“Let’s have a HOT POT PARTY for the entire youth service!”
– A group of 15-17-year-olds
What started out as a dream by the Christmas Youth Planning team became Chill by the Pot – an epic, delicious time featuring 400 youths and more than 40 hot pots. But you might be wondering how all of this happened.
In classic HOGC manner, it was a combination of:
- Creative & bold ideas by the youths
- “Make it happen” attitude by our adult volunteers
Challenge #1: Finding >40 hot pots
To feed so many youths, the team needed at least 40 induction stoves. But the vendor they worked with could only provide half of that.
Solution: A group of young adults brought in their induction stoves to complete the number!
Challenge #2: Power requirements
Powering so many hot pots AT ONCE in our church premises brings with it the risk of a power trip. The team also wanted to avoid causing an overload by plugging in too many pots into the same few sockets.
Solution: Amazing volunteers from our Facilities Management, Ops Tech and Lights ministries came together to trace the power lines in our church.
They also came up with a detailed diagram and floor plan, to distribute all 40 hot pots and their power usage equally across the Auditorium and Atrium.
To meet the increased power needs, the team found creative solutions like big portable batteries for extra power. Some even stayed back after Christmas services to stress-test the electrical load and ensure it would be safe!
In the end, the event was a success with no power trips!
For a glimpse at the team’s preparations, check out the photos below!
Yes. Those are batteries and extension cables required to power this whole event. (Swipe to the end to see how many we used)
Challenge #3: Fire Safety
Because safety is important, the team only brought in electrical induction stoves.
Even then, they wanted to take extra steps to ensure fire safety precautions were in place.
Solution: The Safety & Security team in our church prepared additional fire blankets and extinguishers on top of existing ones, in the rare case that any fire were to happen.
No fire happened, but the hot pot party was still lit.
Challenge #4: Waste disposal
One big question everyone had: How do we clear 40 pots’ worth of leftover soup? Imagine the heaps of wet, leaking trash bags and clogged up sinks… (ew)
Solution: The Building Maintenance ministry found a special powdered substance that could solidify the soup! This made cleaning up after the party easier and mess-free.
Check out the video below and be wowed!
The result
In the end, Chill by the Pot was a massive success! Along with the hot pots and main ingredients, there was a condiment bar, ready-to-eat food, and a cooking guide to ensure food safety. The Events Team truly created an experience that rivalled Hai Di Lao. 😉
There were also other activities that the youths could enjoy like board games and rock-painting! This 1 event took 6 ministries and many young adults who gathered together to make the youth’s initiatives a reality. We are so inspired by all of them!
