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CHICAGO, IL

October 24

Presenters  |  Registration  |  Schedule  |  Workshops  |  Workshop Leaders  |  Hotels  |  Sponsor

You are invited to join us for this one day event which will begin with a season of prayer, followed by a networking lunch, workshops and plenty of time to connect with other pastors and ministry partners. We’ll culminate the day with a celebration of all God has done and is doing in our movement, and we will celebrate where we are going as we vote and install the next president of Converge MSC. Be sure to invite other leaders and staff as this will be a memorial stone event in the life of our movement that you won’t want to miss!

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Presenters

Gary Rohrmayer
Gary Rohrmayer

Gary Rohrmayer has a unique focus on mobilizing and mentoring leaders in the harvest field. He specializes in equipping leaders in areas of spiritual formation, church multiplication, and church health.

Gary’s vision is to see that no leader travels their ministry journey alone. He desires to emulate the ministry of Barnabas by becoming a son of encouragement to the next generation of leaders. Gary has been involved in church planting since 1987. During this time, he has been involved in over 200 new church plants. He has trained hundreds of church planters, pastors, and missionaries throughout the U.S. and through a growing international ministry.

He has authored 14 books: Church Planting Landmines, First Steps for Planting a Missional Church, Next Steps for Leading a Missional Church, Life Biggest Adventure, and his 21-Day Devotional series. Gary just released his second edition of Spiritual Conversations: Creating and Sustaining Them Like Jesus which describes his evangelistic philosophy of his best-selling spiritual conversation tool, The Spiritual Journey Guide, which has sold over 3 million.

He received a BA and MA from Moody Bible Institute.

As President of Converge MidAmerica | Southeast | Caribbean, he oversees its business and ministry interests that support regional church planting and ongoing care of its partner churches.

Gary and his wife Mary have been married for 41 years and have three children and three grandchildren. They live in the greater Chicagoland area.

President & Executive Minister, Converge MidAmerica
Danny Parmelee
Danny Parmelee

Danny Parmelee will be bringing our keynote address, sharing his vision for the future as he is installed as the new president of Converge MSC. 

After planting a church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that went from a Bible Study in their living room to a multi-site, multi-ethnic church of over 2,000, Danny became Converge MSC’s Vice President of Church Planting in 2017. Danny lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Emili and two daughters. We are so excited for this new season in the life of our movement!

Vice President of Church Planting

Schedule

Chicago, IL

10:00 am | Registration/Check-in

11:30 am | Networking Lunches

1:00 pm | Workshops – Session 1

2:15 pm | Conversation and Connection

3:15 pm | Workshops – Session 2

5:00 pm | Dinner

6:00 pm | Celebration – 
Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

7:30 pm | New President Dessert Reception

Workshops

Session 1

Presented by: Brian Coffey

The central theme of this workshop is a healthy church must grow older and younger at the same time. Many churches either grow older or grow younger-but to do both well requires intentional pastoral leadership.

Presented by: Abram Delgado

The goal of this workshop is to help the preacher bring narrative passages of the bible “to life” for his audience. The ability to preach a narrative sermon is both a skill and an art form. In this workshop we will highlight and discuss the key elements to a successful narrative sermon; which include the Verbal, the Visual & the Virtual (imagination). We will be talking about the different stages a church planter goes through before becoming an established church.

Presented by: Aaron Allison

Crossing 200 in weekly attendance has traditionally been difficult for churches to achieve and maintain. Veteran pastor Aaron Allison offers ideas and principles to help churches function as mid-size congregations and impact more people for Christ.

Presented by: Norm Byers

Many of today’s churches are struggling to inspire the next generation leaders. The lack of young people to lead could be because of there are none to be found or the established leadership is stagnated in being able to develop the young people who are indeed present. This workshop will discuss the importance of envisioning the Next Generation leading and will also provide practical insights about how to engage,
develop and empower them.

Presented by: Chris and Schlonda Dodd

In this workshop, we will explore the ways a married couple can stay together and pray together. Schlonda and I will highlight these five essential covenants for marriage longevity. Being Christ-centered, the necessity of healthy collaborative communication, navigating life’s crossroads, and lastly compromising between two different family cultures to curate one best for your family. 

Presented by: Keith Cote and Bruce McEvoy
In the session, we will ask an answer five questions that will help you build and become healthy and effective leaders.

