Fulfilling The Great Commission

Come and explore this, and much more, at Winter Conference VIC+SA 2022!

Winter Conference VIC+SA 2022 is Power to Change’s annual conference in the winter break gathering uni students from around Victoria. It’s the perfect place for you to discover more about who Jesus is and how to live in relationship with God – all in the context of a great community! The conference will feature Bible teaching from our keynote speaker (Geoff Folland), practical training, journey groups and fun times with people from your campus and other campuses.

So whether you have been following Jesus for many years or you are just getting to know Him, we would love to have you at Winter Conference VIC+SA 2022! Invite your friends and hope to see you there!

FACEBOOK EVENT: https://fb.me/e/6ijeUmGZx

What to Expect

Musical Worship: Each day there will be opportunity to come together to worship God through music. A playlist of the songs will be sent out so you can get familiar with some of the songs that we will sing to. You could even listen to it and worship on the drive to conference!

Time Alone with God (Quiet Time): While we will have plenty of time to learn together, we also want you to get alone time to read the bible, talk to God, and process anything you may be learning. If you are unfamiliar with this, there will be a how to session that will help walk you through how to use this time.

Training: There will be times to break out into smaller groups to explore the Christian faith deeper or to receive practical training based on where you are at. Some of the training relates to learning how to talk to people about Jesus, how to disciple other students or be part of leading the movement at your campus!

Teaching: Geoff Folland, our keynote speaker, will be giving our main session talks at our evening sessions. He’ll be teaching us from the Bible and helping us think through the topic, “Fulfilling The Great Commission”.

Free Time/Nightlife: We like to break up all that we are taking in with space to just relax and have fun. Beach time, sports, craft and other activities are what students typically find themselves doing during their free time. In the evenings, there will be time to play games, have a chat over supper, and go deeper with those you have been meeting and connecting with.

Mission: Power to Change wants the Gospel to be made known not only on university campuses in Australia, but all over the world! With this in mind, we’ll get to hear about the places we can go over summer to serve and engage people in conversations about Jesus.

Campus Time: Bond with people from your own campus or area! Campus time is important to us because it encourages us to continue pursuing God and community even when conference is over.

International Community: Winter Conference is a place for both local Australian and International students to come together to connect with Jesus and each other. There will be opportunities for our friends whose first language isn’t English to experience training and community alongside other international students.

There will also be a range of seminars you can attend and you will have the opportunity to be a part of a small journey group over the conference. The best way to experience all of this and more is to come along!

Venue and Transport

Venue

The venue for Winter Conference is Camp Wilkin Baptist Centre in Anglesea.

Address: 57 Noble Street, Anglesea VIC. 3230

Please note: The campsite requires that all attendees are double vaccinated for covid to enter the venue.

Transport

Here are the transport options for travelling to and from Winter Conference; you will be able to select your transport method in the registration form when you register.

If you are unsure about which option you will take at the time of registering, you can select option three first. You can change the option later if you make your own arrangements. Email VICConference@powertochange.org.au if you need to make any changes.

Registration and Payment

Cost and Deadlines

The final deadline to register and pay for Winter Conference is midnight on Sunday 5th June. We encourage you not to leave this until the last minute!

This is to allow us to complete important planning steps for each person attending, such as allocating accommodation and ordering materials. Due to the time required to complete these processes, this deadline is not negotiable. No registrations after this date will be accepted so please make sure you submit your registration and payment by that date, and let any friends you’re inviting know that they need to do so as well. Failure to pay by the deadline will mean your registration is incomplete.

Please note that there are no refunds for any cancellations or withdrawals after the final deadline.

Payment Methods

When you register please select your payment method (bank transfer, cash or credit card). Ask someone from your campus or your Campus Registrar (see Contact Us tab) to find out how to make your payment (for bank transfer or cash).

Part Time Attendance

If you are unable to attend the whole of Winter Conference, please email us before you register to let us know. We will need to know when you will be arriving and leaving in order to calculate the part time rate for that time before you proceed with registering. (Please note that the first year & non-Christian price does not apply for part-timers. Other campus subsidies may also not apply.)

Conference Fee Subsidies

We know that Winter Conference can be expensive for students, even though the value is good. We don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone attending, so if you’re not able to afford the cost of Winter Conference, please contact your Campus Registrar (See Contact Us tab) or speak to a missionary from your campus. If your campus is not listed, email us (VICConference@powertochange.org.au) and we’ll put you in touch with the right person.

Meet the Speaker

Geoff Folland serves in Power to Change as a National Leader – Strategic Engagement.  Currently he oversees Church Movement & Digital strategies, and he leads the National LIFE Team that is responsible for alumni, communications and fundraising.

How long have you served with Power to Change?

I joined the campus strategy in Sydney in 1995, but was involved as a student from 1988. I did two short term mission trips to our campus ministry in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India. I spent a year on campus at the University of Colorado, Boulder. I have led campus teams working at Macquarie University, Sydney Uni and the University of Notre Dame.

