I still enjoy meeting new hotels and being surprised by innovations, no matter how small, like the plasma screen with a fireplace video in the lobby of Houston’s sleek Hotel Derek or the rainforest showers in the Hotel ZaZa. Historic hotels have their own pleasures, especially the luxury of lush gardens and ornate buildings, like Pasadena’s Langham Hotel.

Nothing, however, matches the first time I saw Atlanta’s iconic (you can hardly write about it without using this word) Hyatt Regency. I fell in love. I became aware of architect John Portman and his 1967 hotel about the same time I read Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead.” It was all too much romance for a young, idealistic student. I moved to Atlanta from New York City, where I had seen slides and heard about the hotel in a class on modern architecture.

The building was the first hotel constructed around an atrium, and I remember stepping into the vast, cool, soaring space from the heat of a Georgia summer. There were birds in large cages, plants and trees — and noise. At the time, I couldn’t afford to eat in the revolving Polaris restaurant atop the building, but I did ride the elevator pod to the top to see the inside of the signature blue dome.

While the hotel has undergone many changes in 40-some odd years, during which it has gone from nouveau to retro, it’s about to get a major update. More than $60 million in renovations are scheduled between now and 2013. The main lobby closed this week for removal of its fan-shaped floor tile, which dates back to its opening, as well as the giant planters and the original 18,000-pound canopy over the elevators. A glass wall is planned that will open up the lobby, as well as a kiosk-like front desk that will replace the giant front desk. Plans for the Polaris — the blue dome is now dwarfed by newer towers but remains an Atlanta landmark — are being kept under wraps. I can’t wait for the surprise, and this time I’m definitely going up for dinner.

Barna Group research indicates that the average church has taken less of a financial hit than the typical for-profit organization during the past two years. However, an emerging trend among corporations may challenge the ability of many churches to maintain their existing ministry in coming years.

Numerous companies cut back on staff as the economy tanked. But the new pattern is that many companies are finding their cost-cutting measures, driven by staff reductions, have been so effective — i.e., profitable — that they are now planning further rounds of personnel reductions. Still other organizations, convinced they can cut back no further, now believe a lean work force is a productive work force and thus do not plan to rehire laid-off employees or fill vacant positions. These scenarios spell financial hardship for a large number of unemployed or underemployed workers.

How will churches handle this? Hopefully, by doing what they can to support their people who are struggling financially and by expanding their lay ministry efforts. As churches experience a continuation of diminished revenue during a period of increased congregational needs, the pressure to replace departed staff with volunteer labor will grow.

Without meaning to be insensitive to the difficulties experienced by those who are casualties of the reduction in fulltime and part-time ministry jobs, the diminished number of and reliance upon professional clergy is in the long-term best interests of the body of Christ. In the midst of this transition, it is important for the body of believers to honor and assist those who have lost paid ministry positions. But for the overall health of the church, recognizing laypeople’s gifts and the value of using those abilities in service to others can only strengthen the church. The transition to a more streamlined, lay-led church body is a painful shift, but one that will bear long-term fruit for the church if properly understood, orchestrated and supported.

Read more about using volunteers at your event in “Helping Hands” in the upcoming October issue of Rejuvenate.

George Barna is the founder of The Barna Group, an organization that provides research services and resources to organizations in both the for-profit and nonprofit arenas. Its primary focus is trying to understand and explain the intersection of faith and culture, to help churches, parachurch ministries and individuals navigate the complex but rewarding dimension of faith. He will be speaking at Rejuvenate Marketplace in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 18-21. Read more at his blog.

People often give lip service to emergency preparedness but how many of us really take it seriously? No one else I met had bothered to identify exits before they left their rooms. Emergency preparedness is a major consideration for meeting planners, right? We talk about it; we include force majeure clauses in our contracts; we get emergency contact information from our attendees. But, are we really taking it seriously?

