Seminar Planning & HostingDiscussion Assistance

Leading to a Commitment

Anchored in The Word and the Lutheran

Confessions

Seminar Offerings

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Evangelism, Outreach, and Assimilation Training. (Updated Dec. 2010) This CLCC seminar is available for scheduling upon request. It fits into a 4.5 hour time slot and it can be sponsored by a local church or group. Topics are oriented to the laity and cover confessional church growth through the process of evangelism and outreach, and the retention of new members through good affirmation practices. It is a return to activities where the Holy Spirit is in charge and His people spread the Word through their vocations.

Your Reformation Walk. (Updated Sept 2010) This 6-hour seminar provides a history of the faith from the days of the early church father’s to recent times. Heavy emphasis is placed on the Reformation period, including a summary of the books and their history making up the Book of Concord. Following comes information of history leading up to the immigration of Lutherans from Saxony to the U.S. Interwoven with the religious events are the significant Geo-political events of the time having an impact on the religious history, thus more context is provided. On the lighter side you could say that some travelogue information is also interwoven, all with the intent of encouraging you to think about making a visit to Saxony yourself, to see first-hand places where Reformation history was made.

Seminar Offerings (cont)

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Worship and Divine Service. (Updated Oct. 2010) is a seminar primarily designed to counter the eroding influences any Lutheran congregation will face in its community. This seminar comes to you in three sessions that have common threads and rationale to support the continuum of worship from Genesis to the present time. Lesson 1 does this for the Old Testament period. Lesson 2 picks up that theme at the time of Jesus and tracks some of the

changes in worship styles and their focus up to the time of the Reformation. Lesson 3 starts with Lutheran Divine Services in North America and then

contrasts this with contemporary worship styles and music found in a typical non-denominational church.

Following the section on music there is a section on Holy Communion as a sacrament, communion as a remembrance (Reformed) and open communion. Then we close off with a section on practices (adiaphora) and a summary.

If you have been exposed to contemporary worship for a long period of time this seminar can be instrumental in illustrating why your worship experience may not be fulfilling, from a spiritual point of view. True worship is about a dialogue with God (sacramental & sacrificial), not a monologue keyed to emotional songs by the worshipper (sacrificial).

Seminar Offerings (cont)

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Organizational Structure of LCMS Churches. (Updated Dec. 2010) This seminar is the first of our Lay Leadership series. It can be used in a seminar setting, self-study, or as a presentation before a conference, or similar meeting. Selected parts are packaged for use at circuit convocations. Part 1, Vocation in the Royal Priesthood consists of sections on: The Principles

of Organizational Structure, The Problems of the Saxons, From Perry County to Missouri Synod, Foundational Principles, Summary, and a Workshop.

Part 2, Your Constitution and Bylaws consists of sections on: Purposes of a Constitution, Practical Implications, and a Workshop.

Part 3, The Call Process includes sections on: Definitions, Overview, Vacancies, Voters’ Assembly, Voting, Calling a Commissioned Minister, and Summary.

Part 4, Financial Management for Congregations, includes sections on Financial Overview, Budget Principles, Creating a New Budget, Budget Approval Process, Managing the Budget and Housing Allowances.

As a presentation these four parts will require approximately five hours, including questions and answers.

The objective of this seminar is to educate the laity in the fundamentals of their unique LCMS church polity, a topic that has not been widely taught for far too long.

Seminar Offerings (cont)

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Faith and Good Works: The Doctrine of Vocation (3/28/12) This seminar has been added to complement our Evangelism, Outreach and Affirmation seminar, as we believe they are dependent on each other to the extent that outreach and witnessing by the laity depend on an understanding of Vocation. Lesson 1 An Overview Lesson 2 Faith and Good Works in the Family Lesson 3 Faith and Good Works in Society Lesson 4 Faith and Good Works in the Church

Planning a Seminar

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Organize

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Get an Ad Hoc committee going, or an existing board, to do your planning functions and parse out the responsibilities.

Select a seminar date, topic, a time and place, and request a CLCC Instructor to do the seminar. CLCC has a list of instructors posted on the Website, by seminar, to meet your needs. Start this process at least 4 to 5 months in advance as good speakers and trainers have a schedule to keep, so you can’t be too early. (Contact the person listed on the Seminar Page, or our PR person)

Going through this exercise will establish the what, when and where for use in developing the PR materials. CLCC will provider the event flyer and bulletin/registration insert tailored for your event. If you need a single sheet registration form, ask.

At this time you should also select an event committee, with one person designated as the coordinator. The coordinator’s main job will be to see that all of the details are taken care of “by somebody,” and provide the name and email address of this external point of contact to the CLCC.

