This contest is now closed. Thank you so much for your entries! Winners will be announced the week of January 14.

Let’s face it. Focusing is hard work. Multi-tasking has become the darling of the work world, and while it has its benefits, focus is not one of them. Why do just one task when there are so many others demanding your attention? Whether self-imposed or not, you are busy. There is always more to do than time to do it. And that fact has us all a little frazzled.

However, one of the best features of the Orange community, whether online or in person, is the ability to learn from each other. We learn as much from you as you do from us, and we love to hear from you. So, this time, we’re going to seek out your knowledge.

Tell us, how do you focus? What advice do you have for other Orange leaders? What helps you to accomplish work and ministry on a daily basis?

Have a good answer? Share it with us, and WIN UP TO FIVE TICKETS for your ministry team to attend OC13. You have through next Monday, January 14, at 5 p.m. to let us know. Then on Wednesday, January 16, we’ll announce the finalists to our Orange community and let all of you pick the winners!

By the way, we’re not looking for a simple, three-word answer. This is your chance to write a personal advice column. It should be part of your story—real world answers that we can all learn from. Who knows? Your advice about how to unlock the secrets to focusing may be your ticket to becoming the next expert of the ministry world! At the very least, it could win you the respect of your peers, and quite possibly a ticket to OC13.

Clarify the essentials. Eliminate distractions. FOCUS.

FINE PRINT: Contest entries must be submitted by Monday, January 14, at 5 p.m. From there, finalists will be posted online for the Orange community to vote on. Voting ends Friday, January 18, at 5 p.m. Winners will be announced on the Orange Leaders blog the following week. We will award up to five registrations for OC13. These may be from the same church or multiple churches. If any winners have previously registered for OC13, those registrations will be refunded.

In just one short month, the Orange Tour team will hit the road for Tampa. We’ll be stopping in 12 cities over the next five months, and hope to see you and your team soon. Join Reggie Joiner and church leaders in your area to talk about Leading Change and Leading Small, two key elements of family ministry. You’ll also be introduced to perspectives and ideas in ministry-specific breakouts designed to create dialogue and further discussion on these two important topics.

Sue Miller and Carey Nieuwhof will also be speaking at several of the stops. Bring your entire family ministry team and join hundreds of other senior, student, children’s and preschool leaders. This gathering is a great opportunity to get ministry-specific questions answered from our Orange Leaders, Orange Coaches, and fellow ministry leaders who have the same or similar experiences.

But wait, there’s more! Start your training right now. If you weren’t able to join us on last year’s Tour, you can download two sessions from last year for free at OrangeTour.org. This opportunity can be used to catch a glimpse of the material presented at each stop and to introduce Orange to team members or senior staff.

Here’s our 2012-2013 Orange Tour lineup:

Tampa, FL | Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Crossing Church
10130 Tuscany Ridge Drive
Tampa, FL 33619

Raleigh, NC | Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Hope Community Church
821 Buck Jones Road
Raleigh, NC 27606

Chattanooga, TN | Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Rock Point Community Church
7997 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Indianapolis, IN | Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Connection Point Christian Church
1800 North Green Street
Brownsburg, IN 46112

Detroit, MI | Friday, October 19, 2012
Woodside Bible Church
6600 Rochester Road
Troy, MI 48085

Washington, D.C. | Thursday, October 25, 2012
National Community Church
Barracks Row Theater Campus
535 8th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003

New York, NY | Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Calvary Baptist Church
123 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

Seattle, WA | Thursday, November 8, 2012
Northshore Christian Church
5700 23rd Drive W.
Everett, WA 98203

San Jose, CA | Tuesday, November 13, 2012
WestGate Church
1735 Saratoga Avenue
San Jose, CA 95129

Los Angeles, CA | Thursday, November 15, 2012
Glenkirk Church
1700 Palopinto Avenue
Glendora, CA 91741

Houston, TX | Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Woodsedge Community Church
25333 Gosling Road
The Woodlands, TX 77389

Dallas, TX | Thursday, January 24, 2013
Irving Bible Church
2435 Kinwest Parkway
Irving, TX 75063

Registration is $64, including lunch, if registered two weeks prior to the event, after which the price increases to $74.

