I’ve had a couple of inquiries about the lodge, Huntington Trinity, over the last few weeks.  Here’s the scoop.

Huntington Trinity, is a privately owned lodge by Trinity United Methodist Church in Huntington, IN.  Last summer we were able to work an agreement for the rental of the facility because of a fire that had burned one of our cabins, Redwing, to the ground.  Our insurance company provided a temporary replacement for the lost capacity (the rental of Huntington Trinity). The groundbreaking has begun on the new lodge(s) at Epworth Forest CC so the insurance did not provide for any rental spaces this year. Had we again acquired the lodge and rented it to churches, we would have become a middle man applying a mark-up on the space; not who we want to be.

If you are interested in using Huntington Trinity for That Thing 2010, here’s how it works. You would need to contact Trinity UMC in Huntington (260) 356-0961 and speak to them about renting the facility. Then, you will just need to buy day tickets for your students. You can do this with any off-site housing that you want to use (Decatur Heights, Kokomo Grace, etc.)

Hope this helps clarify.   

What happens if you’re trying to get your tickets and there isn’t a lodge available that is big enough? Or, what if you booked in and now your number of students/adults is growing out of your cabin?

Call us, ask for Gern: 574.834.2212.

We want to make sure you get the best arrangement for your students.

• We have overflow lodging available that is only sold as an overflow space. it’s essentially a space for 12 students and 2 adults (one gender only) with a roof, doors, windows, curtains and beds, but no running water…you’ll have a portable bathroom outside the building and your overflow students will be using the showers and food service in your main lodge.
• When we can, we’ll shuffle the campus houses around so long as we feel confident about capacities and availability for individual students. 
• We help make arrangements for groups to book out 2 lodges like they’re booking one, (one deposit, feeding for many, etc.)

 But, in order for us to serve you, we have to know your unique situation.  Call us up, fill us in and we’ll do our best to serve your need.

By the way, sorry about the sabbatical, registration launch kept us quite busy.

 

This morning as registrations started moving quickly on week 1 we had a discussion about how a group could still get lodging if they’re bigger than the cabins available but can’t switch weeks.

Choose two smaller cabins, we’ll register them as one space in regards to your payments and deposits. You’ll have to call us to take care of the second cabin manually (574.834.2212). But, go ahead and register the first one and then call in.

Elkhart Faith UMC will be doing this with North Star and Forest and then they plan on brining in a large tent to provide a common meeting space for dinners. Additionally, we have some other meeting spaces that can be used for evening devotion times and such. 

But, the best idea, book it now and book it fast!

We’ve only got 3 spots left on week 1! 

It’s time to start planning your summer calendar. Epworth Forest CC will be opening registration for That Thing on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Some New and Old Things To Know About That Thing…

• High School Camp/Conference Event at Epworth Forest Conference Center 
• An absolutely awesome experience as affordable as $226 per student 
• A spiritual focus geared at moving the churched into becoming missional Christ-followers engaging the world with the hope of Jesus Christ. 
• Packed full of amazing events, exciting activities and amazing life changing encounters 
• New Intercampus Small Groups launching this year 
• New afternoon Labs featuring unique learning tracks to help students get more of what they need   
• Action packed, customizable experience/schedule 
• Group Tickets sold by securing an entire lodge…fill it with your friends and other church groups 
• Individual Tickets (Campus House) for students coming without a group, they can join other students and our counseling staff; no worries about additional meal costs or being the only one who came without a group 
• Learn more at http://www.gotothatthing.com

2010 dates for That Thing: June 27-July 2, July 4-9, July 11-16, July and July 18-23

Lodges will fill up quickly; so, make your selection now to reserve your preferred housing and ticket options. Book online at http://gotothatthing.com/lodge-finder.html

See you online Tuesday morning!

Did you know that you start booking your lodges starting Tuesday November 3. Check out the lodge finder to start making your selection. 

