Helping Your Group through Sing

At Baylor, Sing is coming up at the beginning of next semester. For upperclassmen groups, Sing can be a threat to your group’s health if you ignore it or mishandle it. As a leader, it is important to know how to deal with students participating. Having participated in Sing last year, I hope I can offer some advice to you as a leader.

It will help you out to understand what is going on with Sing:

Sing is a big commitment: Practices are often 5 nights a week. Practices begin at the beginning of the spring semester, and the final performance is February 26^th. Practices most commonly happen in the evening for 2 hrs and can start as early as 7 or as late as 10 (but earlier for most groups).

Most students have a love/hate relationship with Sing: they love doing it, but they eventually begin to get tired of so many practices, and become weary from the time commitment. Being in Sing can put strains on other aspects of life: classes, relationships, and other commitments.

As a leader, you should never cancel or miss your group because of Sing. If you need help figuring out how to explain this to a Sing chair, I’d be glad to help.

How should we approach Sing and participating students?

Face the fact that students in Sing may not be able to come to group every week. It’s probably not beneficial to try to convince your students to skip Sing to come to CG. If they are able and want to skip, they will. However, don’t be offended by anyone in your group who seems to not be able to make it…it’s not personal. They haven’t changed their view on CG, they’re just fulfilling their commitment to be at practice and aren’t able to make both happen.

ALWAYS be looking for ways to minister to your students in Sing (prayer, food)

Communicate to them that you want to support them through their busy time, and don’t lose touch with them even if you don’t see them. You don’t want them to feel like they’re out of the flow of the group when Sing is over.

Don’t make your students feel guilty. Odds are that they are already feeling some guilt about missing group. Support and encourage them instead.

If a majority of your group is participating, consider moving your time up (but don’t switch days) to accommodate them.  Be careful not to move to a time where non-Singers can’t come…that’s not fair to them.

Separate from your group time, get your group together for a meal or quick hangout to continue group fellowship.

 I’d encourage you to begin the conversation now by finding out who in your group will be in Sing and expressing to them that you are aware that life will be hectic and that as a group you intend to support and encourage them in this time.

Ryan

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