Parents Matching Convocation and Matching Advisor Training July 11 to 13, 2014 in Columbus Ohio

The National Blessing and Family Ministry, in partnership with the Columbus Church, is hosting a Parents Matching Convocation (PMC) and Matching Advisor Training from July 11 to 13, 2014, at the Columbus Family Church in Ohio.

The PMC is a wonderful opportunity for parents to understand the Matching process, learn from those who have matched their children successfully, network with other parents and consider potential Matching candidates. More information on the fees, registration, accommodations, how to prepare or update candidate profiles, and other details can be found at bfm.familyfed.org.

Participants in this PMC will receive the brand-new, vastly improved 2nd edition of the Family Matching Handbook (in English or Japanese). They will learn about the Matching websites, the international Matching process and other resources to support them in matching their children. They also can meet Matching Advisors who are prepared to assist and support them.

If you are a parent of a Matching candidate, the blessed sibling of a candidate, or a parent interested in learning more about the Matching process and your role in it, the PMC is for you! To register for the PMC, visit www.blessedfamilies.org and click on the pink PMC registration banner on the right side, above the Matchbook logo. Be sure to register by June 24 to get the early-bird price!

Passionate about supporting happy and healthy marriages and families? Looking for a way to help individuals and families in the Matching process? Consider receiving training to become a Matching Advisor.

A training and certification for prospective Matching Advisors will be held Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, 2014, together with the PMC in Ohio. The MA Training will be held Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., with additional sessions integrated with the PMC Friday evening and Saturday until 6:00 p.m. The training will be conducted by Crescentia DeGoede and Debby Gullery of the Blessing and Family Ministry in the USA, and other Senior Matching Advisors. The training is free for qualified participants. Lunch and snacks are included on Friday. Participants are encouraged to remain for the Saturday evening and Sunday session of the PMC, which ends at 2:00 p.m.

The ideal MA should feel called to this ministry, be trustworthy, a good listener, a patient communicator, and happily blessed in marriage. He or she also should have available a few hours per week to devote to this ministry on an ongoing basis. Advisors will be trained to help candidates and parents develop a clear plan for the Matching process, assist them in finding potential candidates, and support them through the process as needed. The BFM will provide the handbooks, interview forms and support materials, and will train and certify Matching Advisors, according to the international guidelines. Advisors work according to their own schedule and availability, and should freely develop their “gift” for this ministry. But they should work according to the international guidelines, and connect to their local or district pastor and Family Ministry.

To participate in the training, register online at bfm.familyfed.org. You must pre-register in order to participate in the training. You will be prompted to fill out some basic information and a questionnaire, and upload a recommendation letter from your local or district pastor. If you plan to participate in the entire Parents Matching Convocation from Friday, July 11, in the evening to Sunday, July 13, in the afternoon, please indicate this on your registration form. (Additional registration on blessedfamilies.org is not necessary). Matching Advisor Training participants can attend the PMC for a total of $50 per individual, to be paid at the door (a savings of $50 off the regular early-bird price). Arranging accommodations is the responsibility of each participant. Information about possible accommodations can be found here.

Parents Matching Convocation @ Columbus, Ohio on July 11-13 May 23, 2014

The PMC is a wonderful opportunity for parents to understand the matching process, learn from those who have matched their children successfully, network with other parents and consider potential matching candidates. The PMC is not a place to finalize matches but to connect with other parents, learn about candidates and prepare to develop a Family Matching Plan based upon your child’s priorities and preferences. We recommend that parents attend a PMC before beginning the matching process with their children. Parents whose children are at least 16 should participate in a PMC simply to learn and prepare.

Participants in this PMC will receive the brand new, vastly improved 2nd edition of the Family Matching Handbook. They will learn about the matching websites, the international matching process and other resources to support them in matching their children. They can also meet Matching Advisors who are prepared to assist and support them.

The PMC registration process and submission of candidate information and photos is entirely online. PMC registrations and candidate profiles are submitted through “Matchbook,” the online matching site at www.blessedfamilies.org. Candidates and their families need only apply once, and can then indicate where and to what extent their profile and photo information can be accessed by others, from total privacy, by permission only, through advocates or advisers, at the PMCs, etc.

