mom and dad - or both. Vacation time is now while the kids get back into school mode. Take a breather from work even if it's just a couple of days. And if you don't have any time off left, work only when you have to. You can take it easy for a couple of days and recharge.  

Don't plan anything else in August. Most kids start back to school pretty early in August now, some not until mid-August. Have your back-to-school barbecue or your regular Wednesday night eating deal, but don't plan any major events at least for the next month. Your kids need a break to concentrate on getting back to school and you a break to plan some fall events. Parents will appreciate this short lull as their kids get back into the grind of school. Don't be that guy that figures he has to have an event every week. This is not the time of the year to do that. 

Do a summer review. Get your youth committee, your elders, or both of them together and do a summer review NOW. Don't wait on this. Write a summer report while it's still fresh on your mind - just a couple of pages on your major events and what went right and what didn't go so right in said events. Ask your parents and leadership for suggestions on what could be done better. Were the events spiritually-focused? Were the events managed well? How could they have gone better? 

Organize, organize, organize. I talked about this already, but you really need to do this. Organize your files and papers from your different events, your files on your computer from those events, organize your storage area for supplies and equipment so you're not having to do it before camp next year. 

These are just a few things I will be doing to end my summer. What will you be doing?  

From YouthMinistry360:​

Early Prep Work

1. Decide where you want to go for camp, sign up, and send in any deposits.
2. Begin signing-up your students and adult leaders for the camp. There are some great software programs for youth ministry that make this process easier. Of course, there's always Excell, and old-fashioned notebooks work, too!
3. Let your students know how much camp will cost, get them to put down a deposit, and set a date for final payment. Be very specific about your policies for refunding deposits and/or fees.
4. Plan your transportation to and from camp.
5. Check on the daily schedule at your camp, what you will be responsible for teaching and leading, and what the camp leaders will do. Make plans for any free time. (I try to find the balance between enough time to have fun and too-much free time. Too much unstructured free time is rarely a good thing!)

Getting Closer

1. Get any camp promotional material and promote, promote, promote. If you or your adult leaders will be teaching any small group time, get the material to your leaders at least one month ahead of time.
2. The dreaded rooming list! This is the one I always struggle with the most. Get your rooming list to your camp leaders on time.
3. Make sure you have a medical release form on every student and adult attending camp. There are plenty of forms available on the Internet.
4. Three of four weeks before camp send out an information letter outlining what time you will leave, what time you will return, where you are going, and include a list of everything the student needs to bring to camp. Also be clear of what is not allowed at camp.

Last Minute Prep

1. Think through what you want to do about cell phones. I've found them to be a major distraction, but I also know parents do not want to send their child away without one. [I tell ours if I see their cell phone I get it until we go home, but that's just me. :) ]
2. Send in your final payment to your camp.
3. Some extra things I always take to camp: an iron, petty cash, 2 or 3 rolls of quarters, laundry detergent if facilities are available, a laundry bag, shower shoes, squirt soap, extra toothbrushes, extra pens, lanyards, kitchen size garbage bags for students dirty clothes, a medical kit with basic items for accidents, female hygiene items, Catch Phrase, notebook paper, and note cards.