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Luminous :: May 9-11 in Nashville

by Tim Schraeder on 12/01/2011 in Conferences with No comments

It’s December 1, which means annual budget planning is probably well underway for most of you. As you plot out your budget and make your “conference dream list” for next year, one I thing I wanted to get on your radar is a unique gathering happening May 9-11 in Nashville called Luminous.

My friend Chad Jarnagin shared the idea for this gathering with me late this summer and I’m stoked to see  it come together. Unlike your typical conference or even “un-conference” events that are happening, Luminous is going to be “an experience and movement designed to facilitate a sacred encounter with the Artist of the universe.”

I’m thrilled to attend the event and have the honor of being a presenter there, too.

If you are looking to gather with likeminded creatives, definitely add Luminous to your radar [along with other great conferences like STORY and the ECHO Church Media Conference!].

Here’s more info on Luminous:

Our vision is to see a resurrection of creativity in the lives of those who attend as well as the churches and organizations they serve. The keynote sessions & workshops will provide inspiration and revelation in a creative and encouraging environment for creative arts & communication leaders around the USA, UK, Canada, and other countries.

Anyone from a variety of creative arts, communications, and ministries are invited to attend to be inspired and encouraged at Luminous. There will be artists, communicators, filmmakers, writers, musicians, designers, and many others in attendance; the young, the seasoned, and the aspiring are all welcomed.

2012 Keynotes

  • Ian Morgan Cron - Episcopal priest and acclaimed author of “Chasing Francis” and “Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me”
  • Blaine Hogan - Artist, actor, writer, producer, Creative Director at Willow Creek Community Church.
  • More to be announced soon!

Musical Artists

  • All Sons & Daughters – David Leonard & Leslie Jordan: worship duo rooted in Journey Church in Franklin, TN.
  • Derek Webb – Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Remixer, Noisetrader, Agitator
  • Michael Pharez – Poet
  • One Sonic Society - led by Jason Ingram [vocals/guitar], Stu Garrard [guitar/vocals] and Paul Mabury [drums]; an international collective of respected artists, united in creating music to serve the Church.
  • Bellarive – Atmospheric post modern rock band.
  • More to be announced soon!

Workshop Environments

Workshops will be great times to dialog, and converse around various topics and ideas.

  • Stephen Proctor - curator of visual worship, illuminator, missionary of beauty, experience designer, VJ, projection artist, globe trotter, overgrown hobbit, co-owner of @gi_inc
  • Nate Ragan - Director of Product Development @MediaShout, VJ, artist, musician, all things creative
  • Dan Wilt - Dan Wilt is a writer, and is the Founder of WorshipTraining.com and Worship Development Nashville.
  • Stephen Brewster – Creative Director at Crosspoint Church.
  • Jeff Goins – Writer, idea guy, and difference-maker.
  • Tim Schraeder - Church Communications. Loves to spread ideas that lead to action. Co-director of @CMSucks. Church Relations at @CSGupdates. Creator of @OutspokenBook.
  • Jeff Simmons – Lead Pastor at Rolling Hills (@rhcc)
  • and more discussions TBD. 

There are many surprise possibilities in the works, so keep checking the Luminous website for updates.

Speaking of conferences… Which conferences are on your radar for 2012? 


 

Don’t Suffer from Overly-Conferenced Syndrome

by Tim Schraeder on 10/04/2011 in Conferences with 3 Comments

On the eve of Catalyst, I have a confession to make: I’m suffering from O.C.S. … Overly-Conferenced Syndrome.

In the last year alone I’ve attended over 15 different conferences. That’s a lot of content, ideas, travel, and days away from work… not to mention the cost associated with jetting around the country.

Thankfully, I’ve learned some ways to manage my O.C.S., and have some ideas to share on how to make conferences [including Catalyst!] a valuable experience:

The “Hallway” Conversations

While the content shared onstage at conferences is immensely valuable, I often find one of the best parts of conferences are the conversations and connections that happen in the hallways. Between sessions or during break times, you have a great opportunity to interact with new people, meet people you follow on Twitter in real life, and make new connections. There’s endless opportunity to expand your network if you’re willing to do the work and engage in a conversation. Some of the key people who have been a huge part of my life and professional development over the past few years were people I first met in the hallways at a conference.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

I’m honestly not the most outgoing person in the world. I’m usually the guy in the back of the room checking my email or twitter at a large social gathering. If you really want to make the most of a conference experience and meet new people, get out of your comfort zone… meet people! If you recognize someone, say hello… put yourself out there, you never know who you’ll meet.

Social Media Enhances the Experience

Social media has forever changed the conference-going experience. Even if you’re not able to attend a conference in-person, following the hashtag on twitter [#CAT11 for Catalyst!] enables you to keep up with the experience, get sound bytes from the speakers and lets you hear what people are saying about their experience. If you are at a conference in-person, social media lets you see who’s there, provides an opportunity to find new people to follow, and lets you know who to look for in the hallways. Social media provides a great, steady stream of content and information and I really can’t imagine going to a conference without it!

Leave the Note-taking to the Experts

Most conferences are creating blogging teams, enlisting the help of note-takers [like me!] who focus on capturing and sharing the content. Don’t worry about being at every single session or hassle with taking notes for yourself. Just sit, listen, absorb and write down the thought that sticks out to you the most or that sparks a new idea. You can always go back to the interwebs to get a recap or notes from the sessions.

Meetups, Tweet-ups, and Side Events

Again, if you are socially engaged there are endless meetups, tweeet-ups, and special side events that happen at most conferences these days. Don’t miss the opportunity to get some freebies and meet new people. Like the hallway conversations, side events are always a great part of the conference-going experience. If you’re at Catalyst on Wednesday night, be sure to check out the Bloggers Meetup. I’ll be there and it’s always a great time to connect with other bloggers.