For more information and to register, please visit www.OrangeTour.org.

Orange Conference is definitely an environment for learning. And while you’re learning about ministry, why not take the opportunity to learn about some organizations doing really fantastic things in the world. Our OC12 social justice partners are a great mix of organizations that speak to different causes and talents. They’re looking forward to meeting you, so be sure and stop by. You might just be surprised at what you discover and how you can help.

• • LUO, http://LUO-SetFree.org/ – LUO is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic sustainability and improving quality of life. They do this through providing: nutrition, biblical curriculum, academic education and medical care.

• Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, www.DrinkCoffeeDoGood.com – LOTH is coffee on a mission. They work at a grassroots level to ensure not only that you get one delicious cup o’ Joe, but that your dollars change the lives of the people who grow the beans. LOTH coffee brings dignity and hope to Rwanda, Haiti, Thailand, and other parts of the globe. Featuring an Orange Blend coffee this year!

• The 410 Bridge, Inc., www.410Bridge.org – 410 identifies, develops and partners with local indigenous community leadership. They learned quickly that they could only be as effective as the leaders they work with. They are careful not to do for Kenyan communities what Kenyans can do for themselves. This strategy extends through the deployment of the five impact areas for every community: water, education, health care, micro-enterprise and spiritual development.

• Plywood People, www.PlywoodPeople.com – Plywood is an innovative community addressing social needs. They are always searching for social problems with the hope to match them with entrepreneurial creativity to organize, innovate, and manage ideas that produce change.

• Kidz Konnect 4 Jesus, www.KidzKonnect4Jesus.org – Kidz Konnect is a dedicated ministry program under the direction and supervision of Coastal Christian Missions, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Christ-centered, biblically sound educational programs to the children of Belize.

• Rice Bowls, www.RiceBowls.org – Rice Bowls is a non-profit organization that seeks to provide food for orphans in the name of Christ. They use plastic rice bowl coin banks for donation collection since rice is a dietary staple for much of the world. This design reminds participants of those in need around the world.

• The Canvas Story, http://TheCanvasStory.com – Cultivating creative ways to combat human trafficking through collective abilities, passions and opportunities, The Canvas Story will research and execute strategies to bring freedom to victims of severe abuse/slavery.

• Samaritan’s Purse, www.SamaritansPurse.org – Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, http://www.AGRM.org/agrm/default.asp – AGRM exists to proclaim the passion of Jesus toward the hungry, homeless, abused, and addicted, and to accelerate quality and effectiveness in member missions.

• L.E.A.D. Uganda, www.LEADUganda.org – L.E.A.D is an educational leadership program for children affected by AIDS, war and poverty. It exists because these children have talent but lack opportunity. They believe it is possible to end poverty in Africa and create a safer world by raising up today’s generation of forgotten African children to be leaders.

Consider these guys and gals the Yellow Brick Road of The Orange Conference, minus the flying monkeys. If you are unable to make the annual trek to Atlanta in a couple of weeks, then consider our Orange bloggers your long-distance ticket. They’ll be blogging about what they see and hear, and offer a unique perspective of all things OC12.

This team covers all kinds of ministry and parenting topics between them, so you’re sure to find something you are interested in or can relate to:

