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WEEKEND
PREPARATION MANUAL
HEAD
PALANCA
CHA
Table
Of Content
Key Areas For Section Heads ................. Section I
Team Member Commitment................... Section II
The Role of a Team Member .................. Section III
Palanca Time ............................................ Section IV
Palanca Cha.............................................. Section V
Palanca Cha Forms ................................. Section VI
Notes.......................................................... Section VII
Key Areas For Section
Heads
SECTION
I
Key Areas For Section
Heads
Key Areas for Section Heads
Minister to section:
Prayer request
Share what Christ is doing in your life
Team meeting Attendance & Reminders
Pray with sections:
Start and end all meetings with prayer
Take and pray over section prayer requests
Provide prayer request to Prayer Chas during weekend
Model Christ-like behavior
Encourage / Schedule Chapel Attendance
Be accountable to ensure that your section duties are completed
Help the kitchen (Sat. Palanca—all. Serving meals—dorm, Prayer)
Assistant Head Cha
Minister to Section Heads
Ensure that all Section Heads are aware of their
responsibilities and understand the importance of their
sections to the success of the weekend.
Point of contact for all Section Heads during weekend
Be proactive to ensure team & rollistas are ready for
candidates
Primary Point of Contact for situations as they arise on the
weekend.
Keep weekend on time with schedule
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Key Areas For Section Heads
Head Chapel
Maintain Spirit of Reverence
Set up and arrange Chapel for services
Assist with Communication Cha for mikes and music in
chapel
Check with Spiritual Directors for any special needs
Head Dorm
Maintain spirit of hospitality
First to start the bond with the candidates
Coordinate sleeping arrangements, color-coding for rooms,
candidates, luggage
Clean and organize dorms & restrooms throughout
campground including rollo & kitchen
Listen to candidates. You are their main contact during
down time at night.
Meet needs. Go above and beyond.
Head Gopher
Maintain spirit of prayer and service for Rollistas
Coordinate prayer palanca for rollistas
Attend to Rollistas and their needs/ request
Ensure that speakers are ready when appropriate
Help Assistant Head stay on time.
Once rollista is in auxiliary chapel, stay very close. BE
THE HOST.
6
Key Areas For Section Heads
Head Kitchen
Maintain spirit of hospitality
Provide good, hot food.
Coordinate distribution of labor for prayer, preparation,
serving, clean up, and breaks.
Encourage assistant heads and chas for fun environment
Try to arrange breaks and rest time whenever possible
Encourage first time team members to listen to talks when
on breaks
Head Music
Maintain spirit of Praise and Worship
Select with Rector appropriate songs for each day
Teach praise choruses and De Colores
Provide music for Chapel and Rollo Room
Head Palanca
Maintain spirit of Giving
Collect, coordinate and distribute Palanca
Collect, coordinate and verify Palanca letters for candidates
Be ready to “lift the mood” as requested by Rector
Have fun.
7
Key Areas For Section Heads
Head Prayer
Maintain spirit of Prayer
Your team is the continual link to GOD for the weekend
Prayer tent?
Coordinate schedule of Prayer Warriors
Receive and handle prayer request
Head Rover
Maintain spirit of attentiveness
Be eyes, arms and legs for Assistant Head Cha
Be proactive for things needed. If we do not have them, get
them.
Store runs for additional supplies.
Assist in other areas as needed.
Update Asst. Head on 3 areas of campground.
Head Supply
Maintain spirit of service
Team Member
Commitment
SECTION
II
Team Member
Commitment
Team Member Commitment
As a team member, you are making the following commitment:
! Attend each meeting on the schedule, including the victory
secuela. Contact the Head or Assistant Head Cha if an emergency
prevents attendance at a team meeting.
! Function as a reunion group within your section throughout the
team meetings. On the weekend, pray together daily as a section.
Seek prayer requests from one another and encourage each other in
the areas of Piety, Study and Action.
! Pray daily for the weekend, your area and the candidates.
! Study the weekend schedule and your section responsibilities in
advance of the weekend so you will be prepared to serve well in
your role.
! Fulfill the responsibilities of your assigned section under the
direction of the section leader. Should an issue emerge that your
section head is unable to resolve see the assistant head cha
! Pay the team and weekend fees by the final team meeting.
! Write a general palanca letter.
! Write each candidate a palanca letter.
! Arrive at the campground before 3 P.M. on Thursday afternoon. (If
possible, arrive on Wednesday to help set up, clean up and
prepare.)
The following pages review the role of a team member in more
detail.
The Role of a Team
Member
SECTION
III
The Role of a Team
Member
THE ROLE OF A TEAM MEMBER
After prayerful consideration, you have been invited by the
Rector to serve on a Tres Dias team. You have examined your
responsibilities to God, family, church, work and reunion group. Your
commitment will probably cover a period of about three months from
the first team meeting until the post-weekend team reunion.
Congratulations!
