2023 MÂCHÉ Convention

Our 2023 MÂCHÉ Convention speakers have been chosen! Thank you to everyone that submitted an application! As you know we get so many amazing speaker packets each year, unfortunately, we cannot accommodate everyone. If you were not chosen for the 2023 speaker line up, please consider re-applying in future years. If you did submit a speaker packet, we will keep it on file and review it again next year. Questions? Please email speakers@mache.org.

Exhibitor registration is open, however, we do have a waiting list starting for exhibitors that we are unable to accommodate this year. If you did not participate in the 2022 convention, please submit your request through info@mache.org. Our exhibit hall coordinator will provide you with instructions to apply for the 2023 convention. Please note that although we are back at the Mayo Civic Center, we do have limited space for our vendor hall this year. MÂCHÉ reserves the right to choose exhibitors, not all applications for participation are granted.

MÂCHÉ also welcomes advertising year-round. You can register your request by following this link here.

 

 

*Denotes featured speakers for 2023 - these speakers may also be affiliated with an exhibitor

**Denotes sponsors for our 2023 convention - we are ever so grateful to our sponsors to help us provide an enriching homeschool convention!

 

**Abeka www.abeka.com

Alexa Claire Photography https://alexaclairephotography.mypixieset.com/

Ambassador College of Bible & Ministry  www.ambassadorcollege.education

American Heritage Girls https://www.americanheritagegirls.org/

*Amy Buckmeyer https://hslda.org/bio/amy-buchmeyer

*Angela O'Dell https://angelaodell.com/

Bethany Lutheran College www.blc.edu

BJU Press Homeschool/HomeWorks by Precept  www.homeworksbyprecept.com

Bob Jones University https://www@bju.edu/

*Bryan Davis – Author http://www.daviscrossing.com

Camp Nathanael www.campnathanael.com

*Candice Dugger https://candicedugger.com/index.html

**Chick-Fil-A https://www.chick-fil-a.com/

Children’s Music Academy https://childrensmusicacademy.org/brooklyn-park-mn/

Christian Light Education https://www.clp.org/

*Chuck Black https://www.chuckblack.com/kingdom-series-books

College Path Guidance https://collegepathguidance.com/

Creating A Masterpiece  www.creatingamasterpiece.com

**Crown College www.crown.edu

*Dana Blomberg www.faith.edu

Demme Learning www.demmelearning.com

DPC Books www.dpcornelius.com

Dr. Mark Hamby https://www.markhamby.net/

DriveSafeRideSafe LLC www.drivesaferidesafe.com

Dunwoody College https://dunwoodycollege.edu/

Faith Baptist Bible College www.faith.edu

Foundation Of Character http://thepollardtribe.blogspot.com/

Free Lutheran Bible College https://flbc.edu/

PaperPie https://funofreading.com/

Grand Canyon University http://gce.com/

*Gretchen Roe www.demmelearning.com

HEPPNER'S LEGACY Homeschool Resources www.legacyhomeschool.com

Home School Legal Defense Association www.hslda.org

*Jared Dodd https://jareddodd.com/

*Josh & Jen Mulvihill https://gospelshapedfamily.com/

*Julie Noraker https://www.northacreshomeschool.com/

*Kirk Cameron https://www.kirkcameron.com/acr

Lamplighter Ministries www.lamplighter.net

**LearningRx www.learningrx.com

MCGT CHOICES https://mcgt.net/choices

*Mark Hancock http://TrailLifeUSA.com

MasterBooks https://www.masterbooks.com/

Memoria Press https://www.memoriapress.com/

Miller Pads & Paper, LLC www.millerpadsandpaper.com

Minnesota North State College https://minnesotanorth.edu/

Minnesotans for Health Parental Rights Foundation http://www.mnrights.org/

**Minuteman Press https://www.minutemanpress.com/

*Nancy Bjorkman https://legacyhomeschool.com/

NCFCA Christian Speech & Debate www.ncfca.org

New Kingdom Healthcare https://www.newkingdomwellness.com/

North Central Camp Cherith www.camp-cherith.com

North Central University www.northcentral.edu

Northwest Treasures https://northwestrockandfossil.com/

Opening the 10/40 Window in the Classroom https://openingthe1040window.org/

*Patrick Nurre https://northwestrockandfossil.com/

Pensacola Christian College www.pcci.edu

Perfect Praise Publishing www.KingdomSeries.com

Pine Technical and Community College https://www.pine.edu/

Play 'n Talk Phonics & Spelling https://playntalk.com/

Portals https://www.portalsacademy.com/

**Renewanation https://www.renewanation.org/

RightStart Mathematics www.RightStartMath.com