“Few meetings have emergency procedures in place,” says Joan Eisenstodt, who raised the subject at a recent seminar. “After 9/11, we thought our industry would rise to the top, then interest went down. With Katrina, [the attitude was that] it was only about New Orleans. People think ‘nothing bad has ever happened at our meetings.’”

Preparing for major disasters also seems beyond our capabilities. Hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist attacks and now solar storms? According to a story in The New York Times, solar activity is yet another disaster in the making. It’s tempting to shrug off the possibility of major power outages resulting from solar storms. After all, how much can anyone prepare for such threats, whether climate related or manmade? Even promoters of races like the Mojave Desert race this past weekend that resulted in eight deaths and numerous injuries reportedly said they couldn’t afford the manpower to keep spectators behind designated safety lines.

What can you do? Start with making sure the meeting facility and hotels have an emergency evacuation plan that is well marked. Develop an emergency communication plan for staff and attendees. You need to make sure everyone involved in your event is familiar with the measures you have put in place — from the obvious but often overlooked need to make sure exit doors are not blocked in crowded meeting rooms, which was the case in a few seminar rooms at our own conference, to identifying where other exits are located. Then, work through other scenarios. Make sure food services have health plans and precautions in place to guard against food-borne illnesses. Identify the location and transportation plans to the closest emergency room. Include all information in the housekeeping session before every meeting. More practical application can be found in the Rejuvenate article Manage Risk: Create a Plan.

Joan Eisenstodt will be talking about this subject and more in “Meetings Beyond Logistics” at Rejuvenate Marketplace, Oct. 18-21, 2010, in Louisville, Ky.

Representatives from destination marketing organizations around the world convened at the Destination Marketing Association’s International Annual Convention in a steamy Fort Lauderdale at the end of July. With a tropical storm moving towards them, they got a reminder of one of the challenges that can scare away visitors — threatening weather. During the closing general session on Friday morning, July 23, the noise from winds blowing over the roof of the Westin Diplomat Convention Center competed with the speaker. Fortunately, the storm proved to be more sound than fury and few attendees were inconvenienced by delayed flights as they left the event.

Weather always has been a factor that meeting planners have to consider when choosing dates, destinations and activities. But today there is so much more to contend with.

“I was trained by CVBs when I came up — this was where you went for information,” said Chuck Potter, meetings manager for the American Animal Hospital Association, who sat on a panel discussing empowerMint.com, DMAI’s initiative to develop a complete destination web portal and historical database. “Now, I have websites, hotel sites, print material, events and past experience. I can and do use all these sources, but processing this information takes time. I’m working through 2019 now … researching three to four cities a year takes a lot of time. Drilling down through all the websites and all, how do I get verifiable profiles?”

Potter’s comments resonate with most of us. How do we drill down through all the information coming at us from all directions?  How do we find, as Potter said, the diamonds in the rough. “I know the major cities,” he said. “How do I find the lesser known cities that have value … the ones that I may have overlooked or missed?”

We, too, sort through a dizzying array of information to find gems, whether nuggets of wisdom shared by fellow planners and industry professionals, or new places discovered by our writers. We collect tips, look for trends, present case studies from events like yours, share inspiration and experiences from fellow planners and industry leaders, and talk to business leaders outside the industry to get fresh perspectives on technology, best practices and strategies.

At the 2010 Rejuvenate Marketplace in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 18-21, attendees will find educational sessions designed to help them drill down through the overload and learn how to use the information highway to their advantage. We’re also committed to making sure the sun shines inside, no matter what the weather brings.

Hope to see you there. There’s still time to register.

Today marks 100 days since the April 20 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. For Florida’s tourism industry, it’s been a difficult time — attempting to combat misperceptions that our beaches are covered in oil and working diligently to provide open, transparent information to visitors so they could make truly informed travel planning decisions. Although the well has been capped, there remains a very real and constantly expanding impact to Florida’s economy — of which our $60 billion tourism industry is the driving force.