The Rector has asked you to fulfill one of the following specific
assignments on this team:
Assistant Head Cha
Head Cha
Kitchen Cha
Gopher Cha
Palanca Cha
Table Cha
Supply Cha
Spiritual Director
Chapel Cha
Rover Cha
Rollo Room/ Communications Cha
Table Leader/Professor
Prayer Cha/Night Watch Cha
Dorm Cha
Music Cha
Each is an important part of Christ’s body, with a specific task to do:
“If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer
with it; If one part is praised, all the other parts share its
happiness.” (1 Cor 12:26)
When each task is done under the leadership of the Rector
and to the glory of God, then the weekend will be an effective
instrument for His grace. Although a team member receives the
blessings of the Lord’s grace during this time of service, the weekend
and its activities are to be channeled for the candidates.
While each team member has a unique role to fulfill, there are
some tasks, which are shared. These can be divided into three
categories: Pre-Weekend Activities, Participating in the Weekend, and
Post Weekend Activities.
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The Role of a Team
Member
. . . Continued
The Role of a Team Member
Pre-Weekend Activities
Each team member is responsible for helping to build a
cohesive team before the weekend begins. This process takes
place during the formative pre-weekend team meetings and final
preparation for the weekend. It is enriched when you:
1. Pray without ceasing for the team, candidates, their families
and the TBTD community.
2. Attend all team meetings.
3. Know and prepare for your own team duties.
4. Contribute to the sharing times.
5. Make an effort to know all team members participate with
love in all team meetings and the weekend.
6. Become familiar with the outline for each Rollo.
7. Enter into the Rollo critique process with love and caring
for your teammates and the candidates.
8. Believe that the Rector is the human leader for the weekend,
but that the Rector is working for God and has been given
special graces from Him.
9. Respect and follow the authority that God has given to the
Rector for this weekend.
But, most importantly, apply to this team the same mind you had
on your original Tres Dias weekend. At that time, your Rector asked
you to:
1. Believe that great things are possible.
2. Have a spirit of openness to God and what He is asking of
you.
3. Have a loving concern for one another and total trust in
God.
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The Role of a Team Member
If possible please be arrive early at the campground to help setup for
the weekend
Wednesday Afternoon and Evening
Many team members are needed in the cleaning and
preparation of the campground, so plan to arrive on the
campground as early as Wednesday morning. (If you wish to
spend Wednesday night at the campground, contact the head
cha on most weekends there is limited availability for spending
the night.)
Thursday Afternoon and Evening
Clean up will continue during the day, and all team
members should arrive as early as possible to help. Please
arrive at the campground NO LATER THAN 3 PM. The team
chapel and communion will be sometime around 4 PM. We
will then prepare to receive the candidates for Send-over at
6:00 PM and assist them with registration and their luggage.
The Head Cha is in charge of logistics until Send-over.
Then the Assistant Head Cha takes over for the remainder of
the weekend.
Participating in the Weekend
The second area of common responsibility takes place
during the Tres Dias weekend. You are important in the process
of making the weekend effective!
The Role of a Team Member
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Helpful Hints for Success at the Campground
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Maintain an attitude of prayer and worship.
Bring a spirit of cooperation and flexibility.
Be prompt to all scheduled events.
Wear your name tag at all times.
Observe the silent retreat time during the first evening.
When appropriate during meals and breaks fellowship with
candidates.
7. Keep telephone use to emergencies only.
8. Inform your Head of your whereabouts.
9. Keep your service area covered at all times.
10.Honor confidentiality of Rollos. (Members of the Tres Dias
Community should not listen to or hear about details of the
Rollos)
11. Share in the financial support of the weekend if possible.
12.Follow the rules of the campground. (I.e.: Smoking is prohibited)
13.No cameras or tape recorders of any kind are allowed. (With
the exception of scheduled candidate photographs)
14.Refrain from all gossip and criticism.
15.Trust the Rector as God’s chosen leader for the weekend.
16.Remember, you will be blessed the most when you are serving
with love!
After the last candidate arrives, the team will then go to the
kitchen to receive them into their weekend. At the reception, the Kitchen
Chas will take care of serving while the other team members mingle
with the candidates. Now is the time to start making new friends! All
Chas will be introduced, except for Kitchen who will be introduced on
Friday.
After making their beds, the candidates go to the Rollo Room
and introduce themselves. THURSDAY EVENING CALLS FOR
SILENCE -THIS PERTAINS TO TEAM MEMBERS AS WELL (At
Rectors Discretion.)
After the candidates retire to their dorm for the evening, there
will be a brief mandatory team meeting for all team members. You will
receive a final copy of the candidate list during this meeting. Although
it is best that palanca be completed BEFORE the weekend, the Rollo
Room area will be available to write last minute notes for last minute
candidates. Please use this area for last minute palanca, and not
your dorm room so that other team members can sleep. Please clean
up after you are finished in the area so that it is ready for the candidates
in the morning.
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Friday
The Role of a Team Member
Begin the morning by lining the walks from the candidate dorms
to the chapel. Until Candidates are out of chapel in the morning
REMEMBER TO MAINTAIN SILENCE!
The weekend picture will be taken just before breakfast. The
candidates are to stand in front and team members stand in back.
