Your VBS planning meeting agenda should cover, in order: purpose and theme review, date and venue confirmation, budget check, team roles, curriculum and material decisions, schedule and activities, promotion plans, and action items with deadlines. A clear agenda keeps the meeting under 90 minutes and ensures every volunteer leaves knowing their next task.
Why a Written Agenda Matters for VBS
Vacation Bible School involves many moving parts—registration, volunteers, snacks, crafts, music, and safety protocols. Without a written agenda, meetings drift into long discussions about craft supplies while forgetting to assign someone to order nametags. A structured agenda does three things: it respects volunteers’ time, it forces decisions on the most critical items first, and it creates a natural checklist for the weeks ahead. Most VBS programs run 3 to 5 evenings, so the planning window is short; one lost week due to disorganized meetings can cause real stress.
Before the Meeting: What to Prepare
Send the agenda to all attendees at least 48 hours in advance. Attach the current budget spreadsheet, last year’s attendance numbers, and any theme materials from the publisher. Ask each team lead to come with one update and one question. If your church uses a curriculum like Lifeway’s VBS or Group Publishing, have the theme sample and leader guide available. Also confirm that the meeting space has a projector or whiteboard if you plan to review the schedule visually.
The 8 Core Agenda Items in Order
- Opening prayer and purpose check (5 min): Reaffirm the goal—sharing the gospel with kids in your community.
- Theme and dates review (10 min): Confirm the theme, dates, and daily times. Check for conflicts with local school events or church holidays.
- Budget status (10 min): Review actual spending against the plan. Decide on any large purchases like t-shirts or a bounce house.
- Team and volunteer needs (15 min): List open roles: teachers, assistants, craft leaders, snack coordinators, registration desk, and security. Assign a recruiter.
- Curriculum and materials (15 min): Choose the curriculum, order workbooks, and list supplies needed per station.
- Daily schedule and activities (15 min): Walk through a sample evening: check-in, opening, rotations, snack, closing. Adjust for age groups.
- Promotion and registration (10 min): Decide on social media posts, flyers, and in-church announcements. Set a registration deadline.
- Action items and next meeting (10 min): Record who does what by when. Set the next meeting date.
Assigning Roles and Responsibilities
Use the meeting to formally assign roles rather than leaving them vague. Common roles include: director, assistant director, curriculum coordinator, craft coordinator, snack coordinator, music leader, registration manager, and safety officer. For each role, write down the person’s name, their main task, and a deadline. For example, “Sarah—craft coordinator—order all craft kits by May 15.” Post this list in the church office and share it digitally. If you have fewer than 10 volunteers, combine roles but keep the accountability clear.
Budget and Material Decisions
Most VBS programs operate on a budget of $200 to $1,500 depending on church size and whether you buy a packaged curriculum. In the meeting, review three budget lines: curriculum and workbooks, crafts and supplies, and food. Decide early whether families will pay a registration fee or if the church covers all costs. If you are using a free or homemade curriculum, allocate more for decorations and snacks. Always set aside 10% for unexpected costs like extra snacks or a last-minute replacement for a broken craft item.
Common Planning Pitfalls to Avoid
Three mistakes come up repeatedly in VBS planning meetings. First, trying to decide every detail in one session—this burns out volunteers. Instead, schedule a second meeting two weeks later for fine-tuning. Second, ignoring child safety: you must have a check-in/check-out system, background checks for all volunteers, and a first-aid kit location. Third, forgetting about promotion until the last week. Use the meeting to set a promotion timeline: announcement in church bulletin 6 weeks out, social media 4 weeks out, and a reminder flyer 1 week before VBS begins.
Template for Your VBS Planning Meeting Agenda
| Time | Agenda Item | Lead Person | Notes / Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 min | Opening prayer & goal review | Director | |
| 10 min | Theme, dates, times confirmed | Director | |
| 10 min | Budget review & approvals | Treasurer | |
| 15 min | Volunteer roles & gaps | Recruiter | |
| 15 min | Curriculum & materials | Curriculum Lead | |
| 15 min | Schedule & activities walkthrough | Director | |
| 10 min | Promotion & registration plan | Promo Lead | |
| 10 min | Action items & next meeting | Director |
Sample filled-in row: “10 min — Budget review — John D. — Approved $450 for craft kits; will order by May 10.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a VBS planning meeting last?
Aim for 60 to 90 minutes. If you keep to the agenda and defer off-topic questions to a parking lot list, you can cover all core items in that time. Longer meetings usually mean the agenda was too vague or too many decisions were left to discussion.
Who should attend the planning meeting?
At minimum: the VBS director, a church staff liaison, and the leads for curriculum, crafts, snacks, music, and registration. If you have a youth group helping, include one youth leader. Keep the group under 10 people for efficiency; add more volunteers at a separate training session.
How many meetings are needed before VBS starts?
Most churches hold 3 to 4 meetings: an initial planning meeting (this agenda), a progress check 3 weeks before, a logistics meeting 1 week before, and a brief final huddle the day before. If your VBS is large or you have many new volunteers, add one extra meeting for training.
What if we don’t have a budget for a packaged curriculum?
You can run a free VBS using online lesson ideas, church resources, and donated craft supplies. In that case, spend more meeting time on volunteer training and activity planning. Many churches combine a free curriculum with a small snack budget of $50–100.
Should we plan the closing program at the first meeting?
Briefly mention it, but decide the details at the second meeting. The closing program often involves parents and church members, so it needs its own planning time. Just assign someone to note the date and time so it doesn’t conflict with other church events.