General Assembly Update

The General Assembly is for all Disciples. You can help promote the upcoming General Assembly in a variety of ways. Various Assembly promotional materials, including a press release, Indianapolis tourism details, and downloadable full- and half-page color ads are available for use in newsletters, church bulletins and on web sites. The material can be found under "Promotion Material" at the General Assembly website: www.disciples.org/ga.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS

Are you looking for cost-saving ways to attend the 2009 General Assembly? One of the best means of stretching your GA dollar is to take advantage of early registration discounts that extend through January 31, 2009. Adults who register before the January deadline can save $25 off the full Assembly registration cost. Discounts also are available for youth, young adults, seminarians and Indiana (host) registrants. Check out www.disciples.org/ga for more information.Remember that registration is not required for pre-school and school age children. However, parents can register their children online to participate in age-appropriate programming, such as arts and crafts, children's worship and field trips and pay only $80 for that option.

• Register Online - It's easy and fast. The quickest way to register for the General Assembly is online. Using the online system, you may register groups and make one payment. If you cannot complete the registration process in one sitting, online registration allows you to continue the process at a later time.
• Fax It - You may fax your registration. To do this, first download a General Assembly registration form by visiting www.disciples.org/ga and clicking on the "Registration" link. Print the form and fax it to 317-713-2417. Remember to include your credit card information.
• Mail It - Don't forget that you can still mail in registrations. To do this, you need to download and print the registration form, fill it out and mail it to 2009 General Assembly, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Discounted registrations must be received on or before January 31, 2009.

Please note that French, Spanish and Korean versions of the registration form will be available online in early January. These forms can be downloaded, faxed or mailed to the 2009 General Assembly address.

DISCIPLES YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL ASPECTS OF ASSEMBLY

Activities for youth are always an important part of General Assembly. Lots of plans are underway for youth events that will invite and inspire young people to participate in all aspects of Assembly. Special room space is being designed as places where youth can hang out, relax and reflect. There also will be cool "eye openers" and "eye closers" for youth, highlighted by great speakers and a concert. Disciples youth will play a role in each worship service and participate in the all-Assembly Wholeness Café. There will be a "Shadow a Disciples Leader" program for youth, mission opportunities, plus youth-friendly Learning Tracks and Resource Groups. To learn more, go to www.disciples.org/ga and click on "Youth at the Assembly."

Assembly Hotels are Just Minutes from Convention Center

Thousands of quality, affordable rooms have been contracted at eight Indianapolis hotels for the 2009 General Assembly. All of the hotels are within short walking distance of the Indiana Convention Center, where nearly all Assembly events will take place. Four of the hotels are located directly across the street from the convention center, and some are connected to the center by skywalk.

Rooms range from $115 to $137, and must be reserved before June 24, 2009 to get the special Assembly rate. Housing reservations can be made online, by fax, mail or telephone. All housing requests made using the housing form will be handled by the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau. To reserve a room or get more information, visit www.disciples.org/ga and click on the "Housing" link.

Begin Now To Offset Your Travel Miles To General Assembly

Congregations are asked to support the Church in its efforts to green the General Assembly and help offset travel mileage to Indianapolis. Once you figure out your roundtrip mileage from your residence to Indianapolis, ask others to bank GA mileage offsets by walking, biking, carpooling or busing. For each new mile they travel through alternative means (or don't travel due to carpooling), that mile counts toward your offset. Keep track of the alternative miles traveled on a spreadsheet or post a graph in a visible location to mark the congregation's progress.

For more information, download the "Offset Your Travel To The Assembly" guide by visiting www.disciples.org/ga and clicking on the "Keeping it 'Green'" link.