Jarrell Wilson
Brandon Wrencher
Olivia Poole
Rori Blakeney
Courtney McHill
Missiongathering Charlotte and the Hyatt Place Downtown Hotel will host the 2017 LEAD conference from January 22-25 in Charlotte, NC. LEAD is an innovative experience for leaders in ministry where the participants provide much of the content. This includes TED-style talks, interactive breakouts, worship, networking opportunities, and immersion trips to local ministries and non-profits. LEAD is now in its sixth year and each year has provided a new experience for its participants. Highlights of the 2017 conference include:
Dynamic Speakers
All speakers at LEAD are full participants in the conference. This means there will be multiple opportunities to engage with the speakers and other participants about the stories and ideas that are shared from the LEAD stage. This year’s speakers will share talks around topics of relationships, challenges and opportunities in rural churches, justice, and ways that new opportunities have risen up out of formerly dying churches. Our speakers include Janina Graves, Rori Blakeney, Courtney McHill, Jarell Wilson, Brandon Wrencher, Olivia Poole, Kimberly Pope, Keith Ray, Chris Logan, Jordan McKenzie, Eilidh Lowery, Meredith and Mark Schol, and John Pavlovitz.
Immersion Trips
Immersion trips are back for the first time since the 2014 LEAD Conference. On Monday afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit innovative ministries in the Charlotte are. These include community development organization The Harvest Center, intentional community QC Family Tree, small business incubator Area 15, an innovative mixed use church facility project at Sharon UMC, and a different side of Charlotte tour with local advocate Steven Tilley.
On Monday and Tuesday night participants will have interactive worship experiences. Monday night will include an evening of arts led by pastor, poet, and teacher Dale Fredrickson from Denver, Colorado and pastor, author, speaker, and artist Sarah Heath from Costa Mesa, California. You will not want to miss this evening as Sarah and Dale will lead the conference in a night of Poetry, visual arts, music, and whatever else they have in store for us. Tuesday night the conference will end with a meal and worship at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture.
Regular registration rates have been extended until December 16 but is limited to 85 participants. The deadline for the hotel option ends December 20th and commuter option closes January 5th. Single and Double registrations include three nights in the Hyatt Place Downtown hotel and all registrations include two breakfasts, two lunches, a dinner, and an opening reception of coffee and desserts. You can register here.
For questions or information on sponsorship and marketing opportunities at the conference please contact leadumc@gmail.com. For the latest on speakers and other announcements visit umclead.net.