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Group KidMin Conference – Pre-Conference FAQ’s and Tips

09/18/201409/18/2014 Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

There is quite a bit of buzz surrounding next week’s Group KidMin Conference. If you have read my blog for a while, then you know that i absolutely love this conference, which I have attended in Chicago (2011) and Columbus (2013). I am looking forward to attending again this year!

I am connected to a few kidmin online groups and have seen a plethora of questions from conference-goers. According to the conference organizers, here are a few of the most frequently asked pre-conference questions along with my own personal tips:

FAQ’s

1. Do I need to register for Pre-Conference training options in advance? Yes. These seven-hour intensives, which include lunch, are a great way to begin the weekend. I did this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Add this to your conference registration for just $59 per person. Click here for more details.

2. Do I need to register for the workshops in advance? No. Once you browse through the list of workshop options, you simply show up at the workshops you’d like to take. Beware, however, that some workshops fill up quickly and close. If that is the case, you will need to make another selection. Tip: Choose several workshops for each time slot in advance if you can so that you can quickly join another location.

Options include Deeper Learning Tracks (four 2-hour sessions), Half-Tracks (two 2-hour sessions) or 2-hour workshops.

Take a look at this year’s offerings on the website or by downloading the Participant’s Booklet here.

My Personal Pre-Conference Tips

Have a strategy for attending workshops, especially if you’re coming with a group. Here’s something to consider: One person attends one of the deeper learning tracks, while other folks attend workshops that would support the particular learning track. This way, the information gained is not spread across every topic, rather everything their team learns can be applied to an overall concept or particular focus. After KidMin and your team has a chance to regroup, the information from all these workshops and learning tracks compliment and support the desires of the team. They go in with a plan, focus your energies, and leave with tools and concepts that can be applied immediately.
Download your Participant’s Booklet. You will receive a booklet at the conference but downloading it in advance will help you to mark the workshops you’d like to take early.
Confirm your hotel reservations.
Confirm your transportation arrangements/reservations. If you are flying into Columbus, it is recommended that you make reservations for the ground shuttle from the airport to the conference hotels. While a reservation is not required, those with reservations will be able to board the shuttle first. Click here for more details.
Download your workshop handouts. This year, the handouts are in Word format, so they are editable. Be sure to download the handouts for your alternate workshop choices, too. Download the handouts here, using “surge2014” as your log in code.
Make arrangements to meet up for coffee with your fellow kidmin’ers. Allow some flexibility but it doesn’t hurt to pre-arrange meals or coffee with friends.

Don’t forget to pack:

Money/credit cards/checkbook
Business cards or pre-printed contact information (this can be printed on address labels) to pass out when networking
Light sweater or jacket, as rooms might be chilly
Reusable water bottle
Portable snacks such as energy/granola bars, trail mix, etc.
Electronic devices & chargers

Come back tomorrow for more tips!

**A special thank-you goes out to Rochelle Dorsey & John Guerra for allowing me the opportunity to post on Group’s behalf.

Keep the conversation going! Check out what’s being said about the KidMin Conference on Facebook here and here & on Twitter here. Use hashtag #kidmin14.

Win a 2014 Group KidMin Pre-Conference Training Registration!

06/04/201406/04/2014 Kathie Phillips

I LOVE Group’s KidMin Conference! I have had the privilege of attending in 2011 and 2013 and Lord-willing, I hope to attend this fall.

I love it for so many reasons, but here are just a few:

I feel at home here. There’s something about being surrounded by fellow kidmin’ers! While the conference is attended by thousands, the atmosphere feels small and welcoming. I felt this way both years that I attended but especially in 2011 when I attended alone for the first time.
There is a wide variety of workshop options. When I attend a conference, I tend to concentrate on areas that I need growth or training in as well as one or two ‘random’ ones just for fun. Workshop options are so varied that you won’t have any difficulty finding ones that suit you.
Recordings of workshops are made available during and after the conference. Because there are so many great options to choose from, you will likely have a hard time narrowing down your options. I love that the workshops are recorded, so if I can’t make it to one, I can swing by the table and purchase reasonably priced CDs of other sessions. Not only can I use them for my leadership development but I can pass them along to others in my ministry. It’s a win-win!
Keynote speakers and workshop leaders are very accessible. Don’t be surprised if you’re walking through the resource area or enjoying a meal in a restaurant when you spot a keynote speaker or workshop leader. I admit – I have been starstruck when a kidmin ‘celebrity’ is sitting at the table next to me – or gasp – when I enjoy a meal with them! They are so gracious and down-to-earth.
Speaking of the resource area – you’ll stumble across some great finds! I love strolling through the resource area to check out new materials available to kidmin leaders. I also love the occasional freebies. 🙂 Items are often discounted for the conference AND you can have items shipped to your church or home.
There is a balance of learning and downtime. This past year, I was able to enjoy meeting friends for meals or coffee in between the general sessions and workshops. Being able to connect with friends and other leaders is such a great way to refuel my spirit.

