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Late
spring is the perfect time to reflect on your chapter life
this past year. Two areas to consider are the "momentum"
of your group -- its direction and energy -- and its "tone,"
which can mean both its overall health and atmosphere. Below are
some guidelines for evaluating the momentum and tone of your chapter.
Work through it and use your responses as discussion starters
with other chapter leaders.
Major events
- Name two major, ongoing events in the life of your chapter
(for example, New Student Outreach, a winter conference, a traditional
social event, a regular evangelistic thrust, etc.).
- Are chapter leaders committed to these events? How do they
demonstrate this level of commitment?
- Do chapter members try to create momentum by talking about
these events in all levels of the chapter (large group, small
group, one to one)? If not, how could you encourage them to do
so?
- What is done to make publicity for these events attractive
and informative? What needs improvement?
- Do you offer easy and frequent opportunities for students
to get involved in these events? How?
- Do you promote these events with creative skits and media
tools at large group meetings?
Large Group
- Atmosphere: How would you describe the atmosphere of
large-group meetings as people arrive and as meetings begin? Is
there a fun, warm atmosphere that welcomes both regular members
and new people?
- Do you play music before the meeting to help set a lively
tone?
- When the meeting begins is the emcee bouyant, assertive, and
spirited? How could the emcee develop better "form"?
- Music: Does the music leader carefully plan the evening's
songs and then lead them well? Is there a mixture of style and
tempo? A good flow? Does the music reflect the cultural diversity
within the fellowship? Rate the music overall.
- Speakers: Do you invite speakers who are interesting,
challenging, and stay within time limits? If your guest speakers
usually go over their time limits, or are boring week after week,
what can you do to bring change?
- After the meeting, do you provide snacks and music to encourage
people to stay and talk?
Chapter Life in General
- Describe the level of friendships that exist within the chapter.
Do chapter members socialize outside of "official" chapter
functions? Why or why not?
- How is your group characterized in terms of prayer, hospitality,
and servanthood? Where is the group strongest? Where is it weakest?
What can you do to improve these important basics of chapter life?
- How do you express appreciation to students who serve on committees
and help with tasks? If this needs improvement, how can you do
so?
- Do new people find it easy to merge into the life of your
chapter? Why or why not? What roles are available for new students
who want to serve?
New Student Outreach (NSO)
- Does your NSO focus more on meeting and loving people than
on organizing events? Discuss this contrast and how the two can
go hand in hand.
- Do you make your events fun, colorful, hospitable (with food),
and attractive? For indoor events, do you use decorations? How
could you improve the overall "look" of your events?
- Is your NSO publicity creative and eye-catching? What, if
anything, needs to be upgraded?
- If you use a chapter publicity brochure, does it seem to say,
"We have a warm, welcoming Christian fellowship. Please join
us"? Or, "This is what we stand for. Join us if you
also believe this"? How can you make your literature welcoming,
intriguing and informative?
- Have you built solid NSO traditions so that you don't have
to re-invent everything each year? If not, what events would make
good traditions for your chapter?
Some of these questions might be appropriate to use in a chapter-wide
evaluation that every member can participate in. Gather their
responses and use them as you plan for next year.
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