District Con Planning Checklist for Host Church
At district cons, the Youth Ministry Consultant is responsible for coordinating the registration process and district initiative workshops, and acts as a resource for all con planners. The District Youth Adult Committee (YAC) provides resources to the con planners, aids in advertising the event, plans and runs a business meeting, officiates orientation, runs energy breaks throughout the event, coordinates gaggle groups which includes assigning meal tasks and Miracle clean up tasks, runs spirit committee, runs Saturday night worship and promotes a healthy con environment. The host church is responsible for choosing the theme, setting the schedule, coordinating a keynote speaker, workshops, Friday night worship and all meals and snacks.
District YAC: (see job descriptions)
- District Youth Chair
- Youth Communications & Resource Officer
- Energy Person
- Worship Coordinator
- District Adult Advisor
1 Year Ahead
- Set a date with the Youth Ministry Consultant
- Choose a theme, create logo and/or catchy play on words (ex: CONsumption, food con)
- Set up a telephone or skype conference with the YMC
- Research/approach Keynote speakers
- Identify District YAC & Inform them of the plans
6 Months Ahead
- Begin monthly CON planning meetings
- Designate youth and adult worship planning team who will run Friday night worship.
- Designate youth and adult workshop coordinating team who will find facilitators (other youth or congregants) for two to six theme based workshops
- Ask YMC about district initiative workshops
- Designate food coordinator who can be present the whole weekend (does not have to sleep at the church)
- Set up a telephone or skype conference with the YMC & YAC
- Set weekend schedule
- Create a flier including date, location, theme and highlights of the event
- Send YMC and YAC Communications officers any information about your con i.e logo, theme, poster, flier etc.
- Get written confirmation of Keynote speaker and their needs
- Send YMC weekend schedule and list of extra items to bring that will be included in online registration process
2-3 Months Ahead (Fliers are sent out and registration opens)
- Register all youth and adults planning on participating in the con
- Work with Food Coordinator to set menu
- Worship team plans Friday night worship
- Workshop team checks in with facilitators
- Telephone or skype conference with YMC and YAC
- Get estimates of registrants from the YMC
- Give estimates of attendees to the Food Coordinator
- Secure two or three volunteers to assist with emergencies
2 weeks Before
- Hold a final meeting for last-minute details
- Designate sleeping rooms “male only quiet” “female only quiet” “co-ed quiet” “co-ed loud” (co-ed rooms for Saturday night only & adults take 2hr awake shifts)
- Designate workshop, keynote, worship spaces
- Confirm number attending with the YMC
- Give Food Coordinator a final count of attendees
- Final walk-through of Friday night worship
Friday of Con
- Arrive one hour prior to check in (having eaten dinner)
- Put signs up for designated sleeping rooms, put a night light (provided by YMC) in each room
- Set up snack area and mug parking lot
- Rope off or lock any areas of the building that are off limits
- Identify area for check in and mailbags
- Advise Chair of any house rules to cover in orientation
Sunday of Con
- Show Gaggle group leaders where cleaning supplies are for Miracle cleanup
- Food Coordinator gives recipes to YMC for con cookbook
- Worship Coordinator gives worship outlines to YMC for worship resource book
- Con coordinators give any receipts to YMC for reimbursement
Week after the con
- Write a summary for your newsletter and bulletin board
- Send YMC summary for posting on the district website
Posted Monday, 12 September 2011 15:40 Written by Jennica Davis