**Sonlight Curriculum www.sonlight.com

Teaching Textbooks www.teachingtextbooks.com

**The Wilderness Fellowship Ministries www.wildernessfellowship.com

The Works People http://theworkspeople.com/

**Trail Life USA http://TrailLifeUSA.com

Truth and Life Ministries ~ No website

**University of Northwestern www.unwsp.edu

Village Schools of the Bible www.villageschoolsofthebible.org

WellnessHome101 https://wellnesshome101.com/

Youth With A Mission https://www.ywam-mn.org/

YWAM Publishing www.ywampublishing.com

Registration will open February 1st for all Missional and Family Partners. If you are not a member already, consider joining MÂCHÉ to be able to take advantage of the best discounts and early access! This will be available to our members as a special benefit.

Beginning February 16th, all subscribers and general admissions will be available to register. You don't want to miss our convention in 2023!

We will not have on-site registration. The registration will be a per person rate as it has been for the last 2 years. Plan accordingly to save your seat in 2023.

Convention Registration Fees:

Family & Missional Partners - $50/person (this rate accounts for the 20 % partner discount)

Subscriber & General Admission - $62.50/person (no discount applied)

Youth rate (ages 19 months – 12 years) - $30 per child

Children 18 months or younger are FREE

Add On Events:

Teen Track - $35 per student 12 years or older. This registration includes the book Four Powerful Words in Apologetics, consumable worksheets, and admission to this two-day event.

Campfire Revival with Kirk Cameron, sponsored by Trail Life USA with guests Mark Hancock & Wild Bros - Friday, May 19th from 7-9 pm – a whole family experience - $25/person

Men’s Breakfast Saturday, May 20th 7-8:25 am with presentation by Mark Hancock - $10/person

Support Group Leaders Luncheon Friday, May 19th from 12:15-2:00 pm - $10/person – All support group board members are welcome! This is a great opportunity to connect with other support group leaders to be encouraged, share resources, and fellowship with one another. You don't want to miss it!

As questions begin to pop up, we will add them to this FAQ. We have found that if you have a question then so does someone else. If you do not find an answer to a question, please pose the question either on social media's MÂCHÉ convention page or email info@mache.org

Add-Ons

Q: What does the term 'Add-Ons' refer to?
A: 'Add-ons' are the events or products such as Teen Track, Men's Breakfast, Campfire Revival, and Support Group Leaders Luncheon. You will need to register separately for these events. There is limited space, or head count needed so register early to ensure you are included.

Audio 

Q: Will the workshops be recorded? Will there be a special discount if purchasing at the time of registration or during the convention?
A: Yes, the workshops will be recorded. Yes, if you purchase the audio bundle either at the time of registration or during the convention weekend, there will be a discount.

CEU's

Q: Will I be able to get a certificate for CEU's this year?
A: Yes, we will have two different CEU certificates. If you will only be able to attend one day of the convention we will have an 8 hour CEU certificate. If you complete the whole weekend, we will have a 16 hour CEU certificate. Please visit the MÂCHÉ booth on Saturday afternoon after 2pm to get a copy of your CEU certificate.

Coat Check

Q: Will there be a coat check this year?
A: Yes, there will be a coat check this year! We are excited to offer this service once again. You will be able to store your purchases and strollers at the coat check area of the building. Please find location of the coat check indicated in the convention program.

Exhibit Hall

Q: Will there be a full exhibit hall of experienced vendors?
A: Yes. We are excited to have full capacity for exhibitors this year. Be sure to check back after the 1st of the year for exhibitor listings.

Q: What are the open hours for the exhibit hall this year?
A: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm, Friday/Saturday

Food & Drinks

Q: Will there be a cafeteria? Will there be food and drink onsite? What are my food options?
A: Yes, there will be onsite eating options. Stay tuned for updates.

Nursing Moms

Q: Will there be a room for nursing moms at convention?
A: Yes, you will find signs at the venue to direct you to the nursing mom location on site.

