Countdown to the 2013 KidMin Conference!

In less than 24 hours, I will be headed to Group’s KidMin Conference in Columbus, OH for 4 days of rest, worship, learning, fun and fellowship.  I cannot wait!  Last year, I was so disappointed to miss it (read my lament here).  This past weekend, I developed a sore throat and thought, “Oh no!  Not again!  I cannot miss this year too!”  I am feeling better and am glad because I really need to be around my kidmin friends, many of whom I’ve already scheduled to meet for lunch to catch up and share.

In an effort to ‘go green’ this year, conference handouts are available for download from the app.  While I found this process to be a bit overwhelming, I was able to navigate it and select the workshops that I’ll take.  Here’s an overview of what I’ll be taking:

Friday:  I will participate in Jim Burns‘ Partnering with Parents Pre-Conference track.  ‘Partnering with Parents’ is a phrase that has been the buzzword for a few years now and it means different things to different people.  To me, partnering with parents is more than shoving a take-home paper in their hands at the end of the worship service.  I feel that it’s providing ongoing resources in a variety of experiences (not just programs, but experiences).  I am looking forward to this intensive pre-con track and will, hopefully, walk away with great ideas to implement at my church.

Saturday:  Many of my workshops will focus on different aspects of leading volunteers.  On Saturday morning, I’ll take Dale Hudson’s Building a Volunteer Team:  Enlisting Your Team.  Dale is one of my favorite kidmin bloggers, so I can’t wait to hear him share on this topic.  On Saturday afternoon, I’ll take Gina McClain’s Sustaining Growth in a Large Church.  I always love to hear from large church kidmin leaders.  And I really dig strong women leadership in kidmin.

Sunday:  Leading volunteers will continue as a theme on Sunday.  I am looking forward to Craig Jutila’s Why People Won’t Volunteer for You because I really want to know.  I am hopeful that he’ll address not only the “why not’s” but also strategies for effectively recruiting.

Monday:  Before heading home on Monday, I will sit in on Jenny Funderburke’s workshop, Building a Volunteer-Friendly Culture.  Again, I dig women leadership in kidmin and I have never heard Jenny speak.  Besides, I want to change the landscape of the volunteer culture of our ministry, so I’m thirsty for ideas.

I also have the privilege of leading the Thriving in Transition Connect Group at the Conference.  We’ll talk about what brought about the transition (promotion, a move to a new church, switching from kidmin to student ministry or vice versa, etc.).

I will try to blog throughout the weekend and if I get caught up in CELEBRATING too much, I’ll post the notes when I return home.  If you’re attending KidMin, I’d love to meet you!

Handouts have been printed and my stack of business cards are banded together.  All I have to do now is pack my bags and be on my way!  Lord willing I’ll see you soon, friends!

Are you attending the KidMin Conference?  If so, what workshops are you taking?