To register for the PMC visit www.blessedfamilies.org, and click on the pink PMC registration banner on the right side, above the Matchbook logo.

Convocation Information:

Location: UC Columbus Church Center

4303 Indianola Ave

Columbus, Ohio 43214

(614) 448-9099

Onsite registration will open at 5:00 PM Friday afternoon, July 11 (pre-registering online will save you money and time at the conference registration). The program begins with Orientation at 7:30 PM that evening, and closes at 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 13.

Who Should Attend

Parents of matching candidates and Blessed siblings of candidates are also welcome. Parents of younger children are encouraged to attend, to familiarize and educate themselves about the process and their role and begin developing a family plan for matching their children.

Registration- Save Money by Registering Early!

To encourage prompt registration and facilitate planning and organization, participants can save money by registering early. You can pay directly online by credit card:

 EARLY BIRD Pay by June 24: $100/individual; $150/couple; $50 for each additional family member  Pay after June 24: $120/individual; $180/couple; $60 for each additional family member

The registration fee covers the convocation program and materials, the new 2ndEdition Matching Handbook (choose English or Japanese), snacks and refreshments during the program, and 5 meals: Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch. Accommodations are the responsibility of each participant. Dinner on Friday is optional at the cost $8.00.

To register, visit www.blessedfamilies.org, and click on the pink PMC registration banner on the right side, above the Matchbook logo. Candidate profiles and photos can also be uploaded at the registration site and should be completed by July 3rd. If you need assistance registering for the PMC or uploading profiles and photos, contact your church office or Email us at BFMadmin@unification.org.

Accommodations

Accommodations are the responsibility of each participant. For those who travel and may need a hotel, we found two hotels with availability at reasonable rates. We reserved a block of rooms at each hotel:

 The Ramada Plaza Columbus North Hotel, 2 minutes from UC Columbus: $107+tax. To obtain this rate, call and ask for the “Family Federation” rate: 877-361-2502 and reference confirmation number 20610245 prior to 6/27, the cut-off date.  La Quinta Inn Columbus Dublin, 20 minutes from UC Columbus: $109+tax. To obtain this rate, call and ask for the “Family Federation” rate: ( 614) 792-8300 Cut-off date June 13, 2014

Preparing Candidate Profiles

Parents may attend the PMC without displaying a candidate. Candidates can also be displayed at the PMC without their parents being present. But candidates can only be displayed with their permission and involvement. No parent should display their adult child as a candidate or pursue a match without the candidate’s involvement. To be displayed at the PMC, every candidate should do the following:

1. Complete the candidate profile page at the PMC registration site. This will allow candidates to participate in Matchbook, PMCs, or both, and to designate their preferred level of accessibility. 2. Complete the additional 9-question personality profile at the profile page. This is optional for Matchbook participants but required for candidates at the PMC. Candidates should complete these profiles themselves. NOTE: Unless all 9 questions are answered, the profile cannot be printed for display. 3. Upload three good-quality photos at the profile page: one half-length (head & torso) and one full- length of the candidate and one family photo. The profile and photos are required, but do not necessarily need to be uploaded at the time of registration. They must be uploaded by July 3rd. If parents bring photos or profiles to the PMC that require scanning or copying to be displayed, there will be a $20 charge, and we cannot guarantee how quickly the material will be ready for display.

Be creative! A poem, photo montage or personal story also conveys who you are, and can be added to your profile at the PMC. Parents can also prepare “contact cards” with the candidate’s picture and your family’s contact info to give to other parents at the PMC.

IMPORTANT: If your candidate’s profile has not been updated since February 2013, you must contact us at bfmadmin@unification.org if they still wish to be displayed. We strongly recommend profiles be updated and improved, with your adult child’s permission and participation. We will not display any old profiles unless we have heard from the candidate that they wish to be displayed.

For additional information visit the registration site or contactBFMadmin@unification.org.