Parking

Q: Will there be parking onsite? Does it cost anything?
A: Yes, there will be parking available. Pricing TBD

Refunds

Q: What if I can no longer attend the convention, can I get a refund?
A: MÂCHÉ does not offer refunds of fees for membership or other MÂCHÉ sponsored events outside of the convention registration. If for any reason you must cancel your convention registration, MÂCHÉ will refund your registration upon written notification of cancellation on or before 30 days prior to the convention, minus a $25 processing fee. No refunds will be offered after that time period. Transfers of a convention registration may be made to another person, but you will process this transfer on your own. MÂCHÉ would also appreciate knowing who has purchased your registration so that it does not cause confusion at the registration tables the day of convention. Please note that your MACHE membership is not transferable.

Registration 

Q: When will registration open for the 2023 MÂCHÉ Convention?
A: February 1, 2023, for Family & Missional Partners; February 16, 2023, for all MÂCHÉ subscribers and non-subscribers.

Q: Will there be a limit to the number of attendees this year?
A: We are excited to say that we do NOT have a cap on registration this year! Onsite registration will not be offered. Please plan accordingly to purchase your tickets in advance. We are so excited to open it up to so many more people.

Q: Does the registration fee include my spouse?
A: Registration is per person. This means that you will need to register everyone individually who will be attending the convention. This helps us keep better track of our needs and participation. Children under 18 months of age are FREE. Please note: Teen Track is a separate event. More information will be available on the Teen Track page. If your student will participate in Teen Track, you will ONLY pay for his or her Teen Track registration.

Q: Will there be on-site registration?
A: No, we will not have on-site registration this year. Please plan accordingly to have pre-purchased your admissions prior to May 14th.

Silent Auction

Q: Will there be a Silent Auction at convention this year?
A: We would LOVE to have a silent auction in 2023. If the Lord puts in upon your heart to volunteer to help coordinate this area of the convention, please be sure to email volunteers@mache.org and let us know. It takes many hands to run the convention, and without leadership in some areas we have to put those great opportunities on hold until we fill specific roles.

Strollers

Q: Will strollers be allowed?
A: MÂCHÉ has always had a no stroller policy. If, however, you have a health issue that requires the use of a stroller for your child, please email info@mache.org with the details. This will allow us to plan accordingly. We will consider the situation on a case by case basis. Under these circumstances you will be given a special stroller tag so that the security team will know it has been approved by MÂCHÉ. All other strollers will be parked by the coat check location.

Teen Track

Q: Will there be a program for my students between the ages of 12-18?
A: Yes! Details are being gathered. Be sure to check back in early 2023 for more information.

Q: Do I need to register my Teen Track student for a general admissions as well as the Teen Track registration?
A: No, you will only need to register your student for the Teen Track.

Used Books/Curriculum

Q: Will there be used books/curriculum sales at convention?
A: No, we have evaluated the option and are still not able to provide this during convention weekend. MÂCHÉ will continue to announce and provide information about local used book/curriculum sales around the area. They are becoming more numerous each year.

Volunteers

Q: Who is eligible to volunteer?
A: We ask that the volunteers be adults ages 18 years or older.

Details to be provided in early 2023!!

 

Kirk Cameron - Keynote Speaker

Kirk Cameron is known by millions as "Mike Seaver" from the 1980's hit sit-com, Growing Pains. Since then, he's invested his time and energy into faith and family-focused films, television shows, and live events. These projects include Fireproof -the marriage-centered film that became the #1 inspirational movie of the year. Kirk has also produced the documentaries, "Monumental: In Search Of America's National Treasure," "Connect," "The Way Of The Master" television series, and hundreds of live events focused on marriage, family and parenting. Kirk's new talk show, Takeaways, airs weekly on Monday nights on TBN. Recently, he's been featured in the national media for his American Campfire Revival: 100 Day Plan. ACR urges the family of faith to return to the principles that will bring blessing and protection to America. Kirk's newest feature film with the Kendrick Brothers, called Lifemark, is set to hit theaters in September 2022, and is about the value of life in the womb and the beauty of adoption. His newest documentary, The Homeschool Awakening, is in theaters on June 13th and 14th. He and his wife, Chelsea, met on the set of Growing Pains and have been married for 31 years. They have six children and host an all-expenses-paid summer camp for terminally ill children and their families called Camp Firefly.