Organize (cont)

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Determine how to cover the costs of your event. Discuss with the scheduler as not all seminars have the same basic prices: Two basic methods are offered; Registration fee and free will offering. Sometimes “creative financing” can be used effectively. The registration fee approach starts with the basic cost for the seminar plus

the cost for the lunch if the congregation needs reimbursement. CLCC will reimburse $2.50 per attendee for lunch and this amount is added to the registration fee.

The free will offering approach also includes a minimum donation of $200.00 from the congregation. This donation may also be used as a one-year congregational membership fee in CLCC. There are benefits to the congregation.

Congregations are asked to provide the blue two-pocket folders for holding the handout materials, and provide the refreshments. A new option is to ask your local Thrivent Chapter to sponsor the event, fully or in part, as an educational event. Also, Care in Congregation funds under the control of your local Thrivent Chapter representative, can be used to sponsor all or part of you local costs.

Establish communications with the CLCC Treasurer for guidance as needed and agreement on the final fee for early registration and late/at the door registration Make the cutoff at least a week before the date of the event. No registration refunds after this date.

Step 1 Publicize

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This step should start right after Step 1 is finalized and be completed within two to three weeks Start the publicity process early so people can plan ahead and put your

event on their calendar, or have time to move other commitments out of the way.

Make a list of all possible publicity sources available to you and their submission requirements. The list should include local print and broadcast media on community events (especially those needing long lead times), bulletin inserts for churches in your area, flyers that can be posted on bulletin boards in churches and other public spaces. CLCC will send you any names and email addresses we have in your area.

Develop your own email and surface mail lists of pastors and laymen and send your info directly to them. This list should contain churches of all local Lutheran churches. Enlist their support in gaining publicity for your event in their churches, minutemen talks after services and Bible classes, etc. Keep this list up to date and have it ready for your next event.

Because many people still have not heard of CLCC please consider placing our CLCC Brochure in your bulletin one week before you use the bulletin insert/registration for your event.

Step 1 Publicize (Cont)

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CLCC will provide an appropriate flyer for your event once the needed details are provided from Step 1, as well as a registration form as part of the bulletin insert. CLCC will also provide national and regional coverage of your event though its own resources. Add the seminar PR to your newsletter and church Website and also your district’s E-newsletters, etc. See the CLCC Website for a flyer or bulletin insert example.

Do not restrict yourself to your own denomination or circuit, as other confessional churches, and confessional people in non-Lutheran churches may be interested in many of the topics CLCC will be presenting. A list of Confessional Lutheran churches can be found at http://lutheranliturgy.org/.

Step 2, Repeat Step I

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At about three weeks before the event repeat all of the publicity completed in Step 1 where possible to do so.

Step 3, Repeat Step II

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Repeat your public publicity efforts about one to two weeks before your event, where possible to do so. The list should include: free local news bulletins on cable TV and your newspaper public service announcements on the local radio stations, etc. There is no such thing as too much publicity.

The above steps are based on a commercial model, a model that is geared for success of the event, which is what we want. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Good publicity has more to do with attendance than price.

HOSTING A SEMINAR

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The Room

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A number of factors drive the selection of a space to host the seminar: Number of attendees and topic of seminar will determine the size of the room

needed. A straight “lecture” seminar requires a classroom style seating arrangement;

tables for writing is the best. CLCC seminars are mostly done in a presentation style where there is

interaction with the instructor and the attendees during the course of instruction, and afterwards too.

If the room of choice is the Sanctuary, then no further action is needed. It is what it is and people will arrive and sit where they will unless you rope off seating areas that you don’t want them to use.

A full sized table is needed to display CLCC handout materials, etc., preferably at the side or rear of the room or Sanctuary. CLCC, or other confessional groups will provide these materials. On occasion you may be asked to make copies of some handouts for the table.

A low ceiling is an impediment to good viewing so if that is the case try arranging the tables in a herringbone V-shaped arrangement with the open end of the V occupied by the instructor and screen.

Other Considerations

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Food / Refreshments - Generally a good practice is to offer refreshments and lunch. These breaks / meal times can provide for further discussion between participants and encourage participation.

Lodging – Usually lodging will be needed for the instructor on Friday night and should be reserved well in advance. If private home lodging is provided that helps keep our costs down.

Audio Visual Equipment - The instructor will coordinate concerning equipment needed for the seminar, and the hosting site will need to provide an eight foot screen . Additionally you will need to provide a small table for the projector being used for the presentation, a power source and power strip with multiple outlets. If you have a well working video projector with a remote control, that would be the preferred way to meet this need, and if not the instructor can bring one.

Directions - Some places are easier to find than others, so make sure adequate directions, and a local phone number (cell number if possible) for contact in case of a problem, etc., are included in any final mailing to the participants. It would be good that the cell number is one of the people who are working the Reception/Registration Desk.

