Summer = Church Conference Time for many of us. It’s been a feast of possibilities this summer in the year of our Lord 2013:
- Big Tent just ended in Louisville.
- UNCO 2013 East Coast was held in June and a West Coast event is planned for the fall.
- Wild Goose begins this week in Hot Springs, NC
And then there have been/will be an array of Liturgical Arts Conferences, Preaching Conferences, Bible Conferences. And of course the Mother of all conference centers – Chautauqua – offers dozens of interesting events all summer long.
How do you decide how to spend your precious time and money when it comes to enriching your soul?
- Do you choose a denominational event hoping to make connections and attend practical workshops?
- Do you seek enrichment in a specific area of spiritual or professional development?
- Do you look for theologians and artists you admire?
HH and I chose Wild Goose this summer – not just for the amazing line-up – but also for the creative interactions with people beyond our tradition and perspective. We’ll report on how it goes.
But I’d like to hear from you. Have you attended a church/spiritual conference this summer or do you plan to attend a conference? And why did you choose this event over all others?
Image is art from Wild Goose. The Indigo Girls will be singing to our heart’s delight.
A Church for Starving Artists 
Mostly I choose the conference based on my interest and who I know that will be there.
This summer I went to Synod School (Synod of the Lakes and Prairies) basically because I wanted to make a good impression on some members that swore by it. I wasn’t really expecting much, but I noticed that it was one of the few conferences where you have intergenerational interaction and programming. Maybe Big Tent has that? The folks I follow that tweeted made it sound fun.
My wife and I went to Wild Goose West last year and had a blast we loved all the different offerings, the laid back nature, and the conversations.
Regardless of what conference I pick, for me it’s all about the conversations outside the scheduled time and the relationships and connections made in those times.
Have fun at Wild Goose.
LikeLike