Team Chapel following the candidates’ chapel service each
morning, a chapel service will be held for all Chas who could not
attend the candidate chapel. All team members are required to attend
a chapel worship service each morning. Everyone needs to be feed
spiritually in order to serve physically.
Candidates should be loved and treated hospitably at all times.
We will go out of our way to meet their every need. Pay close attention
to the schedule. Tres Dias crosses may be worn following the Holy
Spirit/Divine Aid Rollo. (Note: after this Rollo palanca may be given
and the entire meditation is read. Also, the theme song may be sung
following this Rollo.)
Saturday
Professors, please be first in the chapel each morning.
Table Chapel Visits may be done sometime on Saturday. Table
Chas lead and pray first with a short 2-3 sentence prayer, i.e. “We
the table of...”
Sunday
An optional candidate serenade may be done in the candidate
dorm first thing in the morning. Everyone is strongly encouraged to be
a part of this blessing to the candidates. Due to the early hour, pajamas
and robes are fine to wear.
All team members should pack their belongings in the morning
when the candidates do. It is vitally important that the team BE
INCONSPICUOUS while packing up and loading cars, but do not “pack
up” mentally! Keep the pace up. We will all have a tendency to slow
down, so let us encourage each other to keep moving. Each Cha is to
clean up his/her service areas as much as possible before the closing.
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The Role of a Team Member
At Closing
Kitchen sits on back rows
Chas sit on middle rows
Professors and Table Chas sit on front two rows.
During Each Day
All team members should attend at least one chapel each day.
Professors, Table Chas, Supply Chas, and other Rollo Room team
should attend chapel with the candidates.
In addition to chapel, each section should pray together regularly
on the weekend as a reunion group.
Everyone is invited to the Rollo Room when your tasks are
completed. However, no one is to enter or exit the Rollo Room while a
Rollo is being given. Please check with your Head before leaving
your service area.
Please clean up after yourself as you go along including:
keeping your bunk area clean, cleaning up in the bathroom areas and
maintaining a general attitude of thoughtfulness and kindness that
would not require our brothers/sisters in Christ to clean up after us.
Team Meetings -There will be a brief team meeting in the Rollo
Room 15 minutes after candidates return to the dorm each night.
Heads, Professors and all Rollo Room Chas must be present;
everyone else is welcome, but attendance is optional (Dorm Chas
can’t attend so that they can stay with the candidates). Please be
discreet so that no candidate sees you. Lights go out in dorm room
after team meetings -A WELL RESTED TEAM IS A HAPPY TEAM!
Post-Weekend
The final area of mutual team responsibility is during the post
weekend activities of the weekend including “Take Down”, Victory
Secuela and critique of the weekend.
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The Role of a Team Member
Take Down
Following the weekend involves packing inventory boxes,
loading them into a truck, tearing down curtains, walls, tables, etc. It
also involves final clean up of some areas on the campground. This
tremendous task requires the help of many people. If your schedule
permits, please try to assist us with task. This usually takes place for
several hours the Monday following each weekend. Contact the Head
cha or weekend couple if you are available to help.
Victory Secuela
The first activity, which draws new Pescadores into the fourth
day community activities, will be scheduled following the weekend.
Try to join us in this or other fourth day activities.
Critique of the Weekend
Takes place soon after the weekend in conjunction with the
Tampa Bay Tres Dias Secretariat. The purpose of the critique is to
review weekend experiences so that we may encourage those actions
that were supportive of the Essentials of Tres Dias, and learn from
those which were not. If you have feedback about the weekend that
might be helpful during this critique time, please contact the head or
assistant head cha the Rector will use this data as the basis for a
written report to the Secretariat.
It is most helpful when team members review the weekend in
realistic, objective terms. It is a temptation to believe that the Lord is
present most powerfully only when we feel an emotional involvement
in an event. However, in truth, these moments are apt to be the
times when we are more aware of ourselves than we are of God.
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Critique of
the Weekend
. . . Continued
The Role of a Team Member
The team should use the Tres Dias Essentials as a guide for
measuring the value of the pre-weekend and weekend activities.
In conclusion, a Tres Dias team member is one who
! Knows Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.
! Can witness to the life-changing companionship of
Jesus.
! Lives a life in grace through regular spiritual direction of
a Reunion Group.
! Is in pilgrimage toward Christian maturity and perfection.
! Can fulfill the assigned role on the team.
The weekend is a team effort. Each team member has a role to
fulfill. It is the team working and praying together with Jesus that
produces the Tres Dias weekend.
Palanca
Time
SECTION
IV
Palanca
Time
What is Palanca?
This Spanish word actually means “lever”. It is introduced in
the Holy Spirit/Divine Aid Rollo on Friday afternoon to illustrate how
the Holy Spirit moves in our lives to show us God’s love, often through
using “levers” to open the doors of our hearts. In Tres Dias, these
levers come in the form of prayers and “gifts of love”. It greatly
enhances the weekend and richly blesses those involved in the
preparation of these gifts.
The following are different forms of palanca and the examples
given are meant only as suggestions; feel free to come up with ideas
of your own.
Please remember that there must be enough palanca for every
person in the area that you are giving palanca or it cannot be given
out.