Amanda White – ImpressYourKids.com

Amy Dolan – www.LemonLimeKids.com

Amy Fenton Lee – www.TheInclusiveChurch.com

Ben Kerns – www.AverageYouthMinistry.com

Ben Read – YouthMin.org

Cass Brannon – www.CassBrannan.Wordpress.com

Dustin Valencia – www.AbrahamChronicles.com

JC Thompson – http://JCIsOnline.com

Jenny Funderburke – http://JennyFunderburke.com

Jeremy Lee – www.WonderfullyAwkward.com

Jonathan Cliff – www.JonathanCliff.com

Kenny Conley – www.ChildrensMinistryOnline.com

Matt McKee – http://mMattMckee.me

Matt Norman – http://Kidmin1124.com

Michael Bayne – http://www.MichaelBayne.net

Nick Blevins – www.NickBlevins.com

Paul Mannio – http://OrangeDad.com

Ryan Millard – www.RyanMillard.com

Shannon Royce – http://ChosenFamilies.org

Terrace Crawford – www.TerraceCrawford.com

Tom Pounder – http://www.MinistryBlackboard.com

Tom Shefchunas – www.CoachShef.com

Tonya Langdon – www.Kidmin1124.com

Joe McAlpine – http://JoeMcAlpine.com

As if things weren’t exciting enough at The Orange Conference, we release a slew of shiny, new resources just in time for our attendees to scoop up while they’re learning. Below is a taste of what’s to come.

These items are only available on-site at The Orange Conference:

The Orange Conference That Fits in Your Suitcase
Transfer what you learned at OC12 to your team and volunteers who weren’t able to join you. The Orange Influence Kit is for you. Included: OC12 Unlimited Access Download Card, Orange Tour 2.0 DVD, Think Orange by Reggie Joiner, Orange Leaders Handbook by Reggie Joiner, Lead Small by Reggie Joiner, YouLead “Simplicity” Bundle and a Think Orange Vornado H2go Bottle.

Main Session Download Card
Access all main sessions with this card.

Breakout Session Download Card
Choose five breakouts of your choice. (You may add additional breakouts once you are logged into the system after purchase.)

Preconference Download Card
Choose four workshops of your choice.

Unlimited Access Download Card ^NEW
Get ALL main, breakout and Preconference sessions!

Look for these items to show up in our online store during mid-May, if not before.

BOOKS

Lead Small by Reggie Joiner and Tom Shefchunas ^NEW
This book offers our best practices for leading a Small Group.

Zombies, Football and the Gospel by Reggie Joiner ^NEW
Based on this year’s conference theme, this book highlights ministry game changers that impact the way we serve families in the 21st Century.

Orange Essentials by Reggie Joiner
This journal spotlights the concepts and strategies in the Think Orange book by unpacking the five principles behind the Orange Strategy—Integrate Strategy, Refine the Message, Reactivate the Family, Elevate Community and Utilize Influence.

Parenting is WONDER-full by Sue Miller and Holly Delich
Sue Miller’s newest book introduces new parents to the WONDER of parenthood in a whimsical way. Full of real-life stories, humorous quotes, and words of encouragement, this book is a great way to introduce parents to the idea of partnering right from the start.

VIDEO

Orange Essentials DVD by Reggie Joiner
Orange Essentials a resource to: generate healthy discussions within your church; engage staff with dynamic vision casting; and involve leaders in rethinking the design of your church.

Surviving to Thriving: Successfully Including the Child with Special Needs by Amy Fenton Lee
This DVD offers practical ideas to help you in serving children with special needs. From creating a schedule to sharing the Bible story, this resource will give you best practices in keeping kids engaged and helping them retain the lesson.

Orange Tour 2.0: A Training Event for Staff and Volunteers
With a combination of Orange Tour and six individual YouLead sessions, you can create an Orange training event for your church. Orange Tour 2.0 includes the Orange Tour sessions from 2011, along with bumper videos, transition slides, environment ideas, appreciation ideas, breakout sessions and more.

MarriedPeople: Strategy Starter Kit
This three-month strategy starter kit from MarriedPeople, an organization that helps churches help marriages, comes with everything needed to focus on what we call a core habit of a great marriage: have serious fun. Includes: a large group gathering, one small group session, one couple experience, and vision videos.

CURRICULUM
Curriculum Bundles for First Look, 252 Basics, XP3 Students, XP3 College and YouLead. Our curriculum bundle gives you the opportunity to try curriculum before subscribing. It includes one month’s worth of resources along with a guide to help get you started.

