Questions?
Teri Tobey
Program Associate for Young People's Ministries
ttobey@pnwumc.org | 206-870-6822
More Information
Scholarship Form
Workshop Descriptions
National Background Check Form
F.A.Q.'s
Promotional Materials
CONVO BAND
Our Planning Team is happy to have the Bi-lingual praise band Altercall from Toppenish UMC lead us in worship at CONVO this year.
Sunday Evening Activities
High School - Pajama & Glow
in the Dark Dance
Are you ready for the brightest dance ever? Come to the CONVO dance decked in your PJ’s and glow in the dark stuff (glow sticks, glow in the dark duct tape, etc.) If you don’t like dancing, there will still be opportunities for tons of fun! We will have an Xbox Kinect, board games, and a movie set up for your enjoyment. This is a great opportunity to socialize with your fellow youth and make new friends.
Middle School -
Showcase of Originality
The middle school youth will be participating in a Showcase of Originality Talent show followed by games and a movie. If you are a middle school youth you may sign up to share your talent with the other middle school youth during registration or a or at Convo.
Connectional Ministries
With Young People
PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 
About CONVO 2014 & Our Theme
CONVO is the biggest and most exciting youth event in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. This year's theme is Quest for the Holy Grail. We will explore how we can live boldly and faithfully, free of the negativity and distraction that sets us off our quest, so we can be empowered and equipped to spread the message of God’s love (the holy grail) with confidence. CONVO is all about deep talks, fun games, and making new friends. It is a great way to renew your relationship with God and learn more about the church.
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Download a CONVO Poster |
Hundreds of Youth (grades 6-12) and adult youthworkers will gather on Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26) for three days of music, prayer, fun, learning and growth. Every year, CONVO is planned by an excellent team of youth and supportive adults who have a passion and dedication to making this the best event it can be. This year is no exception. We plan and pray for an event where both youth and adults can get equipped and recharged to live as passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our team is very excited to invite you to another year of CONVO! The Bishop's CONVOcation for High School students was first held in the Pacific Northwest Conference in 1976. This makes CONVO 2014 the 39th installment in a long line of largely successful events!
Who Can Go?
CONVO is for youth currently in grades 6 – 12 and their adult leaders (sorry, no mature 5th graders). We ask churches to send one adult to accompany every 1- 6 youth. We will try to accomodate youth in cases where this isn't possible. We offer scholarships, for those in financial need, to help to make this retreat possible for all.
Registration
CONVO registration this year is online. Each youth and adult registering must fill out an online registration form. Adults registering will also be contacted by Teri Tobey to fill out a National Background Check form if they do not already have one on file from their local church or another event. If you have difficulties with the registration process, please contact us and we'd be happy to help!
The registration fee, if registration/payment is completed/postmarked by April 21, 2014 is $175, and will include a FREE CONVO T-SHIRT! We cannot guarantee a free t-shirt for registrations received after that date.
Registration will close at 11pm PST May 9th, 2014.
While you may have heard of the Knights of the Round Table, we would like to introduce our courageous team of Pastors who will lead us through our weekend together. Each has agreed to serve as our Pastors of the Round Table.
Pastor Elizabeth Schindler (left) currently serves as United Methodist pastor to the good people of the Browns Point neighborhood of Tacoma. At Browns Point, she enjoys teaching, preaching, and leading, as well as eating pizza with the church's youth and beating them at silly games. Elizabeth and her husband, Steven, have two children: 4-year-old Caroline and 2-year-old Carter, who keep the household lively, chaotic, and full of joy. A graduate of Southern Methodist University and The Divinity School at Duke University, Pastor Elizabeth is an avid fan of the Mustangs and Blue Devils, and pretty much anything sports-related. Covenant relationships with friends, practicing daily gratitude, and staying grounded in Scripture preserve her sanity and keep her excited about what God is doing in the world.
Rev. Curtis Brown (center) is a pastor, church planter, consultant and coach who has worked with hundreds of church leaders across the United States. He currently serves the Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church as the Director of Faith Community Development, working to plant and grow more vital congregations within the post-Christian culture of the Pacific Northwest. He and his family live in Lacey WA, where they are active participants in starting the new Evergreen United Methodist Church.
Rev. Ruth Marston (right) is the associate pastor at Olympia First United Methodist Church. She is a Pacific Northwest native and grew up in the Puyallup United Methodist Church. Rev. Marston brings with her a love of the New Testament and storytelling. Her life goals include: a road trip that covers all of Highway 101 and attending the San Diego Comic Con.
We are excited to welcome this wonderful team to CONVO this year and look forward to the messages they will be sharing with us at the University of Puget Sound!
IMAGINE No Malaria Fundraiser at CONVO
Imagine this….hundreds of youth coming together to praise God. All of them given the opportunity to change or save a life. All of this given to them in this one weekend. Convocation is a retreat run by the Conference Council of Youth Ministries. At this event there is a store where campers can buy items. All of the profits go towards Imagine Convo or Imagine No Malaria.
