Dear ExampleContactFirstName,
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I want to thank you again for your patience as we have been responding to the COVID-19 situation. We understand that you and your group need to make solid plans for this summer. Remember, if you are uncomfortable committing to attending an in-person conference this summer you may cancel your group’s registration and request a refund of everything except the non-refundable deposit through June 5th. We have also given some hard deadlines to our two remaining sites and we expect to be able to give you some certain direction by the end of this month.
Virtual Conference
We have been teasing our Virtual Conference over the last few weeks, promising some more detailed information today. We’re excited to give you a better idea of this exciting event!
Picture a brand new, streamlined and easy-to-use website from Higher Things. Can’t quite see it? You’ll be able to this summer! On this brand new platform you’ll be accessing our first ever Virtual Conference. While we will not pretend that this format of conference will be an exact replacement for an in-person conference experience, we are very excited about the ability to reach our registrants with our incredible Higher Things content in this new and exciting way.
Here are some details about the Virtual Conference:
- The cost will be $135 for brand new registrants, but you and your group will get access to the VC with your $100 non-refundable deposit! This is true for all current and previously cancelled registrants of this summer’s conferences whether your in-person conference has been canceled, still happens, or you choose to unregister from the on-site conference.
- The VC will run for two days, August 6-7, 2020. Groups and individuals will be able to access the VC synchronously or asynchronously. Essentially that means that any given person or group can view and participate in the conference along with the rest of the participants on August 6-7 (synchronously), or they can view all of the content at a later date (asynchronously). They can do that with a group or individually. If you are concerned about internet access to run it synchronously you will be able to download all the content ahead of time to use it synchronously, or use it with your youth on your own schedule.
- Each person's registration will give them a six month online HT membership (a $30 value) which gives you access to: digital archives including all HT magazines, invite-only discussion forums, members-only interactive Bible Studies, discounts to events and merch, early access to selected content and events. The HT membership site is where they'll be able to access the VC either synchronously or asynchronously.
- There will be three half-hour plenary sessions in the schedule on the topic of Watermarked given by Rev. George Borghardt (Higher Things President and Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bossier City, LA) and Rev. Harrison Goodman (Pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX).
- There will be two half hour breakaways in the schedule with a total of 15 of our top speakers and topics to choose from.
- These sessions will be deaf friendly!
- After the VC is completed on August 7, 2020, all speakers and sessions will be accessible with your HT membership for viewing. That means, unlike an in-person conference, you will be able to view all 9+ hours of content instead of having to choose between the breakaways!
- There will be Live Announcements and Q & A sessions with speakers.
- Also provided, will be six offline worship opportunities. HT will provide a pdf of the worship booklet with propers for each service as well as an optional pre-recorded sermon and hymn (with HT youth singing!).
- We’ll have a virtual hymn sing.
- There will be offline Tetramorph contests and activities with results announced in our live announcements.
- We’ll have an exhibitor “hall” with the opportunity to virtually meet, talk to and learn about other Lutheran organizations.
We’ll have plenty more information as time goes by including breakaway speakers and topics, VC live schedule, access instructions, and resources to help you have an incredible conference away from a conference experience. We can’t wait to “see” you there!
Higher Things for a Day
Higher Things conferences are an incredible experience for our registrants every year. Often people who live in a conference site's back yard want to participate in the conference, but could do without the dorm beds. We are pleased to offer Higher Things for a Day passes for just that reason! These passes allow HTFAD registrants to participate in a given day's full programming, including all scheduled meals for that day, and receive all conference materials to go with it (t-shirt, conference book, worship book, etc.). These passes are $65/person/day and registration will be opened for that on June 1st and registration instructions will be released before then.
Some conference sites might have a limited number of passes available each day. Contact our registrar, Cyndy Bishop (registrar@higherthings.org) with questions.
Important dates
May 15: Musician Auditions are due today! Please also make sure all information is correct on registrations: t-shirt sizes, day before/after registration, choir selections.
June 1st: Higher Things for a Day registrations open.
June 5th: You now have until this date to cancel registrations and receive a refund of all monies paid except the $100/person non-refundable deposit. Your non-refundable deposit is your registration fee for the Watermarked Virtual Conference August 6-7.
June 6th: You will be charged a change fee of $25 for any substitution made on or after this date. Also, you will not receive any refunds if you decide to cancel on or after this date.
June 15th: You now have until this date to turn in your national criminal and sexual predator background checks.
As has been our constant promise, we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and respond as necessary. As we move forward through this time, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Conference Executive
Higher Things, Inc
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