Prayer Palanca
As a Tres Dias team member, one of our greatest
commitments and blessings is prayer palanca. Prayer palanca
opportunities are as follows:
! Prayer for your individual candidate. Use a prayer reminder
and put it in a place where you will see it daily to remind you to
pray diligently for your candidate number. You can use the
wooden prayer token that you are given at the first team
meeting.
! Prayer palanca during team meetings and on the weekend.
You may be asked to meet with another team member in an
auxiliary chapel to intercede during a Rollo. A Gopher Cha will
escort you to the auxiliary chapel. Please check the schedule
in the team book and in your section on the weekend so that
you will be ready when the Gopher Cha arrives.
! Prayer watch for the weekend. Every hour of the weekend
someone in the community is praying for the candidates and
the team. A sign up sheet will be passed around at team
meetings and secuelas to reserve one of the hour-long time
slots. Names will be listed on the “Prayer Banner” which will
then be shown to the candidates on the weekend.
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Palanca Time
Oven Palanca
If you like to bake, this palanca could be for you. Brownies,
cookies, mini cupcakes or muffins make excellent palanca. Nothing
says lovin’ like something from the oven!
Table Palanca
Table palanca is used in the Rollo Room, and comes in many
different forms such as crafts, candy, books, bookmarks, baked goods,
written palanca (poems, short stories, or notes printed on pretty paper),
cassette tapes, etc. “Shared” table palanca would be a container of
palanca placed in the center of each table and shared among the
candidates and Professors at the table. One extra container can be
done for the Rector and Spiritual Directors, if desired.
Bed Palanca
This is similar to table palanca, but it is placed on candidate’s
and/or team beds.
Kitchen Palanca
These items are usually small crafts, place mats, or little candies
with notes attached which are placed at each table setting in the dining
hall. Please note that kitchen palanca must have enough for the entire
team and candidates.
Candidate letters written by the team
Begin your individual palanca letters soon after the first team
meeting. You will bring them to the weekend. Thursday night you will
receive a final list of candidate names for addressing your letters and
envelopes. Please alphabetize your letters, secure them with a rubber
band and deliver them to the Palanca Chas before noon on Friday.
The Holy Spirit uses your letters to speak powerfully to the candidate’s
hearts!
22
What is
Palanca?
. . . Continued
Palanca Time
Gift Palanca
All candidates receive the same items. You can have
different colors, shapes, styles, etc. of your palanca, but they
must be the same for everyone. For example, you’re giving a
small key chain to each candidate. The key chains can be
different colors or shapes, but they do all need to be key chains
and of the same quality.
Sacrificial Palanca
This type of palanca involves fasting entertainment, food,
sleep, etc. and spending that time in prayer for the candidates
on the weekend.
23
What is
Palanca?
. . . Continued
Palanca Time
General Palanca Letter
This letter is read during the Spiritual Director’s Holy
Spirit/Divine Aid Rollo on Friday afternoon after palanca is
introduced. This is called a general palanca letter because it is
one single letter that you write to all of the candidates as a
whole. The Spiritual Director chooses a few of these letters to
read aloud during his Rollo. Then, throughout the weekend, all
of the letters are posted on walls throughout the campground
for the candidates to read.
This letter will be an expression of your heart and prayers
for the weekend. Allow the Lord to compose the letter through
you, making it appealing to the eyes and hearts of the
candidates.
SAMPLE PALANCA LETTER
(offered as a suggestion only to help you with your letter)
My Precious Brothers/Sisters,
What a joy and a blessing it is to be serving you on
your Tres Dias Weekend. There have been lots of prayers
going up to the Father just for you on this special weekend
that you are experiencing here.
My prayer for you during this weekend is that you
will see the body of Christ function together as one, just as
the Lord ordained I pray that in your heart of hearts that
you will hear and receive from your heavenly Father all
that He has for you during these days that we spend
together in His presence. I pray that you will see and
experience the love of Christ in your life as never before.
You are very special to our Father and to each of us who
are serving you on this weekend. May you experience the
depths of Christ and the freedom that is ours in Christ
because of His unconditional love and grace that He has
blessed us with!
Receive Him this weekend as you focus all your
attention on Him and all that He has made available to you
through His death and resurrection. You are beautiful to
Him and to us, too. Grace and peace to you from God; our
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your Brother/Sister in C’hrist,
Your Name
Your Team Position
24
What is
Palanca?
. . . Continued
Palanca Time
How much palanca do I Make?
Type of Palanca
6 Tables
7 Tables
Bed Palanca (For team and candidates)
128
134
Kitchen Palanca (For team and candidates
128
134
54
60
Table Palanca (Individual pieces to be used in Rollo
Room – Candidates and Professors)
Bed Palanca (For candidates only! 4 extra for dorm
chas)
38 or 40
44 or 48
Oven Palanca (Shared containers one per table in
rollo room/one extra if you wish for Rector’s table)
6 or 7
7 or 8
** Always add a few extras in case of breakage,
and please understand that if we come up even
one short the palanca cannot be used.
