Checklist for the 2015 Chicago Reload Conference

Whether you are going to the Reload conference in Chicago, or really any other gathering of professionals or other like-minded people, the following are some good tips to remember:

Reload is almost upon us here in Chicago.(Saturday, March 28, 2015 to be exact).  Reload is a national gathering of urban youth ministry workers. They might be full time youth pastors, but they can also be simply volunteers who participate when they can. The Urban Youth Workers Institute established these regional trainings to help youth workers who were unable to travel to far-away conferences and couldn't afford time off & hotel stays.

In Chicago, North Park University's Center for Youth Ministry studies leads the coordiantion for the event, and hosts the conference.

Here are some things to have ready:

• Money (there may be a few cash only items, but most vendors take credit cards)
• Pens & scratch paper - in case you have to write a note. Yes, you COULD put it on your smartphone. But will you be smart enough to remember to review it? One other alternative is to have your sound recorder or video camera readily available.  That might be another viable way for you to take verbal notes. But remember to review these notes either that night or a scheduled time the next day. 
• Business Cards --- see our Bootleg Business Card blog entry for details
• List of seminars - you can always change it on the spot,

Have a great time, and we hope to see you there. if you haven't registered, or need info, go to Reload Chicago's homepage for more details

At the conference, feel free to text us at 872-222-8008 to meet up. See you at Reload Chicago!

Tips for going to a conference

Whether you are going to the Tutor Mentor conference in Chicago, or really any other gathering of professionals or other like-minded people, the following are some good tips to remember:

• Pens & scratch paper - in case you have to write a note. Yes, you COULD put it on your smartphone. But will you be smart enough to remember to review it? One other alternative is to have your sound recorder or video camera readily available.  That might be another viable way for you to take verbal notes. But remember to review these notes either that night or a scheduled time the next day. 
• Business Cards --- see our Bootleg Business Card blog entry for details. Your card doesn't have to be fancy (or even a card), just legible.
• List of seminars - you can always change it on the spot, or just take the workshop time to have meaningful conversations 
• Set up meet-ups BEFORE going --If you know someone who is going to your conference, set up a time to meet them ahead of time...whether at mealtime, or sitting next to each other a workshop, take advantage of this fellowship time. The Tutor Mentor conference, for example, publishes the attendee list ahead of time.
• Times where you are willing to SKIP.  The seminar, workshop or general speaker might be good, but there are times when one-on-one times are far more productive and memorable, or a personal prayer session. A seasoned professional will understand this, and be OK with it. See our other blog entry for details. However, take a serious consideration before you "blow off" a session.
• Money - Many conferences have opportunities to buy great material. Make sure you have enough cash, in case a credit card machine is not available
• Pack 2 days before the conference -- reduce stress on yourself by making sure you have everything you need ahead of time
• Schedule contact time AFTER the conference -- OK, so you've made several new friends. Now make sure you take a morning or afternoon and send everyone a short note/e-mail or phone call. Plant the seeds & water these new relationships

We have some more tips (which aren't relevant here, but at the Reload Conference, among others. Look for those in an upcoming blog)

Have a great time, and we hope to see you there. if you haven't registered, or need info, go to November 2014 Tutor Mentor conference registration page for more details

At the conference, feel free to text us at 872-222-8008 to meet up, or e-mail us at blog@do-gooder.us  . See you at the Tutor Mentor Conference!

Reload Chicago = April 6, 2013

From Reload Chicago's Facebook page:

Save the Date! Sat, April 6, 2013. We have Steven Pemberton as our keynote speaker. He is a dynamic author, speaker and diversity officer at Walgreens, whose story includes strong faith in God and a love and passion for the adults in his life who cared about him along the way. Watch this clip to hear more about Mr. Pemberton and his story.

Reload is one day training for Christian urban youth workers. Whether a full time youth pastor or a volunteer worker, or even a high school youth-who-is-a-leader, this is a day of training, fellowship and networking. Reload is in over 20 cities and is sponsored by the Urban Youth Workers Institute. 

Locally in Chicago, North Park University's Center for Youth Ministry Studies has been at the forefront of Reload. Chicago's Reload has been one of the most well attended of the national conferences. And speaking of local, Chicago's owm Amy Williams will be the closing speaker!

If you have been touched by the KingdomWorks/CompassionWorks conferences that were annual events in Philadelphia and other cities in the 1990's, then you will appreciate Reload
.

Here are some of the core workshops that will be presented. additional workshops will be developed for Chicago.

