Youth leaders walked around the room introducing themselves and talking to parents before dinner, and a slideshow featured pictures of youth at various events in the months prior to the banquet.

Other church members cooked the dinner so youth leaders were free to talk with families. I even found a chef in our congregation who created the menu and led a team of cooks each year! It was a great way for him to use his gifts.

Several things happened during dinner. First, we asked parents and youth to talk together as they ate. We placed sheets on the table with three sets of questions for the parents and youth. For example, we asked parents and youth to tell each other one thing they loved about the other. Another question was, "If you could travel anywhere in the world tonight, where would you go?"

After giving them time to answer the questions, we asked parents to fill out cards we had placed in baskets on the table. On the cards, we asked for their contact information and let them know we would be sending a newsletter each month about what was going on in youth ministry.

Additionally, we provided them with cards that listed every upcoming event for the months following the banquet. We not only gave parents a heads up about the event, but also invited them to participate in small but integral ways. The youth team stressed how important it was for parents to partner with us. We told them we wanted to know them and invited them to ask us to meet for coffee or even have dinner with us.

As dessert was being served, the youth leaders answered questions about themselves, such as their specific role in youth minstry, how long they had been serving and why they loved working with students. Finally, the middle school minister and I introduced ourselves to the group and cast the visions for middle- and high-school youth ministries for the coming year. These visions were the result of a team decision with the other youth leaders and the youth committee. We also talked about upcoming events and trips and generated excitement about the various forthcoming Sunday night series and shared our hopes for the growth and discipleship of the youth in our care.

A Worthwhile Investment

It was always a fun event that brought people together, made them laugh, got families around a dinner table and helped parents feel more comfortable about sending their youth to hang out with us. It was one of those events that everyone looked forward to and was a sort of launch pad for deeper relationships with parents and more involvement on their part.

There were still times that certain parents asked too many questions or seemingly tried to take the fun out of my job. However, there were times when parents welcomed me into their homes for amazing meals and conversations, as well as times when they supported our youth team in ways we really needed. The family banquet was definitely worth the time and energy we invested.