If you choose to use the Christian year in your plan, it most naturally will lead you to schedule your planning retreat during the summer months. You will be planning in the summertime for a program that will begin in November. One advantage of this practice is that the preacher is still in the last planned year while setting up the next. As you plan in the summer, you will be looking toward the year beginning with Advent Sunday. Your program from September through November will already be sketched out and planned. This will keep you from becoming frantic at the end of the summer over the empty spots on your calendar for the first Sundays of the fall program.
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Let your congregation know what you are doing when you take your planning retreat. You may not want to tell your church members explicitly that you are planning every sermon for the next year. That revelation might invite unnecessary criticism from parishioners who mistakenly believe that planning ahead neglects the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Simply ask your church to pray for you as you take a week to study the Bible, to pray about God's direction for Your preaching ministry, and to plan for upcoming sermons.
Gathering Your Planning Materials
When the time comes to take your planning retreat, you will need to assemble the resources that will help you in planning. Before you leave, ensure that the following items are packed in the trunk of your car.
1. Take your Bible.
Bring a copy of the Scripture in the version from which you normally preach. A study Bible of some type might be of special help because such Bibles usually break the Scripture into paragraphs that can be used as preaching portions. The study notes and book outlines can also be beneficial in determining how to preach series through biblical books.
2. Take your personal calendar.
Items such as your children's birthdays, family vacations, and your wedding anniversary will affect some aspects of your preaching plan. You will need to have your personal schedule in front of you as you create your preaching calendar.
3. Take your church calendar.
This is a list of the yearly events in the life of your congregation. Included will be dates for communion services and baptisms, revival meetings, missions conferences, church-wide Bible studies, homecoming services, special services at Christmas and Easter, and other church programs that will have an effect on your preaching plan. To receive the greatest advantage from your planning, it will be helpful to meet with your ministerial staff or church council one or two months before you take your planning retreat. Doing this will provide you with a schedule for the upcoming events in your congregation.
4. Take your denominational calendar.