Do you love Group’s KidMin Conference as much as I do? Are you on the fence about whether this conference would be right for you? Visit their website to learn more and register today!

If you’re looking for intensive training around one topic before the conference begins, consider the Pre-Conference training option. It’s a full-day of training (9am-4pm) the day the conference begins. I did this last year and it was great!

My friends at Group are offering a chance for YOU to win one free Pre-Conference Training registration! Just send out a tweet using the hashtag ‪#‎goingtokidmin14‬ telling Group what you are most looking forward to at ‪#‎KidMin14‬. The deadline is June 15th! Happy Tweeting!

KidMin Conference 2013 – Days Three & Four Notes

10/23/201310/23/2013 Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Days 3 & 4 of the Group KidMin Conference were awesome!

Sunday Morning – Workshop (Secrets to Sustainable Children’s Ministry – Building Teams That Win by Jeff Dunn-Rankin)

To be honest, this session didn’t start off as I had thought. I kept thinking, “This material is not what is in the description. I’m in the wrong workshop!” I kept flipping to the description and looking at the handout, convinced that I was in the wrong room. After an hour or so, gears switched and the content began to line up with what I was looking for.

Here are the highlights:

Six Steps to a Simple but Difficult Recruiting Process:

1. Make a list of your needs – weekly, special events – every big event have someone co-lead with you so that they can eventually be the point person.

2. Create the pool list – who do we want to see in CM one day – past or present – ask the children who they’d like to be in class with them. (this list should be 4 times bigger than list #1 – get your team to help brainstorm)

3. Rank those on the list – (1) tag as relational, behind the scenes or both and (2) rank dream team [a], next level [b], etc.

4. Match the lists.

5. Make the calls – call ‘heavy-hitters’ first.

6. Follow up – call intentionally when people are at work so that you can leave an exciting message for them to think about.

Saturday Afternoon – Workshop (5 Reasons Why People Won’t Volunteer for You by Craig Jutila)

This workshop intrigued me because I really wanted to know why people won’t volunteer. The workshop’s disclaimer: “We are not going to find ways to get more volunteers or even how to keep the ones we have. We are going to look at the 5 reasons why people won’t volunteer and more specifically, why they won’t volunteer for you or for me. You will learn specific ways to change your thinking about your volunteer leadership.”

Here are the highlights:

Reason #1: You appear unsuccessful. There is hopeless desperation (begging); nearsighted vision (not thinking long-term); no plan (no vision, mission, values); and over-publicizing (i.e. bulletin announcements week after week – after a while, people stop listening).

Reason #2: You are asking for renters instead of buyers. Some volunteers rent and other volunteers buy into your ministry vision.

Reason #3: You are taking too much of their time. What you are offering is not valuable enough.

Reason #4: You appear disorganized.

Reason #5: You inherited an estate (meaning they have had a negative experience someone else and are less likely to volunteer again.)

Common Complaints about Negative Volunteer Experiences

Lack of recognition so encourage them.
Lack of proper training so equip them.
Absence of team motivation so energize them.
Volunteer assignments are too limiting so empower them.
Mismatched skill and interest with task assignments so evaluate them.

Sunday Night General Session – Dave Stone

Dave Stone is the Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He spoke about Celebrating Family. Here are some highlights:

3 Gifts Every Child Needs

1. Celebrate family by giving value to one another.

When there is no concern for the church of tomorrow, there is often very little power in the church of today.

2. Celebrate family by extending grace to one another.

We show grace because we need grace.

God is more concerned with your direction than your perfection.

3. Celebrate family by showing love for one another.

We can get wrapped up doing things instead of loving people.

We can get busy doing the work of the Lord and forget the Lord of the work.

Activity for Christ doesn’t replace intimacy with Christ.

Satan knows you by name but calls you by your sin. Jesus knows your sin but calls you by name.

Monday Morning General Session – Danielle Bell

The conference concluded with my friend, Danielle Bell, speaking on Celebrate Jesus. Here are a few highlights:

Do I get that ministry is not about me?
Instead of studying God’s Word to teach it, study it to live it.
How am I getting in the way of what God wants to do. “He must increase, I must decrease.”

Danielle blogged on this over at her blog, dWell. You can read her notes here.

Were you at the conference? What struck you on Days 3 & 4? What were you biggest takeaways from the conference?