Build One Another Up...

I Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (NIV)  This week, I was able to attend the CM Conference sponsored by CM Connect and this Conference is the epitome of that verse.  I always walk away encouraged and am blessed to be able to encourage others as well.   This was my fourth time at the conference and I love it more and more with each passing year.  I have been to several national conferences, but this one is special and for those of you who haven't yet attended, let me share a bit about what makes it so amazing.


It's Small.

Corinne Noble and I

Though there are several hundred people that attend the CM Conference, it still has the feel of a family reunion.  People quickly get to know each other and you make friends with lots of folks before you know it.  There are wonderful resource tables where you can pick up new curriculum, learn about music options, meet awesome Children's Evangelists and so much more.  And because it's a smaller conference, you can actually stop and chat with the people at the booth or share a meal with them at one of the After Parties so you really get to know the people behind the products.  It's a unique blessing that simply isn't easy to do at a conference attended by thousands of people.  Plus you get to meet so many amazing people in ministry.   I have friends across the country and in many denominations that I met at the CM Conference and while I keep connected with them online, I look forward to getting to see them in person every year at the CM Conference.

It offers Workshops led by Folks Just Like You

Sheree Lee, Sabrina Williams, and I

The people who are leading the workshops are sharing their expertise from the "trenches".  Most of the presenters are on staff at churches from all denominations and all sizes.  Everyone is very approachable and the information very practical.  And there are so many to choose from...seriously.  This year the workshops included topics like, Interactive Family Worship (I was honored to lead that one),  Emotional Concussions, Seasons of Ministry, Discipline, VBS, Urban Ministry, Special Needs Ministry and so much more.  If you had a ministry question, I bet there was a workshop on it. Michael Chanley and his phenomenal team do an amazing job of lining up helpful and varied workshops for this Conference each and every year.


It's EXTREMELY Budget Friendly 

Lunch with Amber Blake and Brittney Wellman

I dare you to try and find another four day conference offering more than 100 workshops that is less expensive than this conference.  Though prices haven't been published yet for next year's event, generally if you register early, the cost for this conference is less than $150.  That is unheard of.  Even if  you wait until the very last minute to register, it is still less than $250.  Plus there are  scholarships available if the cost is too much for your church.  You really can not find another Conference offering as many opportunities for learning and networking for less money anywhere.   

If you work with children, I can not encourage you enough to check out this conference next year.  It is amazingly well done, allows you to make connections with people all over the country who understand what it means to be in Children's Ministry,  provides a wealth of practical workshops, and is budget friendly.  It really has everything.  Hope to see you there next year!  

Until next time...

 

CM Conference 2016

Last year, my friend and I attended the CM Conference in Louisville, KY and it was an amazing experience.  So this year, I was doing all I could to spread the word so that more people I knew would be able to attend.  This year, I attended with 4 other people and we had a spectacular time.  Not only is the conference extremely well done, but it is affordable.

No, really...it is actually affordable.   This conference does everything it can to be accessible to people from all church sizes.  They start with a low price and then if that is still too much, they have scholarships that you can apply for to cover part or sometimes even all of the cost.  The way the leadership at the CM Conference genuinely care about under served churches is a blessing that is hard to describe.

So, what is attending the conference like?  Well, it's 4 days, includes 4 amazing and inspiring worship services, 12 Workshop opportunities (with over 90 workshops to choose from), has a cool exhibit area that gives you the opportunity to learn about and/or buy helpful ministry tools, and to top it off, it allows you to connect with people who work with children from around the world. There were folks there from Canada, Iran, Australia, New Zealand, and India...and those are just the ones I saw or connected with.  What a blessing to hear/see how God is moving all around the world!

I was given the opportunity to present a workshop at the conference this year and what an honor that was.  Mine was "Children's Ministry on a Shoestring Budget" and I thoroughly enjoyed leading it.  If you would like the handout, I'd be glad to send it to you, just send me a note.  I also attended some  amazing workshops including, "Handling Trauma filled Children in your Kids Ministry" (full of wonderfully useful information and led by Darren Washausen), "Gospel-Based Entertainment: How to use Crazy Games and Skits to Share Jesus" (led by Jon Wicks and very very well done), two workshops led by Tim Cleary titled "Why the Church Needs Digital Disruption" and "As You Wish - Recapturing the Power of Storytelling in Children's Ministry" both of which were great and gave me much to think about, and Trisha Peach led an incredible one called "Standing up to Bullying in the Church." I could go on and on.  All of the workshops I attended gave me something to think about and helped me grow in my ministry.  There were literally workshops about just about every aspect of Children's Ministry.

If you missed this year's conference, all is not lost.  The workshops were recorded and you can purchase them through the CM Connect website for just $2 a piece!  There are in process of being added so it may take a few days for them to all be there, but I'm excited about that because there were several workshops that I wanted to attend, but had to choose between onsite.  I'm looking forward to purchasing them soon.

So, do yourself a favor, check out a couple of the workshops from this year and then sign up to attend next year.  You will be so glad you did.

Until next week!