MUSIC

Whoooo Loves You CD ^NEW
Our latest preschool worship CD introduces listeners to Ollie the Owl, who teaches them three basic truths—God made me; God loves me; Jesus wants to be my friend forever—through his favorite songs.

Turn It Up CD ^NEW
Our new children’s CD! The collection of songs on this CD was written with God’s “one big story” as a backdrop. We hope these songs will give you countless moments to dance, move, laugh, listen and celebrate God’s bigger story in your family. So, go ahead . . . Turn It Up!

APP

Parent Cue
Soon to include a First Look version! Every month, Parent Cue focuses on the same ideas that your church is focused on through First Look and 252 Basics so it makes it easy for the church and the home to stay Orange. Purchase in the Apple and Android app stores by entering ParentCue.

We will also have an array of cool lifestyle items and apparel, as well as many more resources in each category above. If you’re joining us at OC12, be sure to stop by the store to grab your Orange resources and gear. If you aren’t able to meet us in Atlanta, keep an eye out for these items and more!

If you have questions about any of these items, please email customerservice@rethinkgroup.org or call (866) 343-4874.

We at Orange truly feel it is a privilege to share in your journey, and are always so excited to hear what’s going on in your church and community. For our last contest before OC12, we asked you all to nominate one or more people you thought deserved a free conference registration and AirTran ticket. Wow, did you share some incredible stories! Unfortunately, there could only be a few winners.

Jimmy Skeen and Kris Bourne
Jimmy is the new pastor, and Kris serves on the elder board, of a church in Washington that is at a pivotal transition in its history. They are in a position to create and sustain change in both their church and community. And they’ve got a few Orange supporters in their midst, but OC12 would definitely be a game changer for them.

Tyler Leland
We’re told Tyler is a guy who “thinks Orange” in every way. He does his best to ensure that all the kids at his church are loved and cared for before and after they are in the children’s ministry. To Tyler, there is no finish line. His friend and fellow minister, David, said he is a man after God’s own heart—a modern day David.

David Diener
One of the teens in David’s youth group along with a parent of one of the teens wrote in to tell us about David. Both of them wanted him to be inspired, refreshed and appreciated for all he has done. Kenzie, the student, said that he has helped her relationship grow with God over the past year and a half. David has served them, and taken his time and love to show them the Jesus image they should be living.

Grant Diamond
Bruce nominated his student ministry successor, Grant, so that his church could become more committed to doing “faith at home.” And while he has gone all in on this paradigm shift in transitioning their ministries from programs to being more family oriented, Bruce is excited at this opportunity so that Grant can become more equipped and continue sharing what he’s learned to create a real ripple effect.

Deanna Troyer
A dedicated volunteer in her church’s special needs ministry, Deanna was nominated by children’s mothers that she serves. They say that Deanna desires for the children to learn of Jesus, to understand how He loves them so, and continually finds ways to impart His Love to them. The growth of this ministry is through the passion and love God has placed in Deana and the volunteers for these special individuals.

Jason Sasse
Jason was nominated by the Volunteer Family Ministry Team at Community Evangelical Free Church because they want more Orange! They told us that they want more partnering with families, more impact on their community, and more of what God can do through them when they embrace a strategy to build wonder, discovery and passion in the lives of people.

These are just very small snippets of their stories, but trust us, they’re pretty remarkable. We are excited to have these folks join us, along with many of you, in 29 days for OC12!

The workshops were awesome! They were exactly what I needed to move forward as a wife, mother, church worker and child of God.
– Dawn, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church

I’m not sure I was “convinced” of preconference until I experienced it. I would highly recommend it. Those breakouts were invaluable.
– Abby, Perrysburg Alliance Church

The first session for OC12 may begin on Wednesday night, but there’s plenty of action going on earlier in the day at Preconference! If you’ve never attended Preconference before, we consider it the how-to, hands-on portion of the event focused on ready to implement, practical information. Group sizes are typically smaller than main conference workshops, so it gives you a better chance to ask questions, speak with the presenter and network with others of similar interest.

