Sorry I'm a slacker..
I'm busy okay! Well, at least that's what I tell Steve. I've offically recieved a calling in my new ward. I'm the Enrichment leader in Relief Society. For those of you who aren't LDS (Mormon) I'll translate... Enrichment (short for Home, Personal and Family Enrichment Meeting) is held quarterly and is a "meeting" mostly for socialization of the Relief Society (Women's organization in our church ages 18+) and for spiritual growth and learning new skills... So my job is to set up these quarterly Enrichment meetings and then also set up smaller 'interest groups' for the women in the ward (our church congregation). Confused yet?
So since our ward is new our first Enrichment meeting is going to be for getting to know eachother. There are lots of new people and it was so large before that it was had to get to know people. Anyway, I'm doing 'speed get to know you' set up like speed dating. Basically you spend 3 minutes with each woman and get to put names and faces together and get to know them a little bit. When you find out where they live in relation to you, and how many kids and what ages you can say, 'we should get our kids together' or 'we should have you over for dinner' and make some new friends! I'm excited- it should be fun.
Here is the problem though... (there's always a problem isn't there??) I have long tables set up with chairs and thought if everyone just rotated then eventually everyone would meet. But it doesn't work- if everyone is numbered then all the even numbers just meet odd numbers- and all the odd numbers just meet even numbers. So you only meet half the people in the room. With speed dating that is great- because if you're a woman you're only there to meet the men! But it doesn't work if you want to meet everyone. I've tried and tried to figure it out- but I've not been able to- any suggestions?
6 comments:
It is a large ward- but the Enrichment attendance in the past has been pretty dismal. There were 1,000 people in our ward before we split and the highest Enrichment turn out was 40- most are closer to 15. I'm hoping because this will be fun (Seriously our previous Enrichments all consisted of coming and listening to a speaker), was well advertised (handouts, posters ect) and the fact that reminder phone calls were made will up our numbers. Honestly if 25 people come (and that's how many we'll have if just the people who are bringing food come) then I'll be happy. So I'm not thinking it'll be tons of people. I'm going to have questions on a paper with numbers and then number the name tags so that you can write down who you meet (help you remember) and know who you miss. Seriously- my brain hurts!
Congrats! Glad it's not me. :) Try this...groups of five. First 15 minutes, the groups get to know their own members - 3 minutes a piece (not one on one, but still a small group for intimacy...you could even let groups be established friends if possible to help the initial 'get to know you' be easier). Then start putting two groups of five together at a time. Inside circle of friends rotates, outside circle stays still - 3 minutes a person. After 15 minutes, groups rotate to a different 5 sisters until done. Is that too confusing in type?
For this suggestion an even number of groups is best. If you can break them into just 2 groups it would be great. Group A and B can first do a short round within their own group, then you can have a longer round where the two groups meet. I think if you have go bigger (say 4 groups) you may need to draw a diagram to keep everything straight. Really in the end the same number of people will be meeting regardless of how you split them. So even if you set an attendance record, you can keep it to 2 groups.
if only a's or b's (left, right, evens, odds, whatever), move at once, then everyone will get a chance to talk.
1st move- left side of the long table moves one seat to their lefts.
2nd move- right side of long table moves one seat to their lefts (actually opposite direction of the side facing them).
so, talk, lefts move, talk, rights move, talk, lefts... is that as unclear as your first paragraph?
OK I have a suggestion. Maybe you pair all the ladies up (you pick not letting them choose a partner) then they do the same thing in "couple" form. they speed date in four instead of two? then its less awkward to sit in front of one person for three min. ? Good Luck!
Another fun activity for couples is the dating game, and a pine wood derby. for the ladies you could call it the pretty wood derby? also a good mother daughter activity as the girls are left out of the derby. (I used to be the activitys chair)
Dear Amber,
It's Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment, not Home, Personal, and Family Enrichment.
He he he.
:o)
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