Session 2

Presented by: Brian Coffey

The central theme of this workshop is a healthy church must grow older and younger at the same time. Many churches either grow older or grow younger-but to do both well requires intentional pastoral leadership.

Presented by: Abram Delgado

The goal of this workshop is to help the preacher bring narrative passages of the bible “to life” for his audience. The ability to preach a narrative sermon is both a skill and an art form. In this workshop we will highlight and discuss the key elements to a successful narrative sermon; which include the Verbal, the Visual & the Virtual (imagination). We will be talking about the different stages a church planter goes through before becoming an established church.

Presented by: Aaron Allison

Crossing 200 in weekly attendance has traditionally been difficult for churches to achieve and maintain. Veteran pastor Aaron Allison offers ideas and principles to help churches function as mid-size congregations and impact more people for Christ.

Presented by: Norm Byers

Many of today’s churches are struggling to inspire the next generation leaders. The lack of young people to lead could be because of there are none to be found or the established leadership is stagnated in being able to develop the young people who are indeed present. This workshop will discuss the importance of envisioning the Next Generation leading and will also provide practical insights about how to engage,
develop and empower them.

Presented by: Michelle Albrecht

Michelle Albrecht will share her journey though 3 bouts of cancer and point women toward finding God’s purposes amid their own disappointments. She will provide a safe place for women to share challenges, finding strength from the Lord and each other in community. It is Michelle’s prayer that women will walk away from this session with practical steps to move forward with courage and to walk alongside others in trial as well.

Presented by: Keith Cote and Bruce McEvoy
In this session, we will work through and learn a formula to take an idea of change and make it reality.

Workshop Leaders

Click on a leader’s name to read their bio.

Michelle Albrecht
Michelle Albrecht

Michelle Albrecht serves as Pastor of Staff Care at NorthBridge Church in Antioch, IL which she helped plant in 2001 with her husband, Mark. Together, they have the privilege of working side by-side with their one adult son, Cody who serves as Director of Worship Arts. Prior to working at NorthBridge, Michelle was a 5th grade teacher; earning her BA in Communications/Public Relations from Calvin College and MS in education from Duquesne University. Michelle speaks with a unique depth of wisdom and authenticity, sharing insights from her many years of walking closely with Jesus. Her passion is helping others understand their value before God and with one another. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys all-things-nature and loves playing hide and seek with her 2 beautiful granddaughters.

Aaron Allison
Aaron Allison

Dr. Aaron Allison has been the Lead Pastor of Christ Is Love Church (CIL Church) in Hendersonville, TN, a suburb of Nashville, since 2008. He has been in the ministry since 1995, serving as a children's pastor, youth pastor, church planter, and lead pastor. Aaron is involved in the community as a higher education instructor, city councilman, and board member of non-profits. Aaron and Beth Allison have been married since 1998 and have three young adult children.

Norm Byers
Norm Byers

Norm Byers is the Founding Pastor and Lead Pastor of Genesis Church of Petoskey Michigan with multiple congregations. Norm and Brenda have been married 30 years and have three adult children. Norm earned a BA in Communications from Cedarville University in 1992, a Masters of Divinity from Cornerstone Theological Seminary in 1998, was ordained by First Baptist Church of Hart in 1999 and in 2023 earned a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University in Leadership. Norm likes taking walks with Brenda, working out and running 3 times a week and watching the Detroit Lions.

Brian Coffey
Brian Coffey

Brian Coffey has served at Chapelstreet Church for 38 years: first as Youth Pastor, then as Senior Pastor, and most recently as Pastor of Leadership & Development as well as the Campus Pastor at our South Street Campus. Brian and his wife, Lorene, have been married for 39 years and are the parents of four adult sons and grandparents to three granddaughters and one grandson. Brian is the author of four books; contributed to two study Bibles and enjoys mentoring the next generation of Christian leaders in the church.

Keith Cote
Keith Cote

Keith Cote is a coach, speaker, producer, and Next Gen Summit Global Leader with the Global Leadership Network where he served as the Executive Director of Student Ministries for the Willow Creek Association for many years. He is also the Metro-Chicago Director for FCA. Keith has been involved with FCA since 1978 and has a passion to see to Athletes and Coaches grow into fully devoted followers. With over 30 years of experience, Keith coaches and trains leaders and students around the world how to build high performing and healthy teams. He is the author of Beyond the Game, Dirty Feet and co-author of Vision Moments. Keith was an All-American football player in college and continues his passion for sports with his involvement with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Coaching.

