Register for the Fall 2007 RoundTable now!

I'm excited to announce that registration is now open for the Fall 2007 Church IT RoundTable at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas October 2-4. The society of church IT is small. Many of us are lonely techies in our congregations where we feel that no one around us really understands what we do or why we do it. We need to hear stories of the awesome work God is doing in all kinds of highly effective churches all over the country. We need a forum for peer learning, mutual support, and inspiration. The Church IT RoundTable (CITRT) is that forum.

The roundtable format was inspired by Mark Stephenson, re-ignited by Jason Powell in September 2006, and taken to the next level by Tony Dye and Chris McGuffin in April 2007. Ask anyone who has attended any of these events and they'll tell you that they were energized by the infusion of knowledge, community, and encouragement. It's difficult to describe the feeling of having dozens of church nerds together in one room. The best metaphor I know for it is "critical mass" - it's a church IT explosion!

Format

For the Fall 2007 RoundTable we’re planning an "unconference" that will retain the strengths of peer sharing but will be scalable to involve many more people than you can fit around one table. This event will feature four separate roundtable rooms with up to 20 participants and a few observers in each room. (I've been told this is similar to the approach taken by Leadership Network, but I've never been to their events so I have to take the word of others on that.)

Each room will have two projectors: one showing content from the conversation in that room, and the other showing content from all of the other rooms. Each participant will use their own laptop to join an Adobe Connect meeting with everyone else in their room. Through Connect, anyone in the room will be able to show content (web sites, pictures, diagrams, PowerPoints, etc.) on the primary projector. All participants will be able to annotate/live blog the discussion and have side conversations. Everyone will be able to interact not only with those in their own room but also with the other rooms through room and conference facilitators who will coordinate the posting of questions and content on the secondary projector. Sean McAtee from UMCOM Tech Shop will be here to provide his deep expertise in the use of Connect with the assistance of Leo Johns from our staff.

Capsule Schedule

Tuesday, Oct. 2: Tour of Resurrection IT - Registration opens at 3:30, tour begins at 4:30 pm, followed by dinner out at a local restaurant

Wednesday, Oct. 3: RoundTable Day 1 - Registration opens at 8:30, event from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, evening banquet and worship starting at 6:30 pm at the church

Thursday, Oct. 4: RoundTable Day 2 –Event from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, for those who don't need to rush home we'll have dinner at a local restaurant followed by a worship concert at the church starting at 7:00 pm

After the RoundTable is Resurrection's annual Leadership Institute, October 5-6. Leadership Institute is our biggest conference of the year. If you are able to stay, I know it will be a blessing to you as well.

Cost and Registration

The registration site has complete information about hotels, transportation, and everything else you need to know. Due to generous sponsorship from vendors, the cost is only $34 per person and will qualify you for a great discount on Leadership Institute too. What a deal! For any vendors that would like to attend, additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Please e-mail me for info (clif.guy at cor dot org).

I'm looking forward to seeing you in Kansas City this Fall. Sign up now!