About
Below is preliminary information that we are sharing regarding our next Convention:
Convention
Convention will be from July 19-22, 2023, in Scottsdale, AZ. Everyone should fly to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). You are to arrive on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. If you are a pastor, you should make sure you are at the hotel before 5:00 PM for the pastors' dinner.
Theme
Registration
Registration is available electronically at our web page, defendersmovement.org and will be online only. We will not register at the hotel. You must register on or before June 30, 2023, to receive a free t-shirt. The cost is $75 for adults; $55 for youth, and $10 for children. You are responsible for your meal.
Delegates
The theme for the upcoming Convention is: Defenders Family Reunion! We hope to focus on the importance of the family unity as one of the greatest expressions of God's plan for humanity. It is the family the first human structure created by God. The first church is challenged to live as one family created by Jesus. That is why it should be one of the most important things in church today and the focus of our ministry, but we also acknowledge that it has been far away from our focus and arguably the one thing we have sacrificed the most in order to accomplish ministry. That must change and that change will begin at Convention 2023!
We remind you of the importance of your pre-convention offering and ask you to consider sending an offering of $300 per church with less than 40 members; $500 per church of 40-75 members; and $1,000 per church with 76 or more members, in order to meet all the financial commitments of this great celebration. Please contact our Treasurer, Rev. Claudia Montufar, at (310) 720-3926 for payment thereof. Credit cards are accepted.
Church Offering
The Convention will be at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort, 5001 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250. Reserve your room by calling (800) 362-2779 and refer to Defenders Convention 2023 to secure the rate of $99.00 plus tax. Reservations will be accepted until Friday, June 30, 2023.
Lodging
The hotel does not offer transportation from the airport to the hotel and vice versa. It is the responsibility of the traveler to rent a vehicle to transport themselves from one place to another. The Movement will not be providing transportation. Parking will be provided free of charge at the Convention venue.
Transportation
Pastors, one of the most difficult procedures in registration is when members of your church may be confused about "whether they are or are not” a delegate during the business session. Please inform all members who will be delegates to come prepared to participate in the business session. You should send the list of delegates of your church by regular mail to Pastor Raquel Sommers, P.O. Box 33, Northfield, MN 55057, or by email to: sommersr@defendersofthechristianfaith.org, on or before June 19, 2023. Any delegate name received after June 19, 2023, or during the Convention, will NOT be accepted and your delegate will NOT participate during the business session.
It is important that we are all present until the end of the Convention, Saturday night, and return home on Sunday. Therefore, we urge all pastors to plan not to be in their local church services.