General Conference 2008 to focus on Jesus worshipped in the nations

The 120th General Conference (19th Biennial) will be held June 27 to 30, 2008, at the Sheraton Parkway in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The theme selected for our 2008 gathering, “Jesus worshipped in the nations,” is especially apt as we take General Conference to the Toronto area, one of North America’s most culturally diverse metropolitan regions. In addition to drawing upon the resources of our own BIC World Missions team, conference planners look forward to capitalizing on the rich array of ethnic congregations in and around Toronto in order to bring a global perspective to worship services, children’s and youth programming, and break out sessions.   

A word about the cost of General Conference 2008
As the number of BIC churches in North America has increased in recent years, so has attendance at our biennial meeting. And that’s a good thing. However, this growth has made it difficult to find low-cost facilities that can house, feed, and provide meeting space for our group of 600 plus people. In 2004 and 2006, we moved General Conference from a college campus to a convention hotel. This gave us the space we needed and the amenities that conference participants have come to expect—but at a price, specifically in what registrants pay for their rooms and meals.

We have heard the concern that hosting General Conference in a hotel-conference center conflicts with the BIC commitment to simple living, and so looked long and hard for an alternative venue that could accommodate the anticipated attendance. In the end, and after considerable searching in southern Ontario, including college campuses, retreat centers, and other conference facilities, the planning team settled on the Sheraton Parkway in Richmond Hills (a Toronto suburb) as our best option. We have used this hotel in the past for YouthQuest (and will use it again in 2010) and also for a Ministry Enrichment Retreat and have been satisfied with the level of service we’ve received from the hotel’s conference staff in the past. We look forward to the same this coming summer.

We’ve pushed the hotel as hard as we can in an attempt to hold costs down. But in the two years since our last General Conference, prices have continued to climb, resulting in an almost $100 increase in the cost of rooms and meals. Please keep in mind that these figures may vary slightly as arrangements with the hotel are finalized. We are making these preliminary figures available at this time so churches and individuals can plan ahead. Registration packages for the conference include lodging (4 nights), 3 breakfasts, 2 luncheons, and 3 dinners, and are based on room occupancy as follows.

There is no room charge for children under age 12.

About the registration fee
One of our facts of life as a bi-national church is the currency exchange rate. The budget for General Conference 2008 is based on economic assumptions which, as the value of the U.S. dollar has plummeted in recent months, are putting pressure on conference planners.
The General Church ministry spending plan includes some funds toward General Conference expenses (everything from printing and postage, to on-site technology, to honorariums for speakers and musicians), with income from registration fees usually making up the difference. However, out of sensitivity to price concerns, Leadership Council has voted to waive the $45 per person registration fee in situations where paying it would be a hardship for a church. Other options will be explored to make up the lost revenue.   

Registration materials coming soon
Registration materials will be mailed to churches in early January and will also be available on the denomination’s website. Questions about the upcoming conference can be directed to
bic@messiah.edu with the subject "GC2008" or by calling 717-697-2634.

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