Convocation on the Rural Church

August 10-12, 2009

Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Program Description

The 2009 Convocation on the Rural Church, entitled “The Power of Partnership,” will bring together leaders from rural North Carolina churches, Duke Divinity School, The Duke Endowment, and both North Carolina Annual Conferences for a conversation about the present state of the rural church and how it can engage in even more vibrant ministry and mission today.

Speakers

Offering leadership to the plenary sessions, workshops, and worship services will be persons whose willingness and ability to partner with others has been a crucial ingredient in guiding congregations and communities through difficult transitions. Among the leaders of plenary sessions will be Rev. Dr. Ron Crandall, Professor Emeritus at Asbury Theological Seminary, author of  “Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church,” and creator of ABIDE, a model for renewing small congregations. We are pleased to have Ron’s wife, Bonnie Crandall, a licensed counselor, to lead a plenary session that will include clergy spouses and family members. Also providing leadership will be Rev. Chuck Warnock, the pastor of Chatham Baptist Church. Rev. Warnock and his congregation have led the way in the revitalization of a small Virginia town devastated by social and economic change due to the loss of the tobacco, textiles, and furniture industries.

Location and Accommodations

Driving Directions

Program sessions and accommodations will be provided at the Embassy Suites Hotel, a full service hotel and conference center located in Myrtle Beach, SC. Reservations must be made through the Divinity School. Parking is available onsite. Directions will be available in your confirmation packet after you register.

Please note that these hotel rooms have a microwave and refrigerator, but do not offer any kitchen utensils.

The Embassy is an ocean-front property on Myrtle Beach’s coastline within driving distance of ample shopping, dining, and attraction options.

Broadway at the Beach includes 300 acres of shopping, dining, nightlife, and attractions. There’s something for everyone including Hard Rock Café, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, Señor Frogs, Ripley’s Aquarium, IMAX Theatre, the Palace Theatre, NASCAR SpeedPark & Café, Children’s Museum of SC, and Crocodile Rock’s Dueling Piano Bar.

Shopping abounds just 10 minutes away at Coastal Grande Mall, one of South Carolina’s largest and newest shopping malls. Shop for bargains at Tanger Outlet Mall, located on Highway 501, just 15 minutes away.

Registration Fee

There are limited spaces available for this exciting event, and therefore, registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach capacity. The final registration deadline is June 26, 2009.

Thanks to the generous funding of The Duke Endowment, costs for you to attend this event have been kept to a minimum.

In order to be good stewards of our grant funding, however, we ask that you share a room during the Convocation.

• If you choose to share a room with your colleague the cost per participant for the full event will be $25, which includes two nights lodging, meals, and program materials.
• If you require a single room or would like to share a room with an accompanying spouse and/or family members, you will need to pay $125. (Meal tickets for spouses and/or family members may be purchased for an extra $50 each.)

We also invite you to consider giving yourself the gift of Sabbath by coming a day early or staying a day late: we ask that you pay only $50 for this additional night’s stay on either Sunday or Wednesday night.

Registration for the Convocation on the Rural Church is now closed.

Thank you for your interest in the event and hope you will be able to join us next year.

Schedule

The program will begin with Opening Worship at 4:00 p.m., August 10. Hotel check-in begins at 3:00 p.m. We will conclude after an 11:00 a.m. worship service on Wednesday, August 12. Hotel check-out is at 11:00 a.m. A secure location for your luggage will be provided for those who need to check out Wednesday morning in order to attend the morning’s event activities.

Over the course of the three day convocation, participants will have the opportunity to attend plenary sessions, share in small group conversation, and participate in workshops.

Please see the event schedule for more details.

Event Schedule

Cancellation

All fees are non-refundable. Cancellations will result in forfeiture of the fees paid.

Questions

Contact the Center for Lifelong Learning at 919.660.3448 or toll-free 888.845.4216.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil . . . a three-fold cord is not easily broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4: 9, 12