While the oil spill situation and its ensuing fallout have been challenging for Visit Florida, I am extremely proud of the success of our marketing response efforts to date.  Perhaps the best thing to come from this tragedy so far is the addition of Florida Live as a permanent feature on our website. First introduced on May 11, Florida Live was created to be a real-time resource for visitors to see for themselves what’s happening in Florida. In the beginning, it consisted of live webcam images from various locations around the state, Twitter feeds from local tourism organizations and date-stamped photos by fans sharing their favorite Florida experiences. Since then, we have added a host of additional content, including videos of the day, blog posts, vacation deals, worry-free reservation information, daily travel updates and — new this week, daily fishing reports.

To read more from Seccombe, read the rest of his blog here. For more on the oil spill and Gulf Coast meetings, read the latest stories on the Rejuvenate website.

By Douglas Plank

There is a new town square and faith-based organizations need to have a visible — and I would argue — leadership position in it. Historically, people have congregated in town squares to interact with one another, to celebrate, and to seek accurate and important information affecting their community. It is where people seek assistance, look for opportunity and ultimately seek truth. The town square is where people were called to action to address emergencies, save lives, save souls. Often the town square revolved around the church building or synagogue. Today, however, many places of faith are about to miss out on the most significant change occurring in the town square — and it resides at the fingertips of most everyone they serve.

The “new town square” is mobile. It’s as convenient as your hand. And just like the more traditional town square, the new mobile town square has vendors, shops and various commercial interests popping up and surrounding it, creating an economy of commerce, philanthropy and influence. Commercial and social interests are already utilizing mobile devices, due to their ease of use, increasing bandwidth and smartphone capabilities.

So what presence does the church, ministry, synagogue, etc., have in the new town square?  For most, the answer is nothing or a minimal presence at best. Unfortunately, if faith-based organizations don’t act quickly and with clear intention there will be huge opportunities missed — both in monetary support and ultimately in the loyalty of those they serve.

The Numbers

A growing majority of the world’s population owns a mobile phone. In developing nations, often the first communication device a person will possess is a cell phone — not a computer or land line. Consider the truth and opportunity these numbers represent in the context of needing to influence and serve local and global communities via mobile:

In the U.S. alone there are:

257 million data capable mobile devices in consumer hands

5 billion text messages are sent each day

1.5 billion text messages were sent in 2009

91 percent of U.S. population has a cell phone

Globally:

67 percent estimated to have a mobile device

2.4 billion people actively use text messaging (74 percent of mobile phone users)

Global text messaging projected to exceed 2 trillion in 2010

If faith-based organizations (of all sizes) don’t begin to pay attention to, and quickly embrace, this rapid change, the space available and opportunity to earn a place in the new town square will fade. In a relatively short period of time the mobile device will become crowded, and your message may not be as easily heard or acted on.

Most churches and ministries desire to serve people in need — locally and globally. Utilizing SMS and PSMS mobile tools (text messaging) greatly enhances the scope and ease of communicating, supporting financially, empowering and serving people.

As a person who has helped raise funds for more than 30 years, I am very bullish on integrating mobile into our standard tried and true fundraising tools. Remember when online giving lifted its head in the late 1990s? Or earlier yet, remember when there were discussions about what role (if any) e-mail would play in traditional partner/donor identification, cultivation, engagement and solicitation? Those two tools alone have had a huge positive impact on ministry and faith-based enterprises. What church, ministry, or institution of faith doesn’t have a website, use e-mail or isn’t already utilizing or considering online giving and/or social media (Facebook, posting sermons on YouTube, etc.)?

How do you start?

Start with the basics. Just like building your e-mail list, start building a mobile list. Get the mobile numbers of those attending, serving, supporting and benefiting your place of worship. There are easy opt-in requirements established by the mobile industry designed to prevent spam while ensuring the quality and right to communicate via mass text messages. So build your text broadcasting lists to share a weekly encouraging word, devotional, announce an upcoming study or share a verse/short prayer. Use broadcast texting to alert parents that the youth group’s arrival is delayed an hour due to traffic. In emergencies have the ability to communicate important messages to your entire list, including linking to a website for more detailed information.

