UpcomingSpring Pastor’s Conference 2020

February 14, 2020

Brothers of the Minnesota District,

The Red Wing Conference is looking forward to hosting you for the Spring Minnesota District Pastors’ Conference April 20-22.  The theme of the conference this year is “The Lutheran Pastor Uses God’s Law”.

Hotel Information

The conference will take place at Treasure Island Resort and Conference center, located at 5734 Sturgeon Lake Road in Welch, MN (near Red Wing). You are responsible for making your own reservation at the hotel and for arranging your own roommate. The direct line to call is 651-388-6300.  Ask for the Minnesota District WELS room block.  The deadline for making your reservation is March 21 to be guaranteed the conference rate of $85 + $10 fee + tax /night. Check-in is at 4 PM.

Each room will also receive 5 passes for the resort which includes the lazy river, water slide, play area for little kids, general pool, and adult hot tubs with swim up bar.

Conference Registration

Registration for the conference itself is made through the district website www.welsmn.org. Registration should be made no later than March 21. Please register as soon as possible as that will help in the planning.

Fees for the conference are as follows:

• $160 for those registering by March 21.
• $185 for those registering after March 21. (Final deadline to register is April 1.)
• $0 for children
• $0 for retired pastors and wives (must register by March 21)
• $25 non-attendance fee.
• $50 spouse registration.

Monday Hotel and Conference Check-in, Meal and Opening Worship

You can check into the hotel at 4:00 PM on Monday afternoon. We will have conference registration tables in the hotel lobby at that time as well. The conference registration tables will “close” at 5:30 PM and reopen on Tuesday morning. The Monday evening meal and opening worship service will both be held at St. John’s in Red Wing (421 East Avenue), wives and children are invited.  Street parking is available in the blocks around the church with a free city parking ramp also available one block north on 4th Street. The meal will be served from 5:00 to 6:30 PM.  There is limited space in the church basement fellowship hall, so we ask that those who arrive early move upstairs into church after eating to make room for others. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the opening service that begins at 7:00 PM. If you don’t check into the hotel in the afternoon, you can do so after the opening service.

Meals on Tuesday and Wednesday

All meals on Tuesday and Wednesday will be at Treasure Island.  All the meals will be buffets so there is no need to make any choices before the conference.  The wives and children will take part in all the meals except Tuesday lunch.  Please note that you are on your own for lunch on Wednesday.

Fellowship

There is opportunity for fellowship Monday and Tuesday evenings.  We have reserved four hotel rooms for Gemütlichkeit.  Room numbers will be announced at the conference.  Beverages and snacks are covered in the conference fee.

Retired Brothers

You and your spouse are honored guests of the District at this conference. The registration fee, food, and lodging will be paid by the District. Hotel reservations should be made by you.  The district will pay your bill.  Follow the retiree directions at welsmn.org. Retirees should not pay any expenses with the registration.

Wives Agenda

We welcome wives and families to join us at the conference.  There are activities planned on Tuesday.  The agenda follows:

• 8:30-9:15 Devotion/Bible study “The Three Most Important Things I can Do to Help My Marriage and the Congregation” (facilitated by Amber Swenson in a conference room near the area where the pastors will be meeting.).  Free childcare will be provided for this Bible study time.  The childcare will be located in the fellowship hotel rooms.
• 9:45 Tour of Anderson Center and Tower
• 10:45  Red Wing Shoe and Red Wing Confectionery
• 11:30 Lunch Bayside Tap and Steakhouse (your own cost)
• 1:00 Hike Barn Bluff with Michelle Engel
• On Wednesday morning at 8:30 I’ll have a devotion with the wives and then will have a short “listening session” about the challenges facing pastors’ wives today.  The devotion will be located in the same conference room as the session on Tuesday.

Childcare is available through Treasure Island ($10.50/hr. for 6 -30 month olds and $9.50/hr. for 30 months through 12 years old).  Also note that there are many family activities at Treasure Island (waterpark, bowling and an arcade).

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send me a message at pastorkom@ascensionrochester.org.  My cell phone number is 507-421-5477.

One more item

We are sensitive to those who have concerns about our conference being held at a Resort / Casino.  The conference center and hotel have a separate entrance and ventilation system from the casino.  No one will have to go into the casino.  The venues in Rochester were either prohibitively expensive or run down.  We thought about having the conference at one of the Rochester churches but ran into roadblocks with that too.  This was the best option available.  If you or anyone in the congregation you serve has concerns, please have them contact me.  I’d be happy to explain more fully what went into our decision.

The Red Wing Conference looks forward to hosting you in April. God’s blessings as you lead people to Jesus’ cross and empty tomb!

God’s richest blessings to you!

Brian Kom, Chairman of the Red Wing Conference

Download Conference Information Letter
Download Conference Agenda

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