Angry Ministry:  What Do You Do When A Student Shows Up At Your Program More Angry Than Happy Every Week?

Do you really have enough program time to spend in order to impact a student that never smiles?  Most youth workers have wrestled through this same challenge unable to connect biblically or relationally.  This workshop will provide you with effective relational approaches, practical responses to teach your teens, and spiritual foundations that students can adopt to help manage the missed smiles in their heart.

 

Building Blocks of Urban Youth Ministry (First Two Years)

If you’re new to youth ministry or need a fresh start, this one’s for you! You may be asking questions like: Where do I begin? What is most essential? What are the best ways to build a volunteer team? How can I better connect with youth in the church and beyond the four walls? Learn a step-by-step process for mapping out your first two years in urban youth ministry.

Core Values of a YouthWorker: Laying A Foundation For Ministry

You’ve heard it said that “Values are caught, not taught.” Is there a set of core values that every urban youth worker should live through and live out? If so, what are they and how should we integrate them into our life, ministry and youth ministry? This session will help you to find a foundational theology on which to build values for ministry that will help you stand strong against the tests and adversities of life.

Feeding Father Hunger: Understanding And Ministering To The Fatherless Generation

Oftentimes both kids and adults are unaware of the lifelong effects that an absent father has in the life of a child.  The emotional response of the fatherless can be linked to poverty, high school dropout rates, crime, drug use, and teenage pregnancy.  The fatherless live a lifestyle living with a father they don’t see, while filling the empty space with painful outburst and pseudo-comfort realities.  This Workshop will provide you insights for helping youth to discover their identity, pinpoint side effects that are gripping them from growth, and discover practical mentoring approaches to free their souls and not block their blessings.

Call of Duty: Building Assets Every Student Needs
(Junior High Adult Leader Track)

This track will teach how to build sustainable assets for Junior High Students and interface with realities without being controlled by them.  As a youth worker, our relational time with students is minimal; therefore, it is important for us to focus on the right things.  Kingdom ministry to students shifts our efforts to play it forward by teaching them to spend less time trying to control problems and troubles…in an exchange to visit their capabilities in strength and potential.  Students must learn the value in not being a joystick to the challenges in their lives.

Teen Track:  A Facebook Without Love

In years past, sex, alcohol, and drugs were a few of the leading influencers that “helped” teens feel as if they were gaining ground relationally with other students.  When these were coupled with media and music, it seemed like adults were always 10 steps away from a youth’s daily reality.  In today’s world, teens can connect visually without ever having to confront who they really are!  In fact, through social media avenues, teens can bypass life – yet still feel alive and in the mix!  This session will remind students of who they really are, and how loving themselves first will help them lead their lives into a personal book they can face forever.

 

See you next year at Reload!

 

 

Reload Chicago coming March 24, 2012 - with Soong Chan Rah!

See the end of the post for Do-Gooder Consulting's take on the Reload conference.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The date has been set! Reload Chicago 2012 will be held on Saturday, March 24th. We are also excited to announce our morning speaker will be Soong-Chan Rah....you don't want to miss it!

What: Reload Chicago
When: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Where: North Park University
Who: Any Christian working with youth: youth pastor, volunteer, student
How Much: $25 (Saturday only) ($40 for 2 Day Justice Summit along with Reload)
For more information, see the Reload Chicago 2012 page or contact Ailson Burkhardt at cyms@northpark.edu or 773-224-1000

The morning speaker for Reload  is Professor Soong-Chan Rah.  Rev. Dr.  Rah is a leader in racial reconciliation  and is Milton B. Engebretson Associate Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL and the author of The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity (IVP Books, 2009).

Pastor Harvey Carey closes out Reload.



Stay tuned for more information on early registration discounts.
Mark your calendars now!

For those who don't know, Reload has been going on for several years. It is a 1 day conference for Urban Youth workers, set in cities throughout the US and Canada.  It is sponsored nationally by the Urban Youth Workers Institute. Locally in Chicago, North Park University's Center for Youth Ministry Studies has been at teh forefront of Reload.


If you have been touched by the KingdomWorks/CompassionWorks conferences that were annual events in Philadelphia and other cities in the 1990's, then you will appreciate Reload


.
I have perosnally been blessed by it.


Note,this year's Reload is in collaboration with North Park University's North Park Justice Summit happening on Friday. Many Reload attendees will also participate in the Summit. One of the featured speakers for the summit is Dr. Cornel West.


I encourage you all to attend.