“When do I make it?”
Begin to prepare palanca now so that you are not
crunched for time at the end. As the weekend draws closer,
other preparations will need your attention. Palanca parties with
your reunion groups or Tres Dias friends are an excellent way
to have fun and share the blessings of making palanca!
“Once it is done, how do I deliver it?”
Palanca needs to be dropped off at the campground
during Send-over. There will be a designated place made
available.
Clearly label where and when you would like your
palanca to be given on the weekend, for example “Friday night,
bed” or “Rollo Room, after Reunion Group Rollo”. Clearly write
a short note for the Palanca Cha’s or Rector to read to the
candidates along with your palanca. This note is important to
let the candidates know that there are people and love Behind
each piece of palanca and it is not just something included in
their weekend fee. Whatever your gift of love happens to be,
God will bless your heart as well as those on the weekend who
receive it!
25
What is
Palanca?
. . . Continued
Palanca Time
Special Palanca for Rollistas
Encourage each Rollista, both at team meetings and
on the weekend, with notes before his/her talk. Label the
envelopes with his/her name (example “before Jane’s
Rollo”) Sending cards and letters through the mail is an
excellent way to affirm fellow team members. This is also a
lovely way to begin new friendships and build team unity.
“What about ‘Sponsor Palanca’?”
If you sponsor a candidate, be sure their letters are
labeled with the candidate’s first and last names. Indicate
in the top left hand comer who it is from: “sponsor”, “wife”,
“husband”, “friend”, “family-son (-father, -sister, -etc)”, or
“church”. This is to be a letter of blessing, love and
affirmation. Be sure to tell this to each person that you ask
to write a letter to your candidate.
If you’d like to give your candidate your own personal
palanca, please give it to them after closing, instead of on
the weekend. This way the other candidates are protected
from feeling left out.
Palanca Cha
Guidelines
SECTION
V
Palanca Cha Guidelines
27
PALANCA CHA
The most important role of a team member is to be growing in
your relationship with Christ through Piety, Study and Action. Share
with other members of your section how the Lord is working in your
life in these areas. Make prayer together a priority. Pray for the
candidates, the team and your section.
As a Palanca Cha you will be responsible for organizing, sorting,
labeling and delivering Palanca for the Tres Dias weekend.
BEFORE THE WEEKEND
1. Team Meetings –
-
Assist in providing small, inexpensive Palanca for the entire
team.
-
Read Palanca notes. (review before reading aloud)
-
Assist in providing a basket/bag for Rollista Palanca collection.
2. Assist in gathering supplies and preparing materials (see Head
Palanca for direction)
3. Assist in planning for skits if appropriate
4. At the campground – plan to arrive early to assist in preparing the
Palanca area. Check in with your head to see what you have
been assigned to do.
DURING THE WEEKEND
1. Introduction of Palanca: Palanca is introduced during the Holy Spirit/
Divine Aid Rollo on Friday afternoon. At the end of the Holy Spirit/
Divine Aid Rollo, candidates are taken to the chapel. At this time,
you will assist in putting up all the general Palanca letters.
2. Table / Rollo Room Palanca – Check the schedule to determine
how many times you will put out table Palanca each day. Table
Palanca is usually given out each time the candidates leave the
Rollo Room. Divide the table Palanca for each day into the number
of times it will be given out. Try to give a variety of types of Palanca
each time (sweet, craft, salty, etc.) Some Palanca will be labeled
as to the time it is to be given out. Give out most of the food
Palanca by the afternoon on Saturday. IMPORTANT – To distribute
any Palanca in the Rollo Room, there must be enough for Silent
Table Leaders and Professors as well as candidates. Count before
you begin! If there are a couple of extras, give to the Rector, Head
Cha, Spiritual Directors, etc.
28
During The Weekend
. . . Continued
Palanca Cha Guidelines
3. Bed Palanca: You will distribute bed Palanca for both the
team and the candidates. Bed Palanca can be delivered in
the afternoons after the point at which candidates will not
be returning to the dorms. You may partner with the dorm
chas to distribute bed Palanca.
4. Kitchen, Banner or Special (Mug, T-shirt, Bag) Weekend
Palanca- See Head Palanca for direction on assisting with
these forms of Palanca.
5. Palanca Notes: Assist in labeling each note with a
description or example of the palanca. Retain these notes
during the weekend and give to the Rector.
6. Assist in picking up Palanca from the team dorms each
day.
7. Assist in sorting Letter Mailbags.
8. Assist in packing Weekend Envelopes.
9. Assist in lining the walks.
PALANCA GUIDELINES
1. Please do not put out Palanca unless there is enough
for every candidate. Be sure to set out bed Palanca
systematically so that nobody is missed. There is to be no
Palanca of any kind given to any individual candidate except
what will go in her Palanca bag. This is so that all candidates
are treated with an equal amount of love. If anyone brings
an individual gift for a candidate, please suggest that the
gift be given to the candidate on the way home or after the
weekend.
2. Wear comfortable shoes with a lot of arch support! This is
a busy job.
