MCC TRANSformative Church Ministry Program “Gender and Me 101 Symposium/Retreat” – Symposium/Retreat Planning Workbook
Symposium/Retreat Planning Workbook
This workbook is designed to assist you step by step as you plan your symposium/retreat.
PURPOSE OF THE SYMPOSIUM/RETREAT
The established purpose of the TRANSformativeSymposium/Retreat is to provide an environment of safety and learning for all participants to encounter gender in new ways. The tone of the symposium/retreat may focus on education, community, or spirituality…or a combination thereof. The following document is designed to help you organize, plan, and staff your symposium/retreat.
WHAT KIND OF SYMPOSIUM/RETREAT?
In order to begin your planning, you must first decide what kind of symposium/retreat you will host. Depending on the focus of the symposium/retreat, things like your location/environment, activities, schedule, and resources will change. For instance, if you want the symposium/retreat to be primarily a spiritual renewal space, a hotel may not offer you the environment you hope for, while a campground may suit your needs better.
Complete the following questions to guide your decisions in the sections below.
- What is my main “tone” of this symposium/retreat? ______
- What kinds of activities do I want to include? ______
- Who would I like to be involved in leading at the symposium/retreat? ______
- How long would I like this symposium/retreat to go? (i.e. weekend, week-long, day) ______
- Does my church have the resources to support a symposium/retreat for the time period I would like? ______
______ - Where are my resources coming from? (budget line items, donations, registration fees, etc.) ______
______
BUDGETING
Your symposium/retreat budget will also heavily influence the decisions you make when planning your symposium/retreat. First things first, find out if your church has resources set aside already that can be used for your symposium/retreat. If not, you will need to either 1) charge a registration fee, or 2) solicit donations from within your church and outside your church. A frank, respectful conversation with your pastor and your board should give you enough insight to determine how you will obtain your financial resources.
Complete the following mini-worksheet to get a clear picture of your budget and track expenses:
Symposium/RetreatExpense Budget
BudgetSourceActual
Ex: Facility_$500______Education Fund___contract: $550/week
Facility______
Transportation______
Food______
Materials______
Props/Decor______
Staff______
Symposium/Retreat Income Budget
BudgetActual
Registrations______
Donations______
Church Budget______
Budget for a profit, even though you are a not-for-profit entity. Remember, there are almost always hidden costs that are above and beyond what you anticipate; such as, postage, printing, speaker travel and honorarium, flowers, tips, scholarships, etc. Explain to your volunteer staff what the cost includes so there are no surprises.
Total Cost $ _____ (divided by) estimated number of guests ______= Registration Fee
CHOOSING & VISITING A SYMPOSIUM/RETREAT SITE
Your symposium/retreat site should be easily accessed by your congregants and have the accessibility needs that match your attendees. Because you will need to choose a symposium/retreat location BEFORE advertising your symposium/retreat, consider the needs of your entire congregation when choosing the location.
Options to start with:
**Always have a donation letter with you when pricing locations. In the case that a manager, owner, or company is willing to donate space for your symposium/retreat, they should be presented with a tax-exempt donation recognition letter. A sample of this letter is below.
City/State/Civic Parks
Some city, state, and civil parks allow overnight camping. In addition, various locations also have available a lodging house or community house that can be rented for a short period of time. Begin with a search of your city’s park system for more information.
Hotels
Hotels can be a bit pricey when renting out gathering space, but a one-day symposium/retreat can be done easily in a hotel’s boardroom or convention area. Some hotel managers may be willing to offer your church/organization a reduced rate for use with enough advanced notice (six-eight weeks, minimum). Try visiting more than one hotel to get an idea of overall cost, then visit the space again, asking for a manager to discuss pricing.
Private Residences
You may have an individual or family with enough space to host a symposium/retreat for your church. In this case, approach the owner with as much advance notice as possible and with a plan of action in hand. When a private home is opened to a symposium/retreat, the owner may believe it necessary that a large portion of the “hosting” will have to be done by themselves. Go with a plan of action to alleviate any idea that, by hosting, the owner/host has to do all the work!
Questions to Consider
How long did it take to get there?
What kind of meal service is provided? How long does it take to serve a meal?
Will you be sharing the dining room with another group?
What kind of meeting room will your group be using? Is the room versatile?
Will you be sharing the grounds with another group?
Is the location well lit and signed for nighttime arrivals?
Where will you do registration?
Will all individuals in your group be able to navigate this location (stairs, walkway, hills, etc.)?
What are the temperature controls and cleanliness of your location like?
CONTACT PERSON / LEADER
Because the details of a symposium/retreat can be cumbersome, a staff of volunteers to help with planning is a wonderful resource. However, only one contact person/leader should be identified to ensure efficiency. The list below contains items that the contact person/leader should be responsible for and consider BEFORE taking on this role.
- Policies and Procedures – though the symposium/retreat may be as short as a day or as long as a week, policies and procedures on communication, advertising, marketing, schedule, bill payments, etc. need to be established up front. What policies and procedures do you need to know and to convey to the rest of the volunteer staff involved?
- Be prepared for “special requests” from your attendees and volunteers. Get a list of resources needed by your volunteers at LEASE four weeks ahead of the symposium/retreat. Ask attendees up front about any special requests pertaining to environment, medications, food allergies/needs, and other personal care during the symposium/retreat. NEVER place yourself or your church/organization in a role of responsibility regarding medications!