Abram Delgado
Abram Delgado

Pastor Abram Delgado, Lead Pastor of Casa de Oracion, has been married for 24 years to his wife Cristina and has two daughters, Hannah and Miah, both currently students at Trinity Christian College in Chicago. Abram worked as a youth pastor, worship leader and later as a Pastor Assistant for 10 years at Comunidad Cristiana in Tenancingo, Mexico, where he also studied music and completed his Bachelor's Degree in Theology.

The Delgado family came to the United States in 2009. It was then that Abram began working at Iglesia Emanuel in Waukegan as a Worship Pastor and later as an Associate Pastor with Pastor Jessy Padilla. During this time, he was also part of the launch team for the first 3 years of the church Casa de Vida in McHenry, IL.

In 2014 he felt the call to plant a new church. After the Converge Assessment and with the help and coaching of Iglesia Emanuel Church and New Hope Christian Community and the help of other churches in the area, Casa de Oracion that was launched in 2015.

In March 2021, with the help of Converge and other churches, Casa de Oracion was able to finally purchase a building. This year, Casa de Oracion started hosting 2 services on Sunday. Casa de Oracion is located in Round Lake, IL.

Chris and Schlonda Dodd
Chris and Schlonda Dodd

Rev. Dr. Christopher Dodd is a native of Chicago and the only son born to Doshia and E.C. Dodd. Pastor Dodd received his bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and his Masters of Divinity degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2015. His thesis topic was socio-economic reconciliation. He has been happily married to his college sweetheart Schlonda Dodd for 25 years. They have three daughters: Kennedi, Raygan, and Madison. In January 2013, Pastor Dodd began his journey at New Community Church as Lead Pastor: which has seen tremendous growth under his leadership. NCC has developed a wide variety of community partners, including but not limited to ACE AfterschoolProgram, Easter Seals, Meals on Wheels, Open Access, Premier Home Health and When Girls Get Together. Pastor Dodd is a gifted communicator and has been sought after by universities and health professionals for spiritual growth and leadership development. He is also the writer of several books, The Trauma in Transition, A Guide to Being A Girldad, The Ignite Planner and his most recent book Let's Gray Together.

Schlonda Dodd is a native of Chicago. She has been married to Chris Dodd for 25 years. Schlonda completed her undergraduate studies at Northern Illinois University. She also holds a Masters of Divinity from Northern Theological Seminary and a Masters in Education from National Lewis University. Schlonda is the mother of three amazing daughters Kennedi, Raygan and Madison.

Bruce McEvoy
Bruce McEvoy

Bruce McEvoy is the Pastor of Local & Global Impact at Chapelstreet Church where he has served since 1997. Bruce's greatest joy is his wife and children and beyond serving the Lord in the local church he thrives with giving himself away by coaching and mentoring others.  He coached track & field in the public high school for 10 years, but now puts his energy into coaching others.  Ironically, following track coaching he began running and does that faithfully -- running multiple marathons each year. Bruce has both a BA and MA from Wheaton College, completed his Masters of Divinity from Northern Baptist Seminary, and a doctorate in Youth & Family Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis on Early Adolescent Spiritual formation.  Bruce and Diana live in Geneva, IL.

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Early Bird Pricing

$25
  • Price only available till Oct 1st
  • Great speakers and workshops
  • Lunch, dinner and dessert provided
  • All materials are included
Register Now

$99
  • Great speakers and workshops
  • Lunch provided
  • All materials are included
Register Now

Where?

Chapelstreet Church
3435 Keslinger Road
Geneva, IL 60134

Chicago Hotels

Courtyard By Marriott Chicago – St. Charles

700 Courtyard Drive
St. Charles, IL
630-377-6370

$119.00 (King/Double) Breakfast NOT included.

Cut-off date 9/27/24

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Hampton Inn

2875 Foxfield Road
St. Charles, IL 60174
630-584-0215

$124/$134 (King/Double) Breakfast IS included.

Cut-off date 10/3/24

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Fairfield Inn & Suites

2096 Bricher Road
St. Charles, Illinois 60174
630-845-5500

$119.00/$124 (King/Double) Breakfast IS included.

Cut-off date 10/4/24

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