Another mobile benefit is the ability to interact with a live audience in your place of worship, online, via TV or radio. Ask for opinions about important issues, needs or general topics. Questions for the minister, rabbi or staff engages your members in a meaningful way that leads to trust and familiarity and participation.

The new town square can help ministries spread their message in their town or even across the globe. Remember the numbers and don’t miss out on your ministry’s chance to enter the mobile town square.

Douglas Plank is the CEO of MobileCause, a leading web service for mobile donor engagement and fundraising. Its simple-to-use web service bring text-message fundraising, communication, micro-billing, macro billing, and text polling over SMS, Twitter, and SMTP to nonprofits.

Dean Jones' Nashville Home

As the day progressed, we worked diligently and made great progress, never thinking we were personally in danger. Late afternoon arrived and we began making plans to leave, loading our vehicle with irreplaceable pictures, childhood videos, etc. We consulted with other neighbors about their plans to evacuate. A quick survey of our house revealed about 6 inches of water in our garage; the only road into our street was impassable with 3 to 4 feet of water. Plan B was to leave through a chain-link fence at the end of our cul-de-sac, but that route also was impassable, so now to plan C.

Plan C didn’t exist! As a planner, I almost always have a plan B (car loaded, bolt cutters to cut through chain-link fence, cell phone charged, etc.), but I didn’t think plan C was needed. I was wrong. The water had risen to 5 feet in my garage and was now only about 3 inches from my front door. The Army Corps of Engineers had opened an upstream dam and the water level rose rapidly. Several families met in the street — now 2 feet deep in water — and we discussed our next steps.

We had to leave, but we had no way out. There had been no warning, no evacuation order. Everything from the car had to be moved back into the house to the highest possible location. A neighbor had called 911 and requested a boat. The rescue boat, in reality, was a bass boat owned by a downstream neighbor who was simply volunteering to help.

Rejuvenate photographer Tammy Gentuso documented her neighborhood's plight

About 6:30 p.m., we waded to our neighbor’s back deck to wait for the boat to arrive. My family boarded, as did others throughout the evening, and we were taken about a mile upstream to begin an uncertain journey. Sometime Monday afternoon the river crested at 53 ½ feet — more than 5 feet above flood stage. Three days later we were able to return to our home, again by boat, to survey the damage. The water level had risen more than 4 feet in our home and about 10 feet in our garage. My wife and I entered our house to find most of our possessions in ruins, covered in mud and sludge, and both our vehicles totally submerged. And so the recovery begins.

We currently are living in a basement apartment in a friend’s home. Volunteers arrived as soon as the roads were passable and the demolition began. Possessions were sorted and discarded. Our home is being rebuilt and we hope to move back sometime in August. As with every experience, the lesson learned is that the only things that really matter in life are faith, family and friends. Stuff can be replaced, if necessary, to BF (before flood) levels.

Be careful out there (and wear your life jacket),

Dean Jones
Conference manager for Rejuvenate Marketplace

Jones’ neighbor and Rejuvenate photographer Tammy Gentuso covered her neighborhood’s plight, which included the flooding of her home church, children’s school, and friends’ and family’s homes. Her touching images of a community uniting and regrouping together can be viewed at nashvilleflood2010.showitsite.com.

CVBs have a wealth of knowledge about the venue options, attractions, services and value opportunities in their destinations, including what’s coming online in the future. Enlist them early, inform them when you select hotels and activities, and find out what other extras they can offer, like maps, airport greetings, volunteers, etc. Provide as much history about your event as possible, as well as any new requirements or wish lists.