This year, we have 52 different workshops offered in 13 different tracks: Preschool Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Student Ministry, Senior Pastors Forum, College Ministry, Special Needs Ministry, Small Group Leaders, Investing in Your Volunteers, Middle School Ministry, Getting Parents Involved, The Start Up Church, Family Experience Nuts and Bolts and Social Media in Ministry. You’re sure to find something that not only sparks your interest but also speaks to a need. Our presenters are experts in their field, and we believe they each have something immense to offer.

Additionally, we are thrilled to offer workshops by the International Network of Children’s Ministry and Youth Specialties. Consider these tracks a two-conference-in-one opportunity! We know budgets are tight and travel expensive, so our hope is that you can use your resources more efficiently with these options. Both tracks are included in the price of Preconference. Simply select INCM or YS options for one or more of your workshops.

By attending the Preconference, you’ll get to pick from an additional four workshops presented by the team at International Network of Children’s Ministers including Michael Chanley, Gina McClain, Jonathan Cliff and Steve Adams! Click here for more details.

Hear from student ministry experts Mark Matlock, Kara Powell, Mark DeVries, Kenda Creasy Dean, David Kinnaman and Robert Epstein during this great opportunity to get a taste of Youth Specialties at Orange! Click here for more details and a spiffy video.

We hope you’ll consider joining us for Preconference at OC12!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRIES. WINNERS ARE BEING CONTACTED!

Last year, one of our winners for this contest was Chris, a youth pastor at Reedswood Christian Church in Virginia. It was his first trip to The Orange Conference, and he had a fantastic time. In fact, he was so moved by the experience, he later contacted us to scholarship several others for OC12 to attend when they might not have been able to! So, this year, we are delighted to announce that we’re offering seven free registrations complete with AirTran tickets for OC12!

We’d love for you to take a moment and nominate one or more people you believe are deserving of a free plane ticket and Orange Conference registration. Please submit the person(s) who you feel are most deserving of this conference package and why they should be chosen. These would ideally be people who couldn’t make it this year, but you feel like they would benefit by being at The Orange Conference 2012.

Here are just a few suggestions:

• The senior pastor who is implementing the Orange Strategy to change his/her community
• The children’s minister who needs to be renewed in his/her vision
• The student minister who needs to be equipped and empowered
• The college minister who is searching for a solution
• The volunteer who deserves a reward
• The church staff whose conference budget was eliminated
• The parent who desires to better partner with their local church

Someone probably just popped into your head! The next step would be to check and make sure they could attend if chosen. After that, it’s up to you to be their champion and send us their story.

Submissions must be sent to OCConcierge@rethinkgroup.org by Wednesday, March 14, at 5 p.m., EST. We will notify the winners via email and post on the blog the following week. Depending on the chosen submissions, we can divide the tickets into one or more groups of people. Therefore, we could have multiple winners from multiple churches.

And if you’d like to scholarship someone for this conference or next year, you can also email OCConcierge@rethinkgroup.org.

Fine Print:
By submitting your idea, you give permission to the staff of The Orange Conference to share the details with other people. Orange Conference 2012 tickets and airfare that have already been purchased will not be refunded. Hotel, ground transportation and meals will be the responsibility of the winners. Airline tickets are only good for AirTran, so please consider travel before submitting.

If you are the contest winners, AirTran Airways is pleased to provide you with a round-trip ticket to Atlanta, Ga., for The Orange Conference! Your coach class ticket will be booked in coordination with the OC Concierge on AirTran Airways. Travel is subject to AirTran Airways contract of carriage, rules and regulations. Travel is non-refundable and non-transferable. If you have to cancel your trip for any reason, AirTran and OC12 tickets will not be extended or renewed. Reservations are subject to availability and capacity control restrictions. Holiday blackout restrictions will apply. Should you need to make any changes to your itinerary, a $75 change fee will apply. Changes and cancellations can be made up to one hour prior to the scheduled departure time.

