The summer is a great time to take stock of your needs and pump new life into your ministry! Here are 10 simple steps that you can take during the summer that will benefit you, your ministry and members.

1. Take a break or sabbatical - Everybody needs a break sometimes!
2. Get training for your ministry - Study to increase your dance vocabulary
3. Do a garment/instrument inventory- Do you need to repair, replace or release your garments or instruments? Now is the time. 
4. Buy new garments - Do you have the garments that reflect the upcoming dances that you will minister?
5. Host a FUNdraiser - You need money to carry out the mission of the ministry. Raise it or at least plan you yearly fundraising calendar and create the committees. 
6. Fellowship with each other or another worship arts ministry. There is nothing like eating together or doing fun activities to increase the intimacy and relations of your ministry so that you are all on one positive accord. 
7. Get inspired:
   1. Go see a dance performance in person
   2. Go to the zoo
   3. Go to the park
   4. Watch a dance movie
   5. Go to the ocean
   6. Do one of your dances backward
   7. Let the dancers choreograph a song
8. Plan your 6 – 12 months dance calendar - ORGANIZATION is the KEY to SUCCESS!
9. Have a dance ministry lock-in. - Again team building activities will reflect in your dances and to the unity of the group.
10. Meet with your pastor and discuss your goals, visions and budget for the year.- Keep him informed. He is your covering. He needs to know and approve of what you are doing. He can also give the new mission, vision and focus or the church so that your dances will enhance, reflect and support the ministry message and purpose. 

 
There are many other things that you could do to enrich your ministry during the summer. Be creative and share with me what you do during the summer!

Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, picked up her timbrell and led the women in the dances. NLT

How many times do you hear people say "Now she know she/he too old for that? Or "I just love to see the babies dancing!" I was 45 years old when a pastor got up and said that! I know I look good, but I am not a child, lol. 
So, just how old is too old for dance ministry? 
When we look at the scriptures, Mariam was 13 years older than Moses. That would have made her 93 when she lead the women in the dances.  now I know that 93 then is different than it is now - but we also have more avenues to be mentally, physically and spiritually fit. 

1. Mentally fit
   1. Self- esteem – do we believe that we can dance after 50?
   2. Are we supported in our church and home to continue to dance?
   3. Are we encouraged to continue?

**Believing that we have the ability and doing what it takes to continue dancing gives us confidence to continue.

1. Physically fit
   1. Good steward over your body – healthy – go to the doctor don’t be shamed
   2. Continue to study and take class
   3. Aerobic activities for stamina

**We may not be able to kick our leg as high, but we have LIFE EXPERIENCE. Miriam was 93 years old! We can use props, acting dance movement to tell our story!

1. Spiritually fit
   1. Study your word about dance ministry
   2. Pray without ceasing
   3. Right relationship with good

**The word of God is so rich that we can continue to study and discover the revelations of God as we nurture our relationship with him. Having a good and solid relationship helps us to hear from the Lord and be his mouthpiece. 

Ten common myths of the adult ballet dancer that needs to be released - (Spiritual and secular)
1. You are too old
2. You are too fat to dance
3. You have two left feet
4. You have to dance with kids
5. You don't have rhythm
6. You can't learn to dance
7. Everybody will be looking at you
8. Everybody will be picking at you
9. Your experience is not needed
10. IT DOESN'T TAKE ALL THAT
These statements are all lies from the pit! Mature and seasoned dancers bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and understanding to the ministry and movement arts that a young person cannot. (Sorry millennials) Don't be discounted from something that you have (secretly) loved all of your life and maybe even called too. Just because I can't bend my head back to my butt, or kick to the ceiling doesn't mean I am not called or can't be trained technically and spiritually. Study to show yourself approved and minister in excellence before the Lord! Carry on!