Reno Project #1: Excessive Decorations

Put your hard hats on ladies, it’s time to start the renovation process!

Today we’re going to take a close look at decorating and how you might need to do some renovating in that area of your women’s ministry.

How do you know if you need to renovate your decorations?

1. Your women are distracted by the décor on stage and have a hard time focusing on the speaker and the message. The best conferences I’ve been to have had little to no décor on stage.
2. Your women can’t see each other during the meal due to the elaborate centerpieces. (You may decide “table events” are the exception to the rule.)
3. Women have no place to take notes or open their Bibles because there is no room on the table.
4. Your event space resembles an elementary school classroom with themed items covering almost every surface. (Ever seen a first grade classroom during an ocean-themed unit?)
5. Women stay away from an annual event “because it’s not their thing”. I’ve talked to women who would not attend our table events because the focus had become the décor, not the message. Some women won’t step foot in a tea-party themed event.

I admit, this may be the hardest “room” to renovate.

I’ve been blessed to work with many a gifted woman who loves to decorate.

I understand and appreciate pretty things. As do many other women.

But ladies, many of us have gone way over board.

We need to give our women’s eyes places to rest so they can focus on the message.

The message God has given us to share is getting lost in seas of tulle, flowers, ribbons, and pompoms.

How are you going to approach this renovation? You are going to have to tread lightly and pray hard.

You must:

1. Cast a vision for your whole team about what you are trying to accomplish – meeting the needs of all women in your church and community and/or keeping the focus of the event on God. You may feel led to re-write your Women’s Ministry mission statement (I’ll address that in detail another day).
2. Spend time making sure your decorations team leader/team understand any change in vision or direction.
3. Re-direct their energy into other places – ask them to create a photo booth (show them with pictures exactly what you want it to look like) and/or ask them to put flowers in the bathrooms.
4. Reassure them it is not personal.
5. Expect bumps in the road. You may meet resistance. It may take a couple of events to see the change filter through.

I was recently introduced to the idea of theme vs. thread  when reading this post by Logan Wolfram, Allume Executive Director, Host, and Hospitality Artist and blogger.

It was my light bulb moment.

That was it.

Theme vs. Thread.

I took a quick look on Dictionary.com to see how each was defined. Theme is defined on dictionary.com as “a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.” Thread is defined as “that which runs through the whole course of something, connecting successive parts.” (emphasis, mine)

We’re aiming for connection, not dominance.

Look it is this way.

It’s about emphasis.

For example, say the verse for your event is 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

A theme might take the idea of butterflies and run with it. There would be butterflies decorating every table, space, etc. The plates or napkins might feature butterflies. The stage might have a giant cocoon. Women might receive butterfly bookmarks as favors, etc.

A thread might emphasize the idea of old things being made new. Perhaps the table runners would be made out of burlap, old jars might be repurposed into vases for fresh flowers… Keep in mind you don’t want it to look like the inside of the Cracker Barrel restaurant. That would be distracting.

In order to reach that outer circle of women, your design renovation needs to be reflected in your publicity. Dial back the graphics on the flyers. Communicate the focus of the event. Include the scripture verse.

Are you still with me? Are you reeling from the idea of what this might do to your team?

Before you do anything, you must pray and seek God’s timing and His will.

Don’t renovate anything He hasn’t approved.

I’m praying for ya!

You may also want to read:
What area of ministry is God asking you to renovate?
Reno Project #2: Your Mission Statement
Reno Project #3: Offerings
Reno Project #4: Updating Your Publicity
Reno Project #5: Technology
Reno Project #6: Providing Better Training