This week is Orange 10. It is the week where 4000 children’s leaders, student leaders, and senior pastors venture to Atlanta for one of the best ministry conferences available. Sadly, and this is why I am blue, I will not be one of them.
I suspect that many in my position are in the same boat. Conferences are a luxury item and it fits neither in my church’s budget nor my personal one. Also, it’s a big time commitment and there just isn’t enough vacation accrued at my other job. Some of you may not have even heard of Orange. (I know my pastor has no clue who Andy Stanley or Reggie Joiner are.) That’s just the way it goes in rural America, unless you’re connected online through the various kidmin blogs that are available. This year, Orange is making available Orange backstage for those who cannot attend. While this is nice, it still doesn’t help me because I am at work during the day.
I’m going to be real honest. It’s easy to be jealous, it’s easy to feel cheated, and it’s hard because I want to give my kids the best, but sometimes I feel so restrained by time and finances. Should I? No. Do I? Yes. But, remember the guy with the one coin who just watched his friend get ten? He let fear and jealousy stand in the way of His purpose. Jesus said if we are faithful with a little, He will entrust us with more, but if He can’t trust us with a little, than how can He trust us with more. Here is how I plan on increasing my one coin and I hope those of you who are not at Orange will do the same.
1) I have put out a few requests to some of my colleagues who will be at Orange. I have asked them to send me their notes when it is over. Even if I cannot hear the speakers, I can read some of their key points, which is better than nothing. If anyone reading this is at Orange and taking notes, please send them to me.
2) I have already committed myself to read voraciously this week. There are certain blogs I plan on checking as often as possible. The blogs I will be following like a hawk are Kenny Conley, Sam Luce, Henry Zonio, Jonathan Cliff, and Amy Dolan because I know they are going to be putting out some great stuff and they are going to be blogging regularly. Amy even has a spreadsheet of blog posts 🙂
3) I will be commenting on blogs. I can’t be there in person to network and share ideas, but the Internet puts me near the action. I can still be a part of this if I make an effort. I can still do some networking, it just looks a little different.
4) The last thing I will be doing is remembering Jamie Doyle’s latest post, I Don’t Have to Care. God brought me to my current church for a reason and I’m not going anywhere any time soon. If He wants me at Orange11, He’ll make a way. Otherwise, I’m going to keep on doing what I’m doing and that is bringing the big city quality to the small town church (now if only I could bring the big city conference to the small town church).
I’m right there with you. I was really hoping to go this year, primarily to meet all these people in person that I interact with online, but timing and finances and vacation just didn’t work out.
I know you don’t twitter, but you ought to get on there as well and search for the #orange10 hashtag. That’s what people are using to post their Orange related tweets this week.
If you do get some interesting notes, and you’re willing to share, I would love to read them too.
I intend to gather all the Orange related blog posts into one post over the course of this week. I will either post a separate entry or include it in next Tuesday’s Monthly Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol.
As an aside, you ought to look into the Children’s Ministry Telesummit coming up in June. It’ll all be done over the phone. I registered (it’s free), and now I just need to see about getting out of my other obligations to listen in. Obviously, it won’t feature the same networking opportunities as a live conference, but they do have an impressive lineup of speakers.
P.S. – Loved Jamie’s post. It helps to keep things in perspective as I tend to be one of those people who cares too much sometimes.
Wayne, I am actually considering starting a twitter for just that reason. I just haven’t done it yet, but it was going to be my number 5 if I did.
I’m glad you’re compiling the posts, because I was going to do the same thing. Now, I’ll just link to yours from here.
I have considered the telesummit, but I think it is also during the workday. I’m kind of limited on what I can do during the work week.
Maybe next year you and I can be the Orange noobs!
i’m getting so much grief about my spreadsheet! 🙂 j/k! let me know if i can blog anything specific for you!
I’m just jealous because I am not that organized.
I have really enjoyed your posts since the first day I ran across it. It has been an encouragement and an inspiration to me. I appreciate your honesty on this subject. I think you have shared openly what many of us think privately. We just don’t say it. I am, however, thrilled for the ones who can go and hear great teaching and sharing of ideas!
I also serve as kidmin director for a small church in a rural area. My desire is as yours…to bring the best quality possible with what God has given to us. I dream of being at Orange someday and fully believe it will happen…someday. Until then, like you and others, I appreciate all the notes, blogs,etc that help us stay connected to others. I read constantly any material on kidmin. Keep on blogging and keeping us focused on bringing the best to our kids!!
Wow, Susan, thank you so much for the kind words! I want to be exactly that, a source of encouragement and inspiration to others in small church settings (and to the big church pastors as well). If ever there are things you would like me to write about, feel free to ask! Otherwise, just keep staying connected.
You were missed, but there should be enough stuff out there to at least make you feel like you have something to take away, right?
Hang in there!
Jonathan! Thanks man. I definitely have some take aways. The internet is a wonderful thing! And I appreciate all of you guys sharing your experiences and highlights.