Last year hundreds of youth, all came to this 3 day, 2 night event. Imagine Convo is a fund that is completely dedicated to bringing youth to this event. This fund is supported by the people that go to this event and directly helps the ones that struggle to go there.
Malaria is transmitted by mosquitos and can result in coma or death if left untreated. Even though the disease is completely preventable, it kills 700,000 people, mostly children and pregnant women. The United Methodist Church is a part of a worldwide effort to eradicate this disease by the year 2015. Imagine No Malaria is a nonprofit organization that tries to prevent this disease.
Do you have a minute? Just a minute to think about changing and saving someone’s life, would you give that minute? Stop by the Imagine table to make a difference.
Covenant of Participation & Conduct for CONVO 2014
As a participant in CONVO 2014, and as a representative of my local congregation, I agree to accept the following guidelines as my covenant during CONVO:
- Participation in all scheduled activities is expected. If you need special assistance to fully participate, please contact Teri Tobey at (206) 870-6822 or 1-800-755-7710, ext. 322.
- All CONVO youth and adult participants are limited to the University of Puget Sound’s Tacoma, WA campus.
- Anything considered illegal for minors under civil and criminal law in Tacoma and Washington State is considered to be illegal for CONVO participants. This would include drug use, alcohol consumption, marijuana use, tobacco, and possession of firearms, weapons, and fireworks. Adults are expected to abide by these same restrictions.
- Incense, candles, etc. are prohibited at CONVO.
- Participants are to be in their assigned room by the designated time each night. Each person is to respect other participant’s need for sleep, as well as caring for himself/herself.
- Participants will live by the simple guidelines of love and respect for the rights, feelings, and property of others.
I understand that if I do not follow the simple guidelines above, that appropriate disciplinary action will be required, for youth and adults. Appropriate disciplinary action might include the calling of parents and/or pastor and/or dismissal from CONVO (at the participant’s own expense). Decisions about appropriate action will be made by the adult leadership of CONVO, in consultation with their church’s group leader or chaperone.
I have read the CONVO 2014 covenant and agree to abide by it.
Parental Consent of Participation & Emergency Care
By registering myself (or my child), I hereby certify that this information is correct. In CASE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY, I understand that every effort will be made to notify the emergency contact person named in registration. I hereby give permission to the event coordinators to provide routine health care, administer prescribed medications, and seek emergency medical treatment including ordering x-rays or routine tests. In the event that that person cannot be reached, I give permission to the retreat leadership and/or nurse to notify a physician, and I give permission to that physician to hospitalize, secure proper treatment for, and to order injection, anesthesia, or surgery for participant named above.
I shall not hold the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church nor any of its officers or agents liable in any way for any occurrence in connection with the activities described above and personally assume all risks in connection with the activities, even if such activities result in injury, death, dismemberment, injury to reputation, emotional distress or other damages to my child or the child's family, heirs, or assigns, or myself. I shall save and hold harmless the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church and its officers and agents from any claim by me, my family, estate, heirs, or assigns arising out of my/our child's participation in this activity.
I shall exempt and release the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church and its officers and agents from all liability whatsoever for personal injury, property damage or wrongful death caused by negligence. I expressly agree that this release, waiver, and indemnity agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by law and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect. This release contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto, and the terms of this release are contractual and not a mere recital. The parties shall resolve any dispute arising under the agreement only through negotiation, mediation, or binding arbitration.
I further state that I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE FOREGOING RELEASE AND KNOW THE CONTENTS THEREOF AND I AGREE TO THIS RELEASE AS MY OWN FREE ACT. This is a legally binding agreement that I have read and understand.
Parental Consent of Media Release
By registering myself (or my child), I hereby certify that this information is correct. With regard to my (or my child’s) appearance at and/or in the video production during the event, I hereby consent to and give permission for Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, to use my (or my child’s) name, voice and likeness in its programs and activities, including the advertisement and promotion of the same, and I further consent that my (or my child’s) name, voice and likeness may be used by such other parties to whom the said Pacific Northwest Conference United Methodist Church shall give permission. This consent shall include any or all remarks, contributions, or performances that I may make or give in connection with my appearance and participation. I acknowledge that the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church has full ownership rights to the video production, and that its proceedings, including my appearance, may be transmitted or otherwise exhibited, in whole or in part, throughout the world, without limitation as to time, in any medium, and by any means, method or device now or hereafter known, by Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, or it licensee, as many times as it wishes, without further authorization from me.
I further state that I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE FOREGOING RELEASE AND KNOW THE CONTENTS THEREOF AND I AGREE TO THIS RELEASE AS MY OWN FREE ACT. This is a legally binding agreement that I have read and understand.