Be Present

Going along with the theme of Catalyst this year… be present. Don’t think you know it all or have heard it all before… you haven’t. Don’t let distractions from work or your inbox take your attention away from the content and ideas being shared. Focus. God has a reason for you being there, even if your boss or your staff team dragged you along.  I believe there’s something God wants to speak to all of us. Who knows what He may show you, who’s path you will cross, or what connection may be made? Even with all of the distractions that come at a conference, focus your mind and your heart. Listen for God’s voice. Be present.

So all of that to say…

… I really do think conferences are valuable experience and are worth the time and investment. You’ll not only get some new ideas but, if you are willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you’ll also make some new connections. Both are invaluable and worth it.

If you are headed to Catalyst…

Find me and say, “hey!” I’d love to connect with you.

I’ll be serving as an official blogger for Catalyst this year alongside some of the pros. Follow me on twitter or follow this blog for my notes from each session. I also have something new up my sleeve that I’ll be excited to share with you on Friday! Stay tuned.

If you’re not able to be a Catalyst…

…don’t suffer from Cata-lust. Follow the action here on my blog or on twitter and definitely be sure to check out Catalyst Backstage, a live-stream from Catalyst, broadcasting Wednesday-Friday, bringing you interviews and great content from Catalyst. It’s the next best thing to actually being there in person.

What about you?

How do you feel about conferences?

What’s your favorite conference or conference experience?

If you’re heading to Catalyst, what are you most excited or expectant for? Who are you looking forward to connecting with while you’re there?

Be Present.

by Tim Schraeder on 08/23/2011 in Conferences, Personal with 1 Comment
bepresent

 

This past Sunday I was going about my usual routine: church, brunch with friends and then an afternoon of catching up on personal projects, blogging, and some reading at my neighborhood coffeeshop.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The contents of my freshly brewed latte  spilled onto the keyboard of my MacBook. The screen went black. Moments later I hailed a cab to the nearest Apple Store, clutching my MacBook like a parent taking an injured child to the ER. Within 15 minutes the Apple Geniuses were hard at work trying to revive it. They came back with some not-so-great news: my computer would need to be sent away for repair and there was a good chance my hard drive may be lost. I’d have my computer back in 5 days.

Working remotely, not having a computer renders me useless. And it’s forced me to do something I haven’t done in awhile: to be present.

Being present isn’t always easy in a world that has multiple things vying for your attention. Your family, friends, and followers are all looking to you. Every time your phone chimes there’s a new message, tweet, or text waiting for a response or action.

And, as young leaders, we get the world we live in and know that we need to be present in real life and have a presence online. We live a divided life, offline and online. We have friendships with people we’ve never even met before. And our community might not always be people who live in close geographical proximity to us. Our world is changing, the way we communicate and share information, tell stories, share ideas, and do life is changing. But nothing compares to being present.

One of the greatest experiences for me at conferences or gatherings is taking online relationships offline – meeting people in real life. Recognizing people by their avatars and seeing that there’s much more to who they are as an individual than their 140-character sound bytes.

I’m thrilled that this yeat at Catalyst, we’ll be challenged to be present.  To put away the distractions and be in focused relationship with those around us, and most importantly, in our relationship with Christ. Although I’ll be there ironically blogging and tweeting, I’m thrilled to hear what the great lineup of speakers have to share. I hope I’ll see you there. Let’s take the online, offline – and let’s grow and be challenged to be present, together. Register today. Best rates end Thursday.

And, while I wait for my MacBook to return, I’m enjoying my iBattical, and using a friend’s PC. Pray for me.

Cultivate11 :: Be There!

by Tim Schraeder on 04/06/2011 in Conferences with No comments

Cultivate is happening in less than a month, May 4-5, in sunny SoCal and it’s not too late for you to get in on the conversation!

What is Cultivate?

Cultivate is a two-day conversation focused on the space where culture, innovation, and communication connect inside of churches and non-profit organizations. It’s a gathering of like-minded people who are passionate about their Cause and the endless opportunities that lie in new media. Conversations at Cultivate will center around social media, the Web, texting, communication, and how all of these can be leveraged for good.

What Cultivate Isn’t…

  • another conference where you go and get a ton of inspiration but little application.
  • a “how-to” or 101-level conversation about new media.
  • a flashy, over-produced event.
  • a marketing pitch from all of the speakers or presenters.

What Cultivate Is…

  • a way for you to hear from leading-edge thinkers about how new media can be leveraged for good.
  • an opportunity to explore new ideas and share your insights with others.
  • a place for you to make new connections.
  • an in-depth conversation where the audience helps to drive the content.

Who Should Attend Cultivate?

Anyone who is passionate about communication and new media, or anyone who wants to understand how it can impact the way churches and non-profit organizations communicate. Many different types of people will attend Cultivate: CEOs, communication directors, lead pastors, designers, writers, web geeks, and more.

Who’s Gonna Be There?

We’ve got some amazing speakers… Charles Lee, Mark Horvath, Phil Cooke, Mel  McGowan and Danny Yount. Along with them, we have an all-star group of panelists including: Bianca Juarez, Brad Abare, Chad Cannon, Cynthia Ware, Drew Goodmanson, Justin Wise, Lindy Lowry, Lori Bailey, LV Hanson, Michael Buckingham, and Scott Overpeck. Me, Dawn Nicole Baldwin and Curtis Templeton will be serving as the emcees and hosts for event.

So What Are You Waiting For?

Register today – and register using discount code TIM and save $20! See you there! Proceeds from registration will go to benefit the Center for Church Communication and InvisiblePeople.tv.

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