- Draft and/or collect drafts of all necessary information and keep it easily accessible (facility contract, room assignment sheets, activity sheet, etc.).
- Establish a definite cut - off date for registration – and KEEP IT. Do not allow late registrations except in emergency situations. Late registrations and cancellations affect your budget and the symposium/retreat community.
- How will you be handling payment for the symposium/retreat facility, meals, etc.? A payment schedule and plan for making timely payments should be available both to you and to your accountant/treasurer.
REGISTRATION
The following is a sample registration form. Copy and Paste this form into another document for use with your symposium/retreat title, graphics, etc. Be sure to fill in the [bracketed] information!
EVENT TITLE
Hosted by [CHURCH/ORGANIZATION NAME]
[DESCRIPTION – SHORT – 150 WORDS MAX.]
Resistration Fee: [$$$$$]
Deposit Due upon receipt of this form: [at least 40% of fee, if accepting deposits]
Registrant Name: ______Under 18? ___Yes ___ No
If Registrant is under 18, Parent’s name & phone number (signature required below):
______
Address: ______
City: ______State/Province: ______Postal Code: ______
Email Address: ______Phone: ______
Emergency Contact & Phone: ______
Registration Policies
[In this section, place any policies regarding registration, such as a non-refundable deposit, or cancellation policy. Here is some suggested text:
Registration for EVENT NAME may be submitted until REGISTRATION END DATE. All Deposit funds are non-refundable. Full registration amounts are due no later than TEN DAYS AFTER END DATE to secure a place at the symposium/retreat. Refunds for registration costs are only considered for cancellation due to medical need and must be submitted in writing to NAME OF PASTOR OR LEADER for approval consideration. ]
Please initial here _____ that you understand and agree to the registration policies stated above.
Additional Information
Do you have any need for transportation to/from the symposium/retreat? ___ Yes ___ No
Please specify: ______
Do you have any food allergies we need to accommodate? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, please specify: ______
Are you taking any medications or have any health concerns we need to be aware of? If yes, please describe: ______
Registration Payment
I am paying ___ Full Registration Fee ([$$$]) or ___ Deposit Amount of: ______.
Payment is being made via: ___ Cash ___ Check ___ Money Order
Total Payment Amount: ______(Check No. ______)
If paying by Credit (or Debit) Card, please fill out the following information:
Card Type: ___ American Express ___ MasterCard ___ Visa ___ Discover
Name on Card: ______Exp. Date: ___/____
Amount Authorized to Charge: ______Postal Code: ______
CVV Code (Required): _____ this is the three digit number on the back of your card.
Signature for Card: ______
Remaining Amounts Due (if any): ______Received On: ______
Signature(s) to Complete Registration
Please sign below that you have completed this registration form with the full intention to attend the [SYMPOSIUM/RETREAT NAME].
______
Signature of RegistrantDate
______
Signature of Parent/Guardian (if Registrant Under 18)Date
For OFFICE USE ONLY
Form received on: ______Received by: ______
Processed? ___ Yes ___ No
SYMPOSIUM/RETREAT SCHEDULE SAMPLE
The following is a sample symposium/retreat schedule for a three-day symposium/retreat. (Also See: Gender and Me 101 Symposium/Retreat Schedule) You may add or remove any activity, as best fits your symposium/retreat. However, keep in mind that you do not want to over-book your schedule. NOTE: Make sure you have enough staff on hand for materials and room setups if you want to do more than one workshop at a time!
Friday
7:00 PM - Community Worship, See: GM101 Opening Worship Bulletin
8:15 PM – Welcome & Announcements, Ice-Breakers, Evening Reception
Saturday – “TRANSforming Our Perspectives”
8:00 AM – Breakfast Together
9:15 AM – Opening Plenary, See: GM101 Opening Plenary Speech & Readings
10:15 AM – Breakout Session (Small Groups) for Reading 1
11:00 AM – “What is Gender” Workshop, Part I
12:15 PM – Lunch
1:30 PM – “What is Gender” Workshop, Part II
2:15 PM – Breakout Session (Small Groups), See GM101 “What is Gender” Discussion Questions
3:00 PM – Break
3:15 PM – “Bridge Crossing: Transgender Experiences”, See “Bridge Crossing: Transgender Experiences” Story Excerpts
4:15 PM – Breakout Session (Small Groups), See GM101 “Bridge Crossing: Transgender Experiences” Discussion Questions
5:00 PM – Dinner
6:15 PM – Community Q&A, See GM101 “Q&A Discussion Guide”
7:15 PM – Evening Prayer
Sunday – “TRANSforming Our World”
8:00 AM – Breakfast Together
9:15 AM – Morning Bible Study
10:00 AM – Morning Worship (may be held at usual worship time for local churches), See GM101 Sunday Worship Bulletin
12:00 PM – Lunch
1:30 PM – “Gender and God” Workshop
3:00 PM – Breakout Session (Small Groups), See GM101 “Gender and God” Discussion Questions
3:45 PM – “A TRANScendant Calling” Workshop
4:30 PM – Breakout Session (Small Groups), See GM101 “A TRANScendant Calling” Discussion Questions
5:15 PM – Dinner
6:15 PM – Community Covenant, See GM101 “Writing a Community Covenant”
7:15 PM – Closing Worship, See GM101 Closing Worship Bulletin