3. Make sure your head knows where you are at all times.
4. Bring a servant’s heart to the weekend. Deal with one
another with an attitude of idealism, cooperation and love.
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
29
HEAD PALANCA CHA
First and foremost your role as Head is to model “group reunion” with
your section. You should begin and end each break out session and each day of
the weekend with group prayer. Share with the section members how the Lord is
leading you in the areas of Piety, Study and Action. Encourage other members to
share as well. Reunion groups are the lifeblood of the 4th day experience. Please
encourage “grouping” activities.
Head Palanca Cha is in charge of both pre-weekend and weekend Palanca
for the Tres Dias weekend. This includes organizing, giving directions, delegating
responsibility, studying the schedule, checking on progress, and answering
questions regarding Palanca. If the rector chooses, you may also be responsible
for planning, creating and organizing multiple skits for the weekend.
BEFORE THE WEEKEND
1. Team Meetings – Pray together as a section during each section meeting. At
each team meeting give out small, inexpensive Palanca to the entire team
with a note of encouragement to go with it. (Each member of the Palanca
team should take turns providing this Palanca.)
-
You will be expected to read Palanca notes that will come in from team
members. It’s a good idea to read these notes ahead of time to make
sure you can read the handwriting.
-
Notes will be given to the Rollistas before they give their practice Rollos.
Please coordinate with the Assistant Head Cha to bring a basket, bag, or
other container in which team members can place their notes to the
Rollistas.
-
Lead Section Meetings:
-
Review details about the responsibilities of the section. (many details
appear in the Heads description that team members do not see- it is helpful
to review these in advance)
-
Make sure each team member has access to their position description
-
Plan for how these responsibilities will be carried out
-
If a team member in your section misses a meeting- contact them to review
details about both the team meeting and section meeting.
2. Collect General Palanca Letters for the Weekend
3. Gathering Supplies and Preparing Materials
-
Palanca Bags for team and candidates
(Check with the Weekend Couple to make sure there are plenty of Palanca
bags in the weekend inventory. Do this early in case the bags need to be
ordered.)
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
30
Before The Weekend
. . . Continued
-
Decorations for the Palanca bags- decorate large bags for candidates,
small bags for team. Wait until the weekend to put names on the
bags.
-
Labels for mailboxes (also check with the weekend couple for the
mailboxes) Option: you may want to sort team letters right into their
bags rather than using mailboxes.
-
Signs for organizing Palanca
-
A sign for each Rollista, Spiritual Director, Rector and Rector’s
husband’s name and the time their “before Rollo” Palanca should be
given out (you will find Rollo times on both the short and long weekend
schedule.)
-
Signs to be placed on beds or tables to sort Palanca that read:
Friday Bed Palanca – candidates and/or team
Saturday Bed Palanca – candidates and/or team
Friday Table Palanca – list times to be given out
Saturday Table Palanca – list times to be given out
Sunday Table Palanca – list times to be given out
-
Boxes or Bags for Palanca Collection.
(It may be helpful to label these: Team Letters, Candidate Letters,
Table Palanca, Kitchen Palanca, Bed Palanca, etc.)
-
Optional: Costumes / Props for Weekend Skits. (Before purchasing
or making new costumes, ask the weekend couple to let you see
what is already in the collection of items stored for the palanca section).
-
Optional - a children’s wagon or cart is very helpful in delivering
palanca. One would be good — two would be fabulous. See if they
can be borrowed from someone on the team for the weekend.
4. Planning for Skits: It is the Rector’s responsibility to choose whether or
not skits will be used during the weekend. If skits will be used, consult
with the Rector in advance to determine the number and type of skits
requested for the weekend. It is your responsibility to plan, create/script
and direct the skits.
5. At the Campground (Please make sure to arrive early)
-
Check in with the Head Cha upon arrival to see if/what you have
been assigned to do.
-
Clean and prepare the Palanca area
-
Tape pages of the weekend schedule on the wall for easy reference.
-
Arrange the Palanca room to facilitate the sorting of Palanca. You
will need to have places set up to sort the following kinds of Palanca:
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
31
Before The Weekend
. . . Continued
-
Letters for candidates and team. The Set-up Crew will set up the
mailboxes.
-
Bed Palanca for candidates and team on Friday and Saturday nights.
-
Spiritual Directors’ bed Palanca
-
Table Palanca (Fri., Sat., Sun.) – you’ll probably need three separate
tables/ beds to hold table Palanca.
-
Paper grocery bags or boxes to hold each Rollistas, Rector’s, Rector’s
spouse’s, and each Spiritual Director’s “before Rollo” Palanca. (letters
can be sorted in the mailboxes with the candidate letters; palanca for
the tray is usually provided by the gopher Chas)
-
Place Palanca collection boxes in each of the team dorm rooms.
-
Once you get the final candidate list, put their names on mailbox
labels and attach to the mailboxes. Write H, F, and S (Husband,
Family, and Sponsor) in one corner of each candidate’s label. Go
ahead and mark off H for all singles so you won’t be looking for a
letter that doesn’t exist. The candidate list should indicate their marital
status.
-
Check with the Head Cha to see if/what you have been assigned to
do.