You can start now by reading our Special CVB Showcase Section (page 55). The destinations featured in this section are our advertising partners and have chosen to be in this showcase issue because they are interested in your faith-based meetings. They have experience and special services tailored to your attendees, and are eager to host your events.

Attracting younger members is another major topic of interest to planners. Associate Editor Jennifer Garrett interviewed our cover subject, Jonathan Merritt, who offers a fresh, faith-based take on green meetings in “Green Like God” (page 20). In “Higher Goals” (page 24), contributor Marc Boisclair writes about the spiritual growth that’s fostered with team-building adventures, a big draw for youth conferences.

Campus meetings are not just for younger members, though they are a good way to attract a college-bound audience. Staff writer Libby Hoppe points out the many benefits these special venues offer in “On Campus” (page 30). On our final page, guest writer Joanna Eitel shares her surprising experience with an event for young adults in “Spontaneous Eruption” (page 168).

Christine Born
Editorial Director
CBorn@CollinsonMedia.com

They all confirmed the value their members receive from their own face-to-face meetings. While education is a very important component, most agreed networking opportunities provide the greatest satisfaction and inspiration to attendees.

People want to get together. They want to gather, share stories and gain bits of wisdom in an environment that supports their common interests, respecting their experience and values.

Rejuvenate Marketplace, the brainchild of family-owned Collinson Media & Events, was created to provide that opportunity to faith-based planners. Its mission statement is to serve the industry through innovative education and powerful networking with the goal of helping our partners exceed their expectations.

The educational seminars, which range from boot camps geared to both novice and veteran planners to ethics discussions, feature many Rejuvenate columnists and contributors. Faith-based planners get a special perspective from presenters like Tommy Keown of LifeWay and keynote speakers. (George Barna of the Barna Research Group and Andrew Young, elder statesman and pastor, spoke at previous Rejuvenate Marketplace events.)

The reverse trade show features 6-minute appointments.

Our signature “reverse” trade show is a welcome alternative for both planners and suppliers who don’t want to walk a trade show floor. They meet in 6-minute, pre-set appointments, arranged by our “matchmaking” staff based on each party’s requirements and needs. Past attendees say they are very satisfied with the results; many come away with future event sites set or, at least, excellent prospects.

Entertainment also fits the bill for this faith-based audience. Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, the high-energy, horn-driven big band group, brought their special perspective on Christian music to last year’s Rejuvenate Marketplace. Gospel singer CeCe Winans provided a rousing ending to the 2008 event, bringing the audience to their feet. This year, Grammy-award winning gospel and soul singer Kirk Franklin will close out the 2010 Rejuvenate Marketplace, Oct. 21, in Louisville, Ky.

We invite faith-based planners looking for their own opportunity to meet with their peers to join us for inspiration, learning and networking at this year’s Rejuvenate Marketplace, Oct. 18-21, in Louisville. It’s an event created just for you from a company that shares your values.

Visit the events page for registration information, videos and testimonials about the event.

I joined my sister for the weekend at Sandestin, where she had tacked on a weekend stay after attending a Family Law Institute conference at the resort, and we came across quite a few other people who did the same from her conference and from other events finishing up or starting during the weekend at the Hilton Sandestin and Linkside conference centers on the expansive property. Between all the convention attendees and the hoards of families in town for Memorial Day, it seemed to us like any other beautiful summer weekend in the Beaches of South Walton. We ate at some of our favorite restaurants and even tried YOLO boarding on the bay. Our only worries were the storm clouds that came in and out throughout the weekend.

While it was encouraging to see the beaches packed, everyone around seemed to echo the same concerns we’ve been reporting since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig started gushing oil back in April: When will the leak be stopped and will visitors keep coming with so much uncertainty? Unfortunately in both cases, it seems only time will tell.

But I encourage you to join me in this duty and take a relaxing trip to the beach — or even more importantly, keep meeting there. Thousands of people depend on tourism and meeting dollars for their livelihood along the Gulf Coast and need our support.