Preconference Session:

Children's Ministry Leaders are invited to attend intensive training sessions during the afternoon on Friday. Designed specifically for individuals charged with giving leadership to a ministry or program, these will help you expand and deepen both your own leadership and your ministry's impact.

Choose from one of five Training Camp Sessions. You don't need to be registered for the Upswing Children's Ministry Conference to attend the pre-conference training sessions (but we know that you'll want to stay for the weekend once you’re here).

Drama and Storytelling (Jeff Smith)
A two part series that will help you be more creative and effective in your ministry. Get out of the Boat!: A biblical view at our mandate to walk on water! An outside the boatload-full look at ways to be more creative in our approach to teaching and sharing God's Word. You'll never say 'never' again.

Telling the Old, Old Story in a New, New Way: Applications of the creative process to bringing Bible stories and Bible characters to life to a post-modern culture.

KidMax Live (Jason Noble)
KidsMax Live is a three-day kids' event that churches can do on a local level. It has high energy services with video driven backgrounds, music, props, dramas and stories, featuring Max – full body, larger-than-life Puppet that is fully remote controlled. During this preconference session you will learn about KidMax Live outreaches and how you can build a team to lead them in your local church.

Children in Canada are in your Backyard! (Shelley Campagnola)
"Children reveal the heart of a society; its priorities, values, hopes, weaknesses, etc." This session is based on a recently completed year long research project studying the church, mission, Canadian culture and children. Together we will explore some of the perspectives and contexts that are shaping the worldview and life experiences of children in Canada toward evaluating and aligning our ministry to, with, and for, children with God's mission through his church.

Plan to Protect (Melodie Bissel)
Getting ready to implement or revise your church's abuse prevention procedures? Plan to Protect III was published in 2007 and is being adopted by a number of denominations and organizations as the new standard abuse prevention model for churches. Come and hear from one of the co-authors, the additions and changes to the policy, how you can implement it in your church as well as how churches can effectively navigate the risk and liability issues that they face.