6. At Send-over, at least two Palanca Chas should be stationed in the area
to collect and sort Palanca.
DURING THE WEEKEND
1. Introduction of Palanca: Palanca is introduced during the Holy Spirit/Divine
Aid Rollo on Friday afternoon. The Spiritual Director will usually begin by
introducing letter Palanca. The Head Palanca Cha should select a variety
of the general Palanca letters and give them to him on Thursday night so
that he can select some to read during his Rollo. (They will usually want
to have some from foreign countries and from other communities such as
Kiros, Cursillo, etc) The Asst. Head Cha will bring the general team palanca
letters to the weekend and the Palanca Couple from the Secretariat will
bring palanca letters received from other communities. The Palanca
Couple will also bring the 24-hour prayer list that has been enlarged for
hanging in the chapel. Make sure this is given to the Head Chapel Cha
early on Friday so that it is ready for when the Spiritual Director asks for it.
2. The Spiritual Director will also introduce other types of Palanca. Be
prepared with a banner and table Palanca (check with the Rector/Head
Cha before the weekend on which to use). Be ready to carry them into the
Rollo Room when the Spiritual Director asks for them. At the end of the
Holy Spirit/Divine Aid Rollo, candidates are taken to the chapel. At this
time, you will put up all the general Palanca letters – some on the Rollo
Room wall, some on the walls of the bathrooms by the Rollo Room, and
some at the dorms (give to Dorm Chas to put up at a specific time). Table
Chas, Supply Chas, and others in the Rollo Room will help put up the
letters in the Rollo Room. This is a very brief chapel visit, so work fast!
32
During The Weekend
. . . Continued
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
3. Table Palanca – check to see how many times you will put out table
Palanca each day. Divide the table Palanca for each day into the
number of times it will be given out. Try to give a variety of types of
Palanca each time (sweet, craft, salty, etc.) Some Palanca will be
labeled as to the time it is to be given out. Give out most of the food
Palanca by the afternoon on Saturday. In the past much of the food
given out on Sunday was not eaten. Not only does this help avoid
leftovers, but also facilitates clean up.
4. Rollo Room Palanca: IMPORTANT – To distribute any Palanca in the
Rollo Room, there must be enough for Silent Table Leaders and
Professors as well as candidates. Count before you begin! If there
are a couple of extras give to the Rector, Head Cha, Spiritual Directors,
etc.
5. Bed Palanca: You will distribute bed Palanca for both the team and
the candidates. Bed Palanca can be delivered in the afternoons after
the point at which candidates will not be returning to the dorms. A
van or wagon may be helpful in distributing Palanca in the dorms.
You may partner with the dorm Chas to distribute bed Palanca. For
women’s weekend: Work with the Head Spiritual director to determine
where they would like palanca to be discreetly delivered. Palanca is
placed on the tables after the candidates are in the dorms each night.
Items that would spoil or get stale should be covered adequately.
6. Kitchen Palanca- Partner with Head Kitchen to determine which
Palanca should be used in the dining room. Use anything of which
there are enough for both the candidates and team. This can be
determined on Thursday and delivered to the kitchen’s area where
they stage palanca.
7. Banners: Select banners in good condition to be hung in the Rollo
Room. Add more each day. If there are extra banners they can be
hung in the kitchen or dorms.
8. If mugs, t-shirts, bags, etc. are a part of Palanca, they should be given
out at a time the Rector’s chooses. Ask before the weekend when to
distribute. (If breakables, such as mugs, are given, wrapping materials
should be provided to the table Chas in order to assist the candidates
in packing them).
9. Check the schedule frequently to know when you must be ready for
action! Usually table Palanca is delivered each time the candidates
leave the Rollo Room (after it has been introduced on Friday during
the Holy Spirit/Divine Aid Rollo), or according to directions from the
Rector and Head Cha.
10. Reading Palanca Notes: The Rector may want to read the notes or
she may have the Palanca Chas do so. Make sure each note is
labeled with a description or example of the palanca. (If the professors
are not revealed, please make sure a professor’s name is not read.)
33
During The Weekend
. . . Continued
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
11. Pick up Palanca from the team dorms each day.
12. Mailbags: It’s a good idea to begin putting sorted mail into the mailbags
about 3 hours prior to the time they are to be delivered. Encourage team
members to get their mail in by Thursday night or, at the latest, on the day
before it is to be delivered. You’ll need a copy of the Rollo Room seating
chart in order to sort bags by tables. You will probably get a copy of this
on Friday morning – if not be sure to get one from the Head Cha and ask
them to let you know if there are any seating changes. Team members’
bags should be placed along the back wall of the Rollo Room for them to
pick up at closing. Place them in alphabetical order.
13. Before distributing candidate letter bags read the ‘letter to the candidates’.
Coordinate with Head Cha to make sure you have copy (found in Rector’s
Guide).
