We will be meeting October 20-22 at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, WI. The North Central Jurisdiction is inviting us all to spend time together “By the Lake.” During our time by the lake, we will have lots of time for conversations with colleagues and challenge ourselves to move from an ethic of scarcity to that of opportunity.
The Executive Committee and I have been thoughtful about our community’s time together and I’m excited to share more about it with you! We have changed our agenda a bit this year. But, just as we have the past few years, you can see from the attached agenda that our time together is an intentional mix of learning and fellowship.
We begin Monday at 1:30 with an opening session as a full group to hear from guest speaker Rev. Mike Slaughter, pastor emeritus and global church ambassador for Ginghamsburg Church UMC, in Tipp City, OH. Rev. Slaughter served for nearly four decades as the lead pastor and chief dreamer of Ginghamsburg and the spiritual entrepreneur of ministry marketplace innovations.
Following our opening session, we will move into our Peer Group Conversations. We will have spaces for these groups:
- Controllers/Treasurers/CFOs
- Learning Leaders/Grant Staff
- Development/Planned Giving Staff – New!
- Communication/Marketing Staff*
- Executive Directors/CEOs
Tuesday, our day begins with our Business Meeting, followed by a plenary session during which we’ll hear from Bishop Dan Schwerin, bishop of the Northern Illinois – Wisconsin Episcopal Area. Tuesday afternoon we will participate in our “Learn and Connect Sessions” featuring our friends and sponsors, creating opportunities for us to learn new practices and be inspired by what’s working in other places.
Wednesday morning we will learn from one another through a series of Ted-talks given by members of the NAUMF community. The learning continues through the afternoon as we spend time with a topic being addressed across our connection – Church Property/Real Estate Transformation. Our time together will conclude with a closing reception Wednesday evening.
Here are a couple of special invitations:
- *Communication and Marketing Staff are invited to a pre-conference gathering, Monday at 9:00 am. You may register to attend this gathering during your registration.
- We also have opportunities for spouses to have some fun around Lake Geneva! Spouse activities are planned for Tuesday morning and our resort boasts a host of activities for guests. You may register to attend this gathering during your registration.
Go to this link to register for the meeting.
Communications Gathering
If you are a communications or marketing professional, you may want to know more about a special opportunity just for you. We’re hosting a Communications Gathering the morning before the annual meeting begins—and it’s free to attend! Please note that you must be registered for the NAUMF Annual Meeting to be eligible to attend this session.
The communications gathering will take place on Monday, October 20, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon.
We’ve been fortunate to secure Lauren Davis as our facilitator—a nationally recognized marketing and branding expert and founder of Lauren Davis Creative. Lauren helps mission-driven professionals craft impactful messages that drive deep engagement and long-term support. She comes highly recommended by the Wisconsin and Midwest UMF presidents, who met her at a digital marketing seminar earlier this year. Thanks to NAUMF for sponsoring our speaker.
This interactive three-hour session will be shaped by you! When you register, be sure to check the box for the communications/marketing session so that you’ll receive a brief survey to help us plan content that’s most relevant and valuable to you.