How to plan a church retreat or camp people can afford

A weekend away can change a youth group, a marriage, or a whole congregation. It also comes with a price tag, a packed schedule, and a lot of questions from parents.

Here's how to make a retreat or camp easier to pay for, easier to follow, and easier to run.

Itinerary

Youth spring retreat

1. Fri 6:00 pmArrival and dinnerDining hall
2. Fri 7:30 pmOpening sessionChapel
3. Sat 9:00 amBreakoutsChoose a track
4. Sun 11:00 amClosing worshipChapel

Your ticket

Next payment due$75 on Mar 1

• ✓DepositPaid Feb 1$50
• Payment 2Due Mar 1$75
• Payment 3Due Apr 1$75

#Open registration in the app

Put the event where your people already are. In Culminate Life, people buy tickets right from the event page in the app, with an easier checkout and discount codes for things like early registration or siblings.

Your team can get email alerts with registration summaries and event capacity, so nobody's counting sign-ups by hand.

#Let families pay over time

The full price of a camp can be a lot to pay at once, especially for families sending more than one child. A payment plan can be the difference between "maybe next year" and "we're in."

• Build the schedule. Set up a deposit and the payments that follow, right in the dashboard.
• Show it up front. People see the full schedule in the app before they pay, so there are no surprises.
• Show only what's due next. Once someone is on a plan, their ticket and the event page show the next payment, not the whole balance.
• Send reminders. People get an email before each installment or deposit is due.
• Collect what's left. The dashboard shows the balances still due, so you can follow up before the bus leaves.

A payment plan says "we want you there" louder than any flyer.

#Put the whole schedule in their pocket

Stop printing schedules that change by Saturday morning. Add the itinerary to the event, and it's in everyone's app:

• Sessions with times, rooms, speakers, and handouts.
• Types and tracks, so people can filter to the breakouts they care about.
• Speakers from your leadership list, or guests added just for this event.
• A place off campus, if you're heading to a camp or retreat center.

#Tell everyone when something changes

Rain moves the bonfire. The bus is late. A session swaps rooms. Post an update to the event and everyone coming hears about it, instead of only the people standing nearby.

#Book the rooms first

If your retreat is on campus, book the rooms before you publish the schedule. Each session can have its own room, booked through Facilities, and conflicts are checked so two groups don't end up in the same room.

#A retreat checklist

When	What to do
Three months out	Set the price, the payment plan, and any discount codes. Book the rooms.
Two months out	Open registration. Share the event from the front and in the app.
One month out	Add the itinerary, speakers, and handouts. Follow up on balances due.
The week of	Post updates as plans change.
After	Thank everyone, and share photos while the weekend is still fresh.

See how events work in Community, or start free.