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Dr. Mark Hamby - Keynote Speaker

For over 30 years, Dr. Mark Hamby has been bringing redemptive hope to people who are willing to take off the mask and open their hearts to the life-changing power of the Word of God. If you have heard Mark, speak you know that he loves to tell stories; but not just any kind of story—stories that disarm defenses, melt away bitterness, and lift the soul to the riches of God’s redeeming truths.

Mark is the founder and president of Lamplighter Ministries, whose mission is to make ready a people prepared for the LORD by building Christlike character one story at a time. Over the past 30 years, Mark has lead Lamplighter to publish over 250 riveting stories from the 17th to 19th-century, produced over 30 world-class audio dramas heard by millions across 34 countries, hosts the Fastened Like Nails daily radio broadcast and podcast, and is the chancellor of Lamplighter’s collegiate program, The Masters Guild.

 

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Amy Buckmeyer - Featured Speaker

A Wisconsin native, Amy Buckmeyer was homeschooled K–12 along with her four younger siblings. She developed a passion for politics while involved in Generation Joshua in high school and eventually double majored in politics & government and criminal justice at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee.

Upon graduation, Amy returned to Wisconsin where she worked as a field director for Americans for Prosperity. She later received her JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she served as president of the Federalist Society and articles editor of the Wisconsin Law Review.

Now, at HSLDA, Amy serves as the contact attorney for 11 states.

Amy loves to travel, and, in addition to Wisconsin and Tennessee, has lived in Idaho, Colorado, England, Thailand, and now Virginia. When not at work, you can usually find her buried in a book (she averages over 200 a year), traveling, or failing to kill her 9 jade plants.

 

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Angela O'Dell - Featured Speaker

Angela O'Dell is a veteran homeschool mom, who loves to invest in the lives of homeschooling families. She is the author of the America’s Story 1-3, The World’s Story 1-3, and the Math Lessons for a Living Education series, all of which are published through Master Books. She holds certifications in Child Development and Family Biblical Life Coach, with a special focus on adolescence through the teen years, and a Master Level Certification in Leadership Coaching.  Angela’s ultimate passion is teaching and training hearts and minds to find the answers for our generation in the never changing truth of God and His Word.

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Bryan Davis - Featured Speaker

Bryan Davis is the author of several fantasy/science fiction series for youth and adults, including the bestselling Dragons in Our Midst series.

Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.

Bryan is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.S. in Industrial Engineering). In high school, he was valedictorian of his class and won various academic awards. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and voted Most Likely to Succeed.

Bryan was a computer professional for over 20 years before becoming a fulltime author. He and his wife, Susie, homeschooled their four girls and three boys and now work together as an author/editor team.

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Candice Dugger - Featured Speaker

Candice Dugger is the founder of Bullied, Broken, Redeemed, co-founder of Kids Business Academy, and Vice President of ReImagine Education Conference. She is a nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker and trainer, specializing in helping families find HOPE and Healing at home. Candice has been featured on several networks nationally and internationally, including NBC, ABC, CBN, Family Research Council, over 100 podcasts and shows, and is a recognized trainer for Fortune 100 companies. She is a popular speaker for US and international conferences covering the topics of youth entrepreneurship, the public school to homeschool transition, and overcoming bullying in our culture.

Candice’s philosophy of Mental Health before Math, Character before Curriculum, and Relationships before Reading has helped thousands of families transition from traditional schooling to homeschooling and empowered them to find HOPE and Healing at home.

 

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Chuck Black - Featured Speaker

Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical combat communications engineer, is the author of twenty novels, including the popular Kingdom Series, The Knights of Arrethtrae series, the Wars of the Realm series, The Starlore Legacy series, and Call to Arms: The Guts and Glory of Courageous Fatherhood. Kingdom’s Dawn of The Kingdom Series received Homeschool.com’s “Voted #1” award and was on CBA’s top ten best sellers list twice in 2008 for all Christian Youth Literature. His heart is to equip and encourage families in their pursuit of Christ, and he seeks to do so through his allegorical and Scripture-based novels, his seminars, and his published articles.