Other Considerations (Cont)

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Copies – Approximately two weeks before the seminar you will receive master copies of the handout materials and an evaluation form. Please make copies of the handouts for all the attendees. (Another reason for early registration.) Please purchase standard 2-pocket folders to hold the seminar handout material and the evaluation form.

The instructor will bring labels for the folders and name tags for the attendees.

Depending on the size of the room, number of attendees, etc., the instructor may need a microphone. A lapel mike always works best.

Conducting a Seminar

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Conducting a Seminar

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It is the responsibility of the congregation to prepare the tables and chairs for the event on or before Friday. We try to have the instructor show up on Friday afternoon for a final check of equipment, set up the display table, etc. Please don’t expect the instructor to come early and set up the tables and chairs in the room. However, a good instructor will show up ½ hour or more before the start time to set up their equipment, and display table, plus make final checks for lighting, focus and sound.

Have a water glass for the instructor. Approximately an hour before the seminar starts have the reception

table staffed with local people, do a double check to make sure there are enough copies of handouts (and marker pens), registration forms, and provide a cashier function (the instructor will bring a receipt book).

For purchases of CLCC products make sure the order form is made out completely and issue a separate receipt for any monies collected for non-registration purposes.

Conducting a Seminar (cont)

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Reception/Registration. Each seminar will be a bit different so make a list and be sure all the

functions are taken care of. Remember, the instructor will have their own details to arrange, plus speak to people who want a word or two before it starts and certainly at the end.

Greet the arriving attendees warmly and make sure they don’t have any parking concerns, etc. The Reception/Registration table should be outside the room where the training is being conducted. Primarily, this is to avoid interfering with the start of the presentation, cell phone calls, etc. for those who are late or lost, or both. Further documentation on how to handle the Reception/Registration function – particularly in regard to handling receipts can be found at the end of this presentation.

If possible, provide a stool or chair for the instructor, he will be a bit tired by this point and it also creates a more personal and informal tone. This enhances the motivation to ask questions.

Conducting a Seminar (cont)

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Seating Encourage people that you know will ask questions, at the two corner

areas of the U-shaped seating arrangement. That gives them the greatest visibility with the rest of the participants thus they can make eye contact and engage in discussion with just about the entire group. This will encourage other people to respond and participate in the discussion, thus aiding the instructor to get their subject across.

Breaks Plan for a short break in the presentation about every hour to an hour

and a half. People will need to use the restrooms, get some refreshments, maybe even discuss the topics informally before the seminar resumes.

Coordinate this with the instructor, as he will call the break based on his material.

Conducting a Seminar (cont)

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Ending At the close of the seminar give all checks, cash, registration forms and

the receipt book back to the instructor. If someone has made a check out to the local congregation in error make arrangements for resolving this by sending a check later directly to the CLCC Treasurer.

Communicate with your CLCC point of contact

Instructions for the Registration Table Volunteers

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Please review the following guidelines prior to the seminar and take the appropriate actions as indicated. (Make a copy of these pages for each registration volunteer) Materials. Approximately two weeks before your event you will receive the

handout masters and evaluation form for printing. The masters come in B&W versions. If you want color versions please request them ASAP from the CLCC seminar coordinator. Purchase 2-pocket folders from an office supply store (except for the Your Reformation Walk seminar) and put a copy of the handout and evaluation form in each one a day or two ahead of the seminar. The instructor will bring preprinted labels to put on the folders ahead of the seminar. We normally purchase medium blue folders so any excess can be used in a subsequent seminar.

Receipts. The instructor will bring the receipt book with him and the nametags for your use; so please return the book following the seminar, along with all the cash, checks and evaluation forms. Use a big tip black marker for the nametags. We try to have the instructor show up Friday afternoon for set up. In that case the registration crew can make out the receipts ahead of time and place them in the folders, with a nametag on top. This helps keep the registration table from clogging up with activity on the morning before the seminar. If you have separate tables for laying out the folders all the pre-registered people can go directly there and then take care of other matters.

Instructions for the Registration Table Volunteers (Cont.)

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Each attendee should be given a receipt for the seminar fee they pay, for their personal tax purposes. They get the white copy; leave the other two copies in the receipt book. CLCC is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. A separate receipt should be made out for any donations, memberships, or purchases of CLCC materials, made at the seminar. The receipt should indicate exactly what the money is meant to cover. Please mark all receipt whether it was cash or check. Always write the check number on the receipt. Again, the payee gets the white copy, the other two stay in the book.

Free Will Offerings. At some seminars there will be free will offerings taken by the hosting church to help defray the costs of the seminar. Unless otherwise agreed these offerings are to be given to the CLCC instructor.

Give to the CLCC Instructor. Any receipts needing reimbursement from CLCC, registration forms, registration checks and cash, money from any sales of CLCC items, funds from a free will offering, and return the receipt book.

Thank you for helping make this seminar a success!