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Conference FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)
GCA Church Planting
Conference
Orlando, FL: January
26-29, 2010 (Tues-Fri)
Conference Schedule—Foundations, Essentials, Advanced and Women's
Forum
What is the schedule?
The conference registration begins at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 26th, and the opening session begins at 1:15 p.m. The conference ends at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, January 29. Click here to see the general schedule. Both the opening session on Tuesday, and the closing session on Friday are extremely important, so we encourage you to make your travel arrangements to ensure that you arrive early (Monday evening is recommended) and depart late enough to permit your attendance of the final session on Friday.
This is my first time...which track do I take?
First-time attendees are strongly encouraged to attend the Foundations Track. The training builds builds from Foundations to Essentials to Advanced Workshops.
Can I attend any workshop that I choose?
Yes! But we still strongly encourage you to attend the Foundations Trainings Sessions when you first attend the conference. And when you attend future conferences we would encourage you to attend any of the Foundations and Essentials Sessions again, or any of the Advanced Workshops that you think will be most beneficial - given your present needs and the current season of your church plant.
Will I have free time to visit friends or see sights in Orlando?
The conference schedule is extremely full. We’ve packed a lot of training into these 3.5 days. In fact, there is much more training scheduled (about 3 times!) than you could even attend. This is why most people return to this seminar year after year. So we strongly recommend that you take the initiative and build some “margin” time into your schedule during the week for reflecting, relaxing, recreating and relationship-building.
Pricing
Does the price of the
Conference include meals and lodging?
No. We will provide you with a map to local restaurants. You’ll have plenty to choose from in a wide range of prices.
Registration
Can I share a registration?
GCA does not provide the option for attendees to share a registration between one or more individuals.
Can I attend only part of the
Conference?
The Foundations and Essentials Tracks (17 Topics) are designed to be taken each in their entirety. The Church Planter Training Manual is only available to those who attend the entire conference. If you have already taken both Foundations and Essentials, you are encouraged to attend any combination of the Advanced Workshops.
Travel Information
Where is the
Conference located?
The conference will be located at the Sonesta Hotel, 60 Ivanhoe Blvd, Orlando, FL 32804. You can call them at 407-425-4455.
Is transportation provided to and from the
Conference?
You will need to arrange your own transportation from the airport to the hotel site. If you fly into the Orlando International Airport, there are many car rental agencies both on and off the airport property and the rates are quite competitive.
Are there any restaurants within walking distance of the hotel?
Yes, we will provide a map with restaurant options for you when you arrive.
Alumni and Groups
Is there a special alumni rate?
Yes. We offer excellent discounts for our alumni, and we also reward "early bird" registrations. All rate information is available here.
Is there a discount for my core group or launch team?
Yes, we grant a 10% discount to Teams of 3-5, and a 15% discount for Teams of 6 or more. To qualify for this, the Team (group) members must all be from the same local church. All rate information is available here.
Miscellaneous
How should I dress?
Dress for the conference is casual. Some people find that the temperature in the meeting rooms is too cool for their comfort, so you may consider “layers” of clothing that you can add or remove as needed.
Can I bring my child or nursing infant?
Since we don’t have a way to accommodate children or infants, their presence in the training sessions is normally a distraction to others, so we ask that you not bring children or infants into any of the conference training sessions.
What can I do before the
Conference to ensure that I get the most from the
Conference?
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Bring your spouse if it is at all possible. This will encourage you both, and help you to get even more on the “same page”.
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Arrive well-rested – really. This will be a long, intense week.
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If you are flying into Orlando, arrive at the conference site at least Monday night before the conference … don’t risk flying in Tuesday morning.
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Plan to stay close to the conference center. This will give you maximum opportunity for networking … one of the key benefits of attending this conference.
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Stay at least a day or so after the conference to relax, reflect and consider how you will benefit most from the training … before you get back to the “urgent demands” that often prevent careful integration of new information with your real world.
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Plan your week:
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Review the schedule before you arrive.
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Include in your planning some time for at least two substantial breaks during the week … you’ll burn out if you try to attend sessions non-stop.
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Use meal times to connect with other church planters, coaches and leaders
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Don’t miss the opening session or the closing session. The first one is essential for orientation. The last one has been described by most as the best of the week.
Refund Policy
We will refund 100% of your
conference fees if we receive a notice of cancellation at least 30 days prior to the event, 50% if received 10-29 days prior or 25% if received less than 10 days prior. The registration fee is non-refundable.
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