In case you haven’t heard, we’ve updated the fee schedule to make it easier and decrease your church’s burden. The complete schedule of fees is located underneath the list of lodges on the lodge finder page.

This weekend we launch the 2010 site with some great new features and information about the 2010 program.  One of the best upgrades is a huge improvement to connecting churches with Extra Tickets…I think you all will love it. Here’s a quick glimpse of the homepage.

 

We have finalized the new process for purchasing your lodge in a manner that will minimize your initial financial impact. This will hopefully allow for the time you and your students need to begin fundraising as well as for your students to finalize plans. Another improvement allows for you to make some modifications in switching from one lodge to another.

The lodge pricing info will be available on September 28, 1009 at www.gotothatthing.com

Registration will open on November 3, 2009 at www.gotothatthing.com

If there’s anything unclear about it all, leave me a comment and I’ll clarify the process.

Fee Schedule (OVERVIEW)

Point of Purchase

• Non-Refundable Deposit: $500 per cabin 

March 15

• 25% of total lodge cost due ($500 is already paid of this 25%)

May 15

• 50% of total lodge cost due

June 16-Week 1; June 23-Week 2; June 30-Week 3; July 7-Week 4 (10 days before event) 

• Total balance minus scholarships potentially awarded due

August 1: Final bills sent out

September 5: Final balance due

 

Other Fees & Explanations (THE FINE PRINT DETAILS)

The $500 deposit is non-refundable but is transferable within That Thing Events only.

Lodge Upgrade Transfer

• includes lodges of same and higher capacity
• may be used to switch to a different week
• fee: $50
• available as space permits
• can be used at any point prior to the event

Lodge Downgrade Transfer Through April 15

• includes lodges of smaller capacity
• may be used to switch to a different week
• fee: $50
• available as space permits
• only applicable through April 15

Lodge Downgrade Transfer After April 15

• includes lodges of smaller capacity
• may be used to switch to a different week
• fee: 30% of difference between current and new lodge
• available as space permits
• applicable after April 15

Scholarships potentially awarded to lodge will show as a temporary deduction from balance due until student attendance at the event is verified 

A final bill will be provided in August detailing any discrepancies with scholarship awards/attendance and provide a zero balance or an amount due

Failure to Pay Penalty:

• A groups failure to pay within 30 days of the due date will result in removal from the billing plan for the subsequent year (full value, 100%, will be due at the point of reservation); the remaining balance is still due.

 

Here is another post with a few more resolutions to 2009’s major feedback…

Schedule: Check-In will be moved up to 4:00pm-5:00 pm to allow groups more time to unpack and to make it more possible for leaders to come to a preparation meeting about the week.  Worship start times will be modified to 10:15am (through 11:45ish) and 7:30pm (through 9:30ish); all morning & evening services will start at these times. After Hours scheduling will be modified for prompt end times and in such a way that it will not to clash with large processing nights.

The One O’Clock to Five O’Clock Free Block: There will be more simultaneous activity options as well as more non-athletic events available for the students to choose from. Look forward also to the addition of a daily campus wide event/challenge during the free block.

Event Book: An event book will be available in 2010 as well as more in-depth assistance for preparing small group times, daily devotions, and evening processing times.

Communion: That Thing serves a diverse group of people who have many different desires in the diversity of taking Communion.  The groups have many differences in preparation, liturgy, administration, and the intimacy/corporate nature of the experience.  So, in 2010 communion at That Thing will still be an integral part of the program, but will be more of an intimate experience for cabin groups and not a part of the larger corporate worship. This will allow each group the opportunity to experience communion in exactly the way their pastor’s would like. The elements will be provided on the night the program builds to the communion experience and a chaplain will be available to bless the elements for any groups needing assistance.

Repeated Side Note:  Once again, we have heard several stories in the past few weeks about students taking action to live out Agape (love) in their homes, in their malls, and their workplaces.  We would love for you to share those stories here on the blog. Please comment on this post if you have a story about what your students are doing.