14. Envelopes: Pictures, 4th day booklets, candidate applications, sponsoring
information, applications to serve, weekend directories, and anything else
given to you should be placed in envelopes. This may be partially done
by the 4th Day Couple when they deliver the weekend directories. These
envelopes will be given to the candidates on Sunday at their tables (make
sure there are enough for both candidates and professors.) It is not
necessary to put their names on them. Give out team members’ envelopes
at this time, also. Give a weekend book to the person designated to make
corrections for the Secretariat. These envelopes should be delivered to
the location where the commissioning will be done (usually the kitchen)
prior to the candidates arriving. The envelopes are usually ready on
Sunday morning so they could be moved over there after lunch so that
they are ready to distribute. Additional ones should be included so that
any team members that are in the room can follow along.
15. Keep all of the notes that come in with Palanca for the Rector to keep
after the weekend. They should be placed on the Rector’s bed.
16. Line the walks when the candidates move from one place to another.
Assistant Head Cha will tell you when.
Head Palanca Cha Guidelines
34
PALANCA GUIDELINES
1. Please do not put out Palanca unless there is enough for every
candidate. Be sure to set out bed Palanca systematically so that
nobody is missed. There is to be no Palanca of any kind given to any
individual candidate except what will go in his/her Palanca bag. This
is so that all candidates are treated with an equal amount of love. If
anyone brings an individual gift for a candidate, please suggest that
the gift be given to the candidate on the way home or after the weekend.
2. All team letters should be sorted after the candidate’s letters since the
team doesn’t get their bags until after closing on Sunday.
3. Wear comfortable shoes with a lot of arch support! This is a busy job.
4.
Bring an alarm to assist in your team wake up.
5. You will receive a prayer palanca schedule before the weekend begins.
If a team member from your section is scheduled for prayer palanca
at a time that conflicts with the preparations in your section, it is your
responsibility to find a replacement (possibly from another section –
check with their head) and communicate that change to the Head
Gopher.
Palanca Cha Forms
SECTION
VI
36
Palanca Cha Forms
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
SAMPLE INVENTORY SHEETS
Inventory Item
Bags - Brown Lunch size
Balloons
Banners, Misc.
Binder Clips, Big
Bug Spray for Ants & Roaches
Envelopes - Legal
Envelopes - Regular
Extension Cords
Fabric Paint
Finger Paint
Finger Paint Paper
Glue (Elmers)
Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Glue Sticks for gun
Index Cards (3" X 5")
Insect Repellent
Labels - Address (1" X 3")
Markers - Washable
Paint Brushes
Palanca Bags, for Team & Candidate letters
Paper Clips
Pens
Post-it tags, pads
Raffia - Blue
Raffia - Green
Ribbon - Curling
Ribbon - Curling
Rubber Bands
Scissors
Signs, Palanca signs to organize Palanca by day)
Skit - Angel Wings & Halo
Skit - Angel Gown
Skit - Aprons (Matches Cumberbuns)
Stock Stock
Trunk # Needed Level
1
1
Separate
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
25
0
3
0
1
50
50
1
6
4
25 sheets
1 bottle
1
12
10
25
1
120
10
4
125
100
10
0
1 bag
1 bag
0
0
50
1
10
0
0
0
150
50
5
2
1
87
100
1
6
6
1 roll
3 btls
1
3
49
100
2
1800
10
2
125
100
14
18 pads
5 bags
3 bags
5 rolls
6 spools
50
2
10
2
1
4
End
Invtry Area
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
37
Palanca Cha Forms
SAMPLE INVENTORY SHEETS
Inventory Item
Skit - Black Ladies Evening Bag
Skit - Boa - Purple
Skit - Costume Jewelry (Necklace)
Skit - Cumber buns
Skit - Dress - Silver “GoGo”
Skit - Dresses - Various women's dresses & suits
Skit - Elf Ears, rubber
Skit - Face Makeup kit
Skit - Fan - White feather
Skit - Gloves - white
Skit - Hat - Tam
Skit - Hat - women’s flowered visor
Skit - Hose - Fish net (1 pink pr, 2 black prs)
Skit - Lighthouse dresses
Skit - Light hats (Touch Lights)
Skit - Music makers (3 drum/whistle, 15 plastic whistle)
Skit - Pom Pom’s, red
Skit - Pom Pom’s, white
Skit - Shoes - Silver “GoGo”
Skit - Sunglasses
Skit - Water Pistol
Skit - Whistle - Referees
Skit - Wig - Black, blonde, silver, brown
Skit - Wig - Red clown wig , black braids, Brown taupee
Skit - words to High Caloric, Camo-Floozies
Stapler
Staples
String
Tape - Scotch
Tape - Masking
Thumbtacks
Tissue pack for letter Palanca Bags
NOTE: Trunk #2 is all Palanca Skit Items
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
sample
Stock Stock
Trunk # Needed Level
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1 box
1 roll
2 rolls
1 roll
50
78
1
1
1
4
1
11
3 pair
1
1
1
1
1
2
6
4
4
7
6
1
3 pair
8
1
4
3
2
2
1 box
1 roll
4
4
78
52
End
Invtry Area
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
PL
Table Cha Rollo room Set-UP
Palanca Cha
Notes
SECTION
VII
39
Palanca Cha Notes
40
Palanca Cha Notes