Over the past few months we’ve been able to hear hundreds of Game Changers from Orange Leaders like you all over country. We’ve been pretty inspired by them, and just couldn’t keep them to ourselves. Here are just a few from our recent meet ups and Orange Tour.

“I’ve been working at a Methodist youth camp for children and adults with developmental disabilities and the traditional camp community, watching and equipping them to lead in worship.”

“I’ve been doing ministry for two years and developing relationships has been the one thing that changed my game across the board—from kids to parents to volunteers to other Orange Leaders!”

“My Game Changer was having an involved children’s team with a leader who is passionate about leading a children’s ministry in the direction we need to go, passionate about their own spiritual relationship, and the need to instill that in our kids, too.”

“A huge change happened in my ministry once I realized it wasn’t all about the number of kids I have, but the effort I put into making sure the kids that I do have are being taught the gospel.

“I just recently found out I am expecting a baby and it was changed my perspective on the work I do with children and parents.”

“When we started faithfully going to church, we wanted to serve somewhere. But the first thing my wife and I said was, ‘Not in the children’s ministry.’ But then I overheard what the youth pastor said as she was looking back at her life, ‘Who am I to tell God where I want to be in the ministry. I want to be wherever God leads me or needs me, for however long.’ That idea changed my life. We are now children’s pastors at our church.”

“I realized that ministry related mistakes don’t define me as a leader. Instead, they are opportunities to learn, grow and improve children’s ministry.”

“I pray that I’m in the middle of it. I’ve decided that I can be more effective by earning my living and volunteering as a minister. I’m working now to reproduce leaders so I can step aside and help transform the church from the inside instead of as a paid, professional church member.”

“My Game Changer was when I decided that ‘because we’ve always done it’ was not the reason I wanted to keep doing things.”

“We responded to a request from children who didn’t want to be in the children’s service but instead wanted to be taught to serve as junior helpers in birth through kindergarten small groups. They see their parents serve and they demanded to serve, too. We have parents who are now volunteering so that their children can be junior helpers.”

Want to hear more? Be sure to join us at a meet up and at OC12!

Do you have a Game Changer you’d like to share with us? If so, please send it to gamechanger@rethinkgroup.org.

We at Orange are big fans of coffee, especially Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co. Many of you have enjoyed their benevolent brew the last few years at Orange Conference, and some of you also serve it at your home church. Well, now we’ve gone an extra step in our partnership with them to bring you a fundraiser option for The Orange Conference.

We realize it takes a lot of work and sacrifice for many of you to join us each April. We are deeply appreciative of that fact, and always want to help remove obstacles that prevent you from attending. It’s no surprise that money is at the top of that list, and we hope this new coffee fundraiser will provide you with an ongoing option to support your team in getting to The Orange Conference.

So, here’s the deal. You buy a minimum of 35 bags of the Orange Blend coffee at $8 each. Yes, we have our own blend! It contains specialty grade beans from Rwanda, Haiti and Thailand. Then, you’ll let your church family know that this is a fundraiser and you’ll be selling the bags for a slight profit with the proceeds to pay for Orange Conference registrations for your team. It’s as easy as that!

At this time, the program does not have a start or end date, so you may use it at your discretion to raise funds for The Orange Conference. We have negotiated this offer with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co. to be used exclusively for OC registrations, so please do not use this program for any other fundraisers.

And for those of you unfamiliar with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co., this generous java is more than just excellent coffee, it’s a resource. Both your community and rural villages around the world will benefit from your support. Proceeds will allow local leaders to influence the faith of both the next generation, and of Rwandan, Haitian and Thai coffee farmers working to restore, reconcile and rebuild their lives and families. Share in this journey. Drink Coffee. Do Good.

For more information, visit our website.

To order your coffee, visit Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co.

And if you’d like to learn more about Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, check out these two videos:

Engaging Redemption Through Coffee

Small Things with a Big Impact

Or, download a PDF to share with your ministry team: LOTH Mission Overview