What is a favourite pastime?

• Beating Kevin at 500
• Watching my Parramatta Eels (NRL) or Denver Broncos (NFL) play football

What are you most looking forward to at Winter Conference Vic + SA 2022?

Getting to hangout with students, make new friends, talk about meaningful issues in life. And I’m looking forward to diving deep into the life of Jesus and thinking about what it means for us today.

What to Bring

Please prepare to bring the following items with you to Winter Conference:

• Clothes for cool/wet weather (including a warm jacket as it can get very cold at night)
• All Bedding (including Pillow, Sheet, Sleeping Bag or Doona/Blanket)
• Towel
• Toiletries
• Bible and journal/pen
• Face Masks (enough to last the week)
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Keep cup (if you want hot drinks)/water bottle
• Medication (if you require this)
• Medicare card (if you have one)
• Umbrella

Optional items:

• Sports Equipment, Board Games, craft or other activities for free time

• • You may like to bring your own: basketball, soccer ball, tennis racquet/balls, volleyball, table tennis bat/balls, frisbees

• Snacks (morning tea, afternoon tea and supper will be provided)
• Powerboard/double adaptors for your bedrooms
• Money for your driver/conference bookstall
• Hand sanitiser (if you prefer to use your own). This will be available around the site.
• Gel or roll-on deodorant. Please DO NOT bring/use aerosol spray deodorant or Aerogard in the bedrooms as it will set off the fire alarms and will incur a fire truck call out fee.

Winter Conference is a drug and alcohol free event; please do not bring these items.

FAQs

Why should I attend Winter Conference?

Power to Change’s Winter Conference is specifically designed to help you – as a student in Victoria – join with other students from your campus and state in living out Jesus’ commission in your everyday life. It is also a place where you can explore more about who Jesus is and what Christianity is all about alongside others. At Winter Conference you will build and deepen friendships with fellow students that will continue to grow through the rest of the year. We’ll be talking about things immediately relevant to your situation on campus, and providing practical skills that will help you follow Jesus more closely in second semester. And you will come to understand how and why Power to Change does things on your campus, and how you can play a part.

Who will be at Winter Conference? Can I invite friends who are not part of Power to Change to come? Can I come if I’m not a Christian?

Winter Conference is designed especially for tertiary students, so the primary attendees will be uni students from around Victoria. And yes! Students who are not Christians or part of Power to Change are welcome to come! Winter Conference is for all young adults, regardless of their spiritual background who have a desire to grow in their relationship with God or are wanting to investigate and chat about God and Christianity. If you are not Christian, you won’t be asked to participate in any activities you don’t feel comfortable with, and there will be alternate options available during things like small group training.

Is it an issue if I don’t know anyone else going to Winter Conference?

There are plenty of opportunities to get to know people at Winter Conference, in fact it’s designed for people who may now know many others. You’ll be assigned to a specific group of up to four people to meet as a prayer and reflection group, as well as getting to know others in your training group, and from your uni and other unis throughout the week. Free time and Nightlife are also spaces where you will get to meet new friends.

What do I need to bring?

You can find a list of what to bring with you to Winter Conference on the “What to Bring” tab.

What is the accommodation/site like?

The venue, Camp Wilkin, has rooms with cluster ensuites (shared bathrooms between a few rooms). You will be required to bring all your own bedding. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper will all be catered for by the site. There will not be cooking facilities in the bedrooms. Some general information and photos can be found here.

Who will I be rooming with?

You’ll be allocated a cabin with a few other people of the same gender (except in the case of families and married couples). During the registration process you can indicate if there are people you would particularly like to room with and we’ll do our best to put you with at least one of those people. However if you don’t have a particular preference or if you don’t know anyone else at Winter Conference, you’ll be placed with people from your campus or region so you can get to know some new friends.

Why does it cost what it does?

We’re committed to organising a memorable, life-changing conference as well as keeping costs low. This is actually a fantastic price for everything that you get at Winter Conference! The price covers all the food, accommodation, training and conference materials, equipment and activities, and speaker fees. What you will take away in terms of connecting with God and others will be well worth it!

How do I pay?

When you register, you will be able to select your preferred payment method. If you choose to pay by bank transfer or cash you will need to arrange it through your Campus Registrar; contact them to find out how to pay.

I can’t afford the cost of Winter Conference, what can I do?

We know that Winter Conference can be expensive for students, even though the value is good. We don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone attending, so if you’re not able to afford the cost of Winter Conference, please contact your Campus Registrar or missionary from your campus to find out about the subsidies available. If your campus is not listed, contact us and we’ll put you in touch with the right person.

If your question isn’t answered here, please contact us.

Contact Us

For who to contact in regards to your registration, see the table below.

Speak to a missionary on your campus for further information regarding subsidies if you are in need of financial assistance.

ALL payments must be received by the deadlines for your registration to be complete.

Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/6ijeUmGZx

Contact Email: VICConference@powertochange.org.au (for general or registration enquiries)