This is always a wild time of year with a strange mix of contrasts. On the one hand we say farewell to students who have lived through our church’s student ministry program for the last seven years, on the other hand we begin meeting excited fifth graders and their nervous parents as they prepare to transition in. And in the middle of it all? Eighth grade kiddos who are about to graduate from being the big dogs in the room into the underdog status commonly referred to as ‘freshman.’ Good times!

For me it means some annual communication stuff that stays mostly the same from year to year and I thought I would post the letters that I’ve sent out or am about to send out (depending on who they’re too):

• Welcome and student ministry overview letter for parents of incoming sixth grade students
• Annual events calendar letter for parents of incoming sixth grade students through twelfth grade
• Welcome and middle school overview letter for incoming sixth grade students
• Congratulations letter for graduating eighth grade students with high school ministry overview

How do you handle student ministry transitions? Do they happen before, during or after summer? What communication do you do to prepare the way?