Chuck has served as an Elder at Cornerstone First Baptist Church in Williston, ND and has taught adult Sunday school classes for the past nineteen years, including frequent class sessions on parenting. In addition to speaking at homeschool and Christian conferences all across the United States and Canada, he has written columns for the Teach Them Diligently Convention and the North Dakota State Homeschool Association. Chuck has also been published in LifeWay’s Home Life Magazine, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Walk Thru the Bible’s Stand Strong Magazine, and on various websites and e-newsletters. He is also an entrepreneur with sixteen patents and is currently the president and general manager for FlowCore Systems, a chemical injection automation company in the oil and gas industry.

Chuck is a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and in the Holy-Spirit-inspired, infallible Word of God. He is devoted to his wife, Andrea, and their six children and multiple grandchildren. Chuck and Andrea homeschooled their six children for twenty-four years; all six have graduated from college with five that have married. Chuck’s passion is to inspire people of all ages to follow the Lord with zeal and to equip parents, pastors, and youth leaders to accomplish the same.

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Dana Blomberg - Featured Speaker

Dana Blomberg is a homeschooling veteran of 23 years through which she and her husband trained their 3 children to adulthood. She traveled on a conference production team for mom conferences for 5 years and loves the atmosphere of encouragement provided at such events. Since her kids are now beyond their high school years, she currently is working as the Admissions Coordinator at Faith Baptist Bible College, located in beautiful Ankeny, Iowa. Dana deeply loves the Lord, her husband Terry (best friend), their family (including 2 grandkids), is enthusiastic about college and women’s ministry, as well as helping to bridge the gap between high school and college.

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Gretchen Roe - Featured Speaker

Gretchen Roe has 21 years of home education experience with her six children, five of whom are college graduates. Although she considers herself a reluctant homeschooler, she now says it was “the best journey of my life.” With a degree in psychology and child development, she has spent the last 27 years in positions of homeschool advocacy, developing special bonds with families of children who have to work harder to learn. A former business owner, she has served on a variety of nonprofit boards. Gretchen began working for Demme Learning in 2014 as a Placement Specialist and now serves as the company’s Community Relations Coordinator. She loves the outdoors, all things furry, chicken raising, and beekeeping, and is a second-degree Taekwondo Black Belt.

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Jared Dodd - Featured Speaker

Jared Dodd has been doing ministry for the last 20+ years. He and his wife started a ministry focused on Family and Discipleship in 2012 and currently reside in Texas. The Dodd's homeschool their 8 (going on 9) children and travel the country speaking on many different subjects: Apologetics, Family, Homeschooling tips, Discipleship, etc. They also have a weekly - nationally broadcast radio show called the The Blessed Family.  The Dodds currently have 8 books published and three, full length, 10-20 week video series on RightNow Media. PureFlix is currently reviewing all of their video series for streaming on purelfix.com.

Jared has spoken at various conferences over the years, big and small, including the Texas Shindig Family Conference, the North Dakota Homeschool Convention, and the Florida Shindig Family Conference.

 

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Jen Mulvihill - Featured Speaker

Jen Mulvihill is a veteran homeschool mom to her 5 children, ages 7-16. She has been married to Josh for 20 years and together they are passionate about training children and families to know and love Jesus Christ. Jen considers it a privilege to be able to spend her days at home as a support to her husband and children. Jen has a degree in music education and has taught music for 20 years, most recently in launching Wings Homeschool Bands. In her spare time, Jen can be found sewing, tending to her pigs, chickens, and farm cats, and tackling a DIY project at their one hundred year old farmhouse in Lester Prairie, MN. Jen is the co-author of two books, Discipling Your Grandchildren, and 50 Things Your Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home. Her favorite things include growing deeper in her relationship with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, encouraging other moms in the trenches of parenting, and laughing out loud with good friends over coffee.

 

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Josh Mulvihill - Featured Speaker

Josh Mulvihill is the Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry at Renewanation. He served as a pastor for nearly 20 years, has a PhD in Family Ministry, serves as the Vice-Chairmen on the board of Awana, is the Assistant Editor for The Review magazine, and is the author or editor of ten books on parenting and grandparenting including Biblical Grandparenting, Preparing Children for Marriage, Biblical Worldview, and 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home. He is married to Jen, they homeschool their five children, and live in Minnesota on a farm where they raise cows, KuneKune pigs, heritage breed chickens, and their black lab named Liberty. Josh blogs at GospelShapedFamily.com, enjoys camping with friends, reading a great book around a crackling fire, and catching fish in Minnesota lakes.

 

 

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Julie Noraker - Featured Speaker

Julie Noraker started as a reluctant homeschooler when she began half-way through the 2013-14 school year. However, by listening to the Lord’s guidance, she is now homeschooling elementary through high school! She is originally from Duluth, MN and has a B.S. in Computer Science from Bethel University.  Julie lives in Andover, MN with her wonderful husband and four great children. She enjoys biking, cross-country skiing with her family, as well as crocheting in her spare time.

https://www.northacreshomeschool.com/

 

 

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Mark Hancock - Featured Speaker

Mark Hancock began his career founding a national advertising agency and running it for fifteen years. His conversion to Christ led him into ministry as a Youth and College Pastor, Associate Pastor, Homeless Ministry Director and Global Event Director for an international ministry, organizing events on five continents. He holds two Masters Degrees in the Mental Health Counseling field, having spent a number of years in private practice, and has taught at secular and Christian colleges. Mark has been a guest on numerous radio and television programs including: Fox Nation’s Starnes Country, Family Life Radio, and James Dobson’s Family Talk Program. In 2017, Mark was named to the American Family Association’s ’40 Faithful’. An author, award-winning writer, and conference speaker, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of Trail Life USA and lives near Greenville, SC with his wife of 33 years. They have two sons.

 

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Nancy Bjorkman - Featured Speaker

After years of being a homeschool skeptic, Nancy Bjorkman began homeschooling her four children in 1992. Now, after over 30 years, she has become known as the Homeschool Mom Whisperer for many and a champion of the cause. She has spoken at homeschool conferences in over 10 states where she is known for her enthusiasm, energy, and encouragement. She finds joy in empowering parents to join the journey of homeschooling. Though she stays busy as a bookstore owner, mentor, and speaker, her favorite times are spent with her growing family (grandkids - yeah!). She and her husband own HEPPNER’S LEGACY, a homeschool store in Elk River, MN, where they delight in ministering to the unique needs of families year-round, and where parents say, “Come for the books. Stay for the Therapy.™”

 

 

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Patrick Nurre - Teen Track Speaker

Patrick Nurre is both a speaker and author.  It was in the second grade when he made his first big find – a large dinosaur bone in the alley behind his house!  That was the beginning of a love for geology.   Raised in beautiful Montana, he spent many days rockhounding near the Big Horn River.  This early interest led him to a lifelong study of the world of geology.   Patrick was trained in secular geology, but after becoming a Christian, he began to seriously reevaluate his previous evolutionary beliefs, and became, instead, a young-earth creationist.

Today, Patrick conducts geology classes (PreK-12) and seminars in the Seattle area, and speaks at numerous home school and church conventions on geology and our young earth.  He also leads a variety of geology field trips every year, including Yellowstone Park, where he helps families discover the Biblical geology of the Park.  Patrick is the vision behind Northwest Treasures, a 501(c)3 corporation, devoted to creating excellent geology kits, curricula, and education for all ages. To help in this endeavor, Patrick has written 17 books on geology, for all ages.  He is a long-standing participant in the IAC (International Association of Creation) Professional Development Program. In addition, he draws on over 40 years of pastoring experience. Patrick and his wife, Vicki, have three wonderful children and three grandchildren, and live in Bothell, Washington.

MÂCHÉ is once again excited to offer a two day event for teens ages 12-18! The Teen Track this year will be presented by Patrick Nurre with Northwest Treasures. Patrick has been a speaker with MÂCHÉ a number of times and is always well received. He will be sharing an interactive program called Apologetics for Teens! The $35 event fee includes the book Four Powerful Words in Apologetics, and the consumable handouts associated with each workshop. NOTE: If your teen is participating in Teen Track, you will not register them for the convention, only Teen Track.

The following provides a brief description of the sessions being presented:

Session 1 – The Keys to Understanding Apologetics
Why am I here? Why am I on this Earth at this particular time and stage in my life? Do I have a clear understanding of the world around me and the nature of Satan, God’s enemy? Do I understand God’s purpose in this world and how I can serve Him in His work to get this done? All of these questions are important to answer to have a good understanding of apologetics. We will set the stage in this first all-important session in understanding the keys to grasping the nature of apologetics.
Session 2 – Four Powerful Words in Apologetics
In our second session we will get to the heart of apologetics – communication! Are we communicating to win the argument or are we communicating to reach the conscience? Huge difference! Winning arguments only promotes anger. No one likes to lose. Learning and practicing four simple, yet powerful words will help us in our relationships with people to reach their conscience so that they can respond in faith.
Session 3 – The Framework for Answering the Tough Questions
What is the real reason why the subject of origins is such a thorny topic of conversation within the church? In our third session together, we will construct a framework that will help us answer most of the tough questions we will encounter in defending the Bible’s position about origins – the age of the universe, the age of the Earth and of man.
Session 4 – The Age of the Earth – How reliable are the Chronologies and Genealogies of Genesis?
At the heart of any question concerning the unobservable history of the universe is WDGS! We will learn this short acronym to help us tackle any question we face, both for our faith and the faith of others. It will also help to keep us on the track of reaching the conscience and not just winning the argument.
Session 5 – The Genesis Flood – The Great Pivotal Point of Earth History
For over 150 years the scientific community has taught us that geology is a science that absolutely demonstrates the Bible to be myth. Is this an accurate and true statement? How are we to know? After all, most of us do not have an in-depth understanding of geology. We will learn some basic geological concepts that will help not only our own faith but will also help others to have faith in the Scriptures.
Session 6 – The Genesis View of Man – The Key to Unraveling the Confounding Doublespeak in Today’s Culture
The country we live in today is not the country of our fathers. Even in my own life I have seen changes that have shocked me and forced me to re-think how to reach the conscience of those who are confused and questioning the Biblical view of morality. We will try to unravel some of the language used in our new American societal vocabulary and how it relates to Genesis. We will also learn how to get the topic back where it really belongs – WDGS! 
Session 7 – How to Study the Scriptures to Equip Myself to be a Better Disciple of Christ
In this session, I will share my personal journey of faith and some ideas I have learned along the way to help you get the most out of your Bible study. These ideas will also help make you a better student of English, science, history, and communication. 
Session 8 – The Trifecta of Growth in Faith and Knowledge of God
Everyone realizes that a key in growing as a Christian and being a good servant is maintaining balance in our lives. In our last session together, we will examine three key ideas for keeping the balance in our faith as we are challenged again and again with life’s curve balls and disappointments.

Our convention would not run smoothly without our wonderful volunteers!

Convention Volunteer Opportunities: 

• Security volunteers
• Host/hostess volunteers
• Coat check volunteers

Please provide your name, phone number, member status, and choice of area to volunteer ie host/hostess or security, then email Cindy Kravik - volunteers@mache.org

**NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT - DO NOT REGISTER FOR THE CONVENTION UNTIL YOU RECEIVE YOUR COUPON CODE FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION. 

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Convention Team Roles Needed:

Audio Editor - 
The primary need from an audio editor is to take the raw recordings from recorders, refine them, and output them into a format for sale. Our Audio Recording Coordinator would walk you through the process. The points below are key to the audio editors role.

• The recordings are transferred from recorders using Micro SD cards
• We use Audacity (the latest version) and a macro to do the majority of the refining work.
• Some editing of excessive and obvious errors is done manually before the macro.
• Need to provide a computer (Laptop ideally), mouse, and headphones (noise canceling or reducing preferable).
• Each recording takes 10-60min to edit (depending on original quality). This cannot usually be done entirely during the conference.
• We output into both .wav and .mp3 formats. The upload to the website is in .mp3.

Please contact volunteers@mache.org for more information.

Silent Auction Coordinator - 
MÂCHÉ is excited to bring back our silent auction! Our exhibitors, speakers, local businesses, and fellow homeschoolers donate wonderful items that will be offered up for silent bids during the convention. This is another area where MÂCHÉ is able to raise funds that not only support the expenses of the convention, but also assist in the programming throughout the school year. We are looking for someone who would be the contact person to collect the donated auction items via email, catalog them, set them up, and monitor them during the convention. The time needed for this role is really more closely connected to the last few months leading up to the convention. It is a minimal